We are cruising to Bergen and need to know how far the cruise ship dock is from the town and the best way to get in and the must see sites !! Thanks !! (we cant afford to do a tour in every port so we thought we could do this one on our own ... right or wrong?)

Most, if not all, cruise ships visiting Bergen berth very close to the city centre. Which ship are you on?

We are on the Golden Princess. Can we walk into the city ?

We visited Bergen on P&O Arcadia. We docked less than a mile from the fish market which is one of the big attractions - if you don't object to seeing whale and occasionally seal meat being sold and eaten. Our ship ran a free shuttle bus into town but on the way back we just walked.
We only had a couple of hours before the rain started (Bergen is one of the wettest places in Europe) so we didn't spend much time walking around. Several people from our ship took the funicular railway up the mountain just outside the city and said this was very scenic. Although our visit was cut short by the weather I think you could happily spend several hours in Bergen without going on an organised tour.

Bergen is a beautiful city. Very near the dock area are some beautiful old buildings in many colors. The funicular ride is great- fabulous view from the top. We also took a bus tour around the city - not very expensive as I remember (1995). It's not a very large city and easily walkable. Have a great time!

The section of Bergen called Bryggen is right on the harbor near the fish wharves and is the area of medieval Bergen. Visit the Hanseatic Museum to see how people lived at the time. Fascinating.

I agree with the recommendations of the Hanseatic Museum, the funicular and the fish market.

We used a self-guided walking tour from a guide book with some additional stops, but I can't remember if it was Fodors, Frommers or Rick Steves.

Thank you all for wonderful suggestions ! Much appreciated !

The buildings in Bryggen are old but not as old as some guide books suggest. A lot of them were destroyed by fire and were lovingly restored I think htis was mid 19th century. For real enthusiasts, the quality of the resoraton work is an attraction in itself.