A Good Walk: Historic Bergen

A Good Walk: Historic Bergen

Start your tour in the center of town at Torget, also called Fisketorget or the fish market, where fishermen and farmers sell their goods. Next, walk over to Bryggen, the wharf on the northeast side of Bergen's harbor. The gabled wood warehouses lining the docks mark the site of the city's original settlement. Take time to walk the narrow passageways between buildings; shops and galleries are hidden among the wooden facades. Follow the pier to the Hanseatisk Museum at Finnegårdsgaten and have a look inside. Afterward, continue your walk down the wharf, past the historic buildings, to the end of the Holmen promontory and to Bergenhus Festning (Bergenhus Fort), which dates from the 13th century; the nearby Rosenkrantztårnet is a 16th-century tower residence.

After you've spent some time out here, retrace your steps back to the Radisson SAS Royal Hotel. Beside the hotel is Bryggens Museum, which houses magnificent archaeological finds. Just behind the museum is the 12th-century church called Mariakirken. Around the back of the church up the small hill is Øvregaten, a street that's the back boundary of Bryggen. Walk down Øvregaten four blocks to Fløibanen, the funicular that runs up and down Fløyen, one of the city's most popular hiking mountains. Don't miss a trip to the top, whether you hike or take the funicular -- the view is like no other. When you've returned, walk south on Øvregaten to the Domkirke (Bergen Cathedral). It's on your left, at the intersection with Kong Oscars Gate. Finally, head back to Torgallmenningen in the center of town for a late-afternoon snack at one of the nearby cafés.

Timing

This tour will take a good portion of a day. Be sure to get to the Fisketorget early in the morning, since many days it may close as early as 1 or 2. Also, try to plan your trip up Fløyen for a sunny day. It may be difficult, as Bergen is renowned for rain, but you may want to wait a day or two and see if the skies clear up.