Hotels & Accommodation in Bergen

Bergen Hotels

As the 'Gateway to the Fjords', the shimmering lights and restrained beauty of Bergen is the first sight that greets cruise passengers as they travel to Norway. Although it's the country's second largest city, there's a distinctly villagey feel to the place – with the locals' welcoming smiles, and the abundance of green, tulip-laced, space adding to the pleasant, small-town atmosphere. Hanging high above the city, while your cable car ascends Mt. Ulriken, and the northern sun reluctantly sets - is an eerie, but magnificent experience that can only be found in Bergen.

Things to see

Bergen has many jewels in its crown, but the World Heritage site of Bryggen takes pride of place. Florally painted buildings - which were once occupied by wealthy Hanseatic merchants - stand side by side, overlooking the dark waters of the fjord they border, and just begging to be photographed. Only the sound of your own footsteps echoing will accompany you as you cut through narrow alleyways, and amble past the crooked timber exteriors of these historic buildings. Bergen's fishing trade remains important to the city, and a short walk will take you to the animated Torget Fishmarket, where you can barter with stall owners before sliding salty oysters down your throat, and tasting freshly prepared eel drizzled with lemon. The natural wonders that surround Bergen are best explored by boat from the Hurtigruten Terminal. There, you can choose to sail deep into the veiny fjords, or head north to catch a glimpse of the emerald green northern lights, dancing just for you.

Hotels in Bergen

Bergen hotels vary from bed and breakfasts, housed in traditional wooden buildings that overflow with authentic Scandinavian character, to cutting-edge modern hotels, complete with large gyms and spacious rooms stylishly splashed with color. Look hard enough and you'll find a couple of hotels with heated indoor pools and hot tubs – perfect for a soak when it's chilly outside. Almost all the rooms in Bergen have free WiFi, televisions, and hot drink facilities.

Where to stay

The vast majority of Bergen hotels are clustered around the city center, and harbor areas. This location is ideal for exploring by foot, as everything's in easy reach. The Vågen area is the old part of the city, and the prospect of evening strolls by the waterfront, followed by shared bottles of wine at cozy restaurants, makes it especially appealing. Vågsbunnen tends to be a little cheaper food-wise, and is a place where you'll find the owners of homely restaurants waiting to welcome you inside with open arms, before providing feasts of grilled chicken and floury fishcakes.

How to get to Bergen

Its scenic location means arriving in Bergen is always a pleasure. Sailing through the coastal fjords to dock at the harbor is the romantic way to arrive, but flying into Bergen Airport, Flesland, is more practical for most visitors. Even though the airport is only 10 miles from the city center, and busses are on hand to efficiently shuttle passengers to the city, consider flying into Oslo instead. Doing so will give you the chance to sit back and enjoy a spectacular 190 mile train ride between the 2 cities. Breathtaking views of scattered mountain peaks, sculpted fjords, and open valleys will present themselves to you, one after the other, as your train pushes unwaveringly on across the landscape.