Why Honeymoon in Bergen
Bergen gives a fjord honeymoon its city chapter without the sprawl of a capital. Everything worth seeing in the center sits within a twenty-minute walk. Wilderness starts at the top of the funicular.
The mix is what couples like. You can spend a morning in the alleys of Bryggen, where wooden passages tilt and creak underfoot, then walk between mountain lakes on Fløyen in the afternoon. In the evening you can dress up for a tasting menu or eat fish soup by the harbor. KODE, the city's group of art museums, holds a fine collection of Edvard Munch, a good plan for a rainy afternoon.
Bergen is also the practical hub of fjord Norway. Trains, express boats and roads fan out to the Sognefjord, Flåm and Hardanger. Basing yourselves here for a few nights lets you take day trips and come back each evening to the same good hotel.
When to Go
May through early September is the best window. Days are long, outdoor tables fill along the harbor and boats to the fjords run full schedules. Late May and June bring the Bergen International Festival, a long-running arts festival with concerts and theater around the city. July is busiest, especially on days when large cruise ships are in port.
Rain is the constant. Bergen is among the wettest cities in Europe, with some precipitation on more than half the days of a typical year. Summer tends to be a little drier. Autumn and early winter are the wettest stretch.
December has its own appeal. The city builds Pepperkakebyen, a huge gingerbread town assembled by residents and schoolchildren, while Christmas markets brighten the short afternoons. January to March is quiet and gray, though hotel prices drop and the restaurants stay open for locals.
Where to Stay
Stay in the center so you can walk everywhere.
- Bryggen and the harbor: the most atmospheric area. Det Hanseatiske Hotel occupies old merchant buildings right on the wharf.
- Near the harbor's south side: Bergen Børs Hotel fills the former stock exchange and has the Michelin-starred restaurant Bare on site.
- By the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake: Opus XVI, a boutique hotel in a former bank building, takes its name from Grieg's Piano Concerto, Opus 16.
- Hotel Oleana: a small, design-minded hotel close to the old center with a well-loved breakfast.
For a quieter feel, look at apartments in the hillside neighborhood of Fjellsiden, where white houses climb toward Fløyen. You give up a little hotel service in exchange for views over the rooftops and harbor plus a short, steep walk home after dinner.
Romantic Things to Do
Ride the Fløibanen funicular to Mount Fløyen for the view over the harbor and islands, then follow easy trails to the lake at Skomakerdiket. Fit couples can hike the Vidden ridge between Ulriken and Fløyen, a long day above the treeline when the weather is clear.
Walk Bryggen early, before the shops open, when the passages are empty and smell of tar. Later, browse the Fish Market for smoked salmon and shrimp to eat by the water.
Take the light rail out to Troldhaugen, Edvard Grieg's lakeside villa, where lunchtime piano recitals run in summer in the concert hall beside the house. Book a boat to Cornelius, a seafood restaurant on a small island roughly 25 minutes from the city, with the crossing part of the evening. On a longer day, the Osterfjord cruise to the Mostraumen strait takes you through steep, narrow fjord scenery and back in about three hours.
Getting There and Around
Bergen Airport Flesland (BGO) has frequent flights from Oslo plus direct links to European hubs such as Amsterdam, Copenhagen and London. Seasonal nonstop flights from the US East Coast have run in some recent summers, so check schedules for your dates. The Bybanen light rail runs from the airport to the center in about 45 minutes. A taxi takes about 25.
The Bergen Railway connects the city with Oslo in roughly seven hours, crossing the high Hardangervidda plateau. It is a lovely way to arrive. Express boats leave from the harbor for the Sognefjord and Flåm, while buses and trains reach Voss and Hardanger.
In town you need no car. The center is compact but steep in places, so wear shoes with grip on wet cobblestones. Driving in central Bergen is restricted and parking is costly. Pick up a rental only when you leave for the fjords.
Food and Drink
Bergen takes seafood personally. Bergen fish soup, creamy and slightly sweet with root vegetables, appears on almost every menu. At the Fish Market, stalls in the glass hall sell shellfish platters and fish cakes, though prices lean toward visitors. Locals mostly shop there for ingredients.
For a special dinner, Bare in Bergen Børs Hotel holds a Michelin star and serves a long tasting menu built on west coast produce. Lysverket, set in the old municipal power company building that is now part of KODE, cooks in a similar spirit in a more relaxed room. Cornelius, reached by boat, serves seafood menus that follow the weather and the catch.
Between meals, grab a skillingsbolle, the city's oversized cinnamon bun, from a bakery. On a dry evening, take a drink to one of the outdoor terraces along the harbor. Bergen also has a lively craft beer scene if you prefer a pint to a glass of wine.
Honeymoon Tips
- Pack a real rain jacket and waterproof shoes. Umbrellas lose to Bergen's wind.
- Ride the Fløibanen early or late. Midday lines on cruise days can be long, though walking up takes under an hour.
- Book Bare, Lysverket and Cornelius before you leave home, especially for weekends.
- Use Bergen as a base for day trips to the Osterfjord or Hardanger instead of moving hotels every night.
- On heavy cruise days, see Bryggen first thing and save the afternoon for a hike.
- If you visit in December, see the gingerbread town on a weekday morning to skip the crowds.
- Carry a small dry bag for your phone on boat trips. Spray from waterfalls travels farther than you expect.
