The Perfect Bergen Itinerary for First Timers (AKA the One I Made for my Friend!)

Need a good first timer’s Bergen itinerary? Don’t worry – this is the one I wrote up when my friend came to visit!

I’ve been to Bergen, Norway quite a few times now, and my last trip was to cat sit for my friend for the whole month of June. As you might guess – I’ve had a lot of time to get to know the city, so when my friend came to visit, I went about putting together the perfect Bergen itinerary for her.

Below is more or less what we did and what I’d tell anyone who had three days to do!

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The 3-Day Bergen Itinerary I Made for My Friend

Day 1: Arrival & Hiking Day

Arrival

If you’re like my friend, you’ll arrive to Bergen early afternoon! If it’s summer, you have until at least 10:00 PM until the sun sets, so drop your bags and head out to beat jet lag.

For first time visitors, I’d recommend staying within walking distance of Byparken, aka the last stop on the Bybanen (Bergen Light Rail). That way you’re not schlepping your belongings all over town and up hills.

I really loved where we stayed on my first trip to Bergen at Det Hanseatiske Hotel. It’s part of the Bryggen area and a bit of a historic building itself. Alternatively, Bergen Børs and Scandic Torget are supposed to be really nice!

Lunch at Bryggeloftet

As soon as you’ve dropped off your things, head to Bryggeloftet for a later lunch. It’s the oldest restaurant in Bergen and serves some really nice, classic Norwegian dishes. The first time I went, I’m pretty sure I got the traditional Bergen fish soup and then last time I got the bacalao (pictured above).

Depending on the season, you may want to make reservations in advance. Because of its history, offerings, and location in Bryggen, it can get pretty busy during peak hours!

Grab a Treat at Det Lille Kaffekompaniet

You can get dessert at Bryggeloftet, but instead I’d head over to Det Lille Kaffekompaniet to see if they still have some of my favorite dessert left – suksessterte or success cake. I’d also grab a coffee just to get you over the last bit of jet lag exhaustion.

One of the other nice things about this café – it’s right next to the entrance for your next activity of the day.

Hike-up Fløyen or Take the Fløibanen

And now for the main event – hiking up to the Fløyen overlook! You could take the Fløibanen up, but why not break a little sweat and keep moving to stave off jet lag instead? Plus, you know, walking up is free and shouldn’t have too many crowds. Taking the Fløibanen up will mean a line to get in and less kroner in your pocket, figuratively speaking.

I’ve done both, and I definitely loved hiking up. It’s a paved path the whole way, so you just need regular sneakers (honestly could do it in sturdy sandals too). Plus there are so many places to stop and enjoy the view overlooking the city!

It shouldn’t take too long to get up either. Maybe an hour to 90 minutes depending on your fitness level and how leisurely you want to go.

Grab a Hot Dog at Trekroneren

As soon as you’ve come down from Fløyen, head right over to the little red Trekroneren stand for a reindeer hotdog. Ever since my experience with Danish hot dogs, I’ve been wanting to try a Norwegian one! My friends in Bergen recommended TreKroneren, and it did not disappoint.

There’s nowhere to really sit, so we just kind of ate our hot dogs across the street while standing.

Get a drink nearby

Okay, if you’re absolutely dragging by this point, consider this me giving you permission to finally head back to your hotel, shower, and pass out!

However, if you’re still feeling energetic and want to wander around some more, check out one of the bars nearby. Dark & Stormy is particularly nice since there’s a ton of outdoor seating in the back!

Day 2: Fjord Day

Breakfast at Hotel

First things first today, enjoy your hotel’s breakfast. I have stayed in many, many hotels around the world and eaten from many hotel breakfasts, and Norway, by far, is the best. Like I stayed at a Scandic airport hotel on one of my visits and was excited because I knew I was about to feast the next morning.

This is just me telling you NOT to skip the breakfast spread because you think it’ll be mid-tier. It will most assuredly NOT be unless you’re staying in a super budget place. In which case, they’re likely not offering breakfast anyway.

Wander Around Bryggen & Fish Market

The main thing I’d recommend doing this morning is allowing yourself to wander around Bryggen and the Fish Market. Bryggen is just full of fun little alleyways and cool shops. Last time I went, I picked up a really gorgeous ceramic tray and a cute print of Bryggen.

As for the Fish Market, I’d just plan to wander through unless something really catches your eye. I’ve gotten food there before but it’s honestly really overpriced for what it is, even by Norwegian standards.

If you have a lot of time still, I’d expand my wanderings to the Nordnes neighborhood. It’s probably the prettiest neighborhood in Bergen, and I’m always there since one of my friends lives here. Just keep in mind it’s very hilly but the cute homes pretty views are worth the gluteal burn.

Lunch at Søstrene Hagelin

Before you head to your next activity, stop into Søstrene Hagelin for lunch. My friend, Silvia, recommended we go here for fish dishes instead of the Fish Market since it’s the same offerings (possibly even better) for a fraction of the price, and it’s literally just around the corner. Not to mention – the shops been around since 1929 and the fishcakes were even popular with King Olav!

Depending on how much time you have, you can eat at the shop or take your dishes to go.

Spend the Afternoon Cruisin’ Out to the Fjords

For anyone who’s new to Norway, you’ve just got to go on a little fjord cruise. Even if you’re planning to do way more with the fjords elsewhere, I love the ones that go out to Mostraumen. It’s a few hours on the water, and at the end you’ll see some really gorgeous waterfalls and a classic little Norwegian town.

There’s a whole inside section to sit and relax in between sightseeing. Keep an eye on the lower front deck since someone will periodically come down and let people out on it for short bursts.

I also recommend bringing a book since it is a long time on the water, and the cruise traces its route back to Bergen, so you’ll see the same thing twice. If you’re on the way to the Mostraumen, stick to the right to get the best views.

Once you’re back in Bergen, freshen up at your hotel, and head to Frescohallen for dinner. If you’re dying to dress up a little, you totally can but don’t feel pressured to wear anything fancy – Norway is super casual. It’s part of the Bergen Børs Hotel (so right at home if you’re staying there!)

The interior is seriously gorgeous and the food is very much fine dining but with substance. You will definitely not leave hungry. I still think about that lobster pasta!

Day 3: Museum Day

Grab Breakfast at Your Hotel

You know the drill – enjoy that breakfast spread!

Start with the KODE Museums

Now today is a museum-heavy day because I enjoy museums and Bergen has some really lovely ones. Not to mention- you’re visiting one of the rainiest cities out there and the museums are kind of all next to each other around Lille Lungegårdsvannet, so you won’t have to be outside for too long going to each one.

Anyway, start with the KODE Museums. They’re a series of museums that focus on art, design, and music, and the main four are around the lake. If you only want to go to one, go to Rasmus Meyer. It’s got the Edvard Munch collection.

Next, Visit the Leprosy Museum

I actually really liked the Leprosy Museum, which is set in St. Jørgen’s Hospital, a hospital that’s been around since the 1400s and was one of the main three places for leprosy patients. Since the disease was actually discovered in Bergen, the city played an important role in its research and treatments.

I found the museum did a really lovely job of not only educating the average person on leprosy but also memorializing its victims and sharing their stories.

Get Lunch at Bergen Brunsj

After a morning of museums, head right across the street to Bergen Brunsj for some lunch! It’s such a cute brunch spot in town. They focus on doing these themed platters of smaller dishes and, of course, the mainstay is always the Bergen one (seen above),

*Make reservations ahead of time – this place fills up.

Grab a Sweet Treat at Solros Bakery

Behind Bergen Brunsj is the very cute Solros Bakery. I saw someone post about it on Instagram and added it because the pastries looked so good! You can’t miss the blue building, and I can confirm, the pastries are really delicious.

Afternoon at the Sauna

The best way to finish off this Bergen itinerary? With a trip to the sauna, of course! If you were to meet anyone who knows about my time in Norway, they’ll tell you my favorite four things are – Freia milk chocolate, fish soup, success cake, and the sauna.

From my experience at… like five different Norwegian saunas, you split your time getting nice and sweaty sitting in a dry sauna before jumping in to the icy cold waters of a fjord. They’re usually floating on the fjord, so it’s easy to go in and out.

In Bergen, there are two great options. I took my friend to Heit Sauna because it was closer to where I was staying. It’s nice, though you have to reserve and time is limited. I prefer Nordnes Sjøbad since there’s no time limit and it’s much bigger. You not only have the sauna and the fjord area with diving boards, you have a heated pool to swim laps in as well.

One Last Dinner in Town

Once you’ve cleaned up from your sauna time, grab one last dinner in town! At this point it just depends on what you’re craving. If you went to Heit Sauna, nearby is Nobel Bopel is more of a café but has plenty of lighter food options. Alternatively, around Nordnes Sjøbad, Enjoy Saigon has nice Vietnamese food.

I also loved the pasta at Boccone, and if you’re finishing off on a Tuesday, you’re able to order their cheese wheel dish!

Have a Few More Days?

If you have more time to spend in your Bergen itinerary, I’d suggest the following:

Add Some More Hiking

There are quite a few other, more challenging hikes you could do right from Bergen if you wanted to. Next summer, I plan on heading up Ulriken and Løvstien.

Checkout Spots Further from the City Center

As you’ll notice coming in, the Bybanen has quite a few stops from the airport to Byparken, and off those stops are often some pretty cool places! I did not take advantage and once I started planning for my friend to come, I was kicking myself for wasting my sunny days not heading to one of these places.

• Gamlehaugen – a royal castle
• Fantoft Stavkirke – a stave church
• Troldhaugen – once the home to composer, Edvard Grieg, and no a museum about his life
• Old Bergen Museum – an open air museum

Head into Western Norway

Now if you really have some time, rent a car and plan a trip into Western Norway. This is what I did after my first trip to Bergen. We rented a car and did a fun loop towards Fjaerland, Flåm, and Gudvangen.

And there you have it – everything you need for the perfect Bergen itinerary! If you have any questions or want to add something, just ask below!

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