Bergen, Norway – An Incredible Introduction to Europe (Guide + Flights from $100 one way)

With small town charm and a quaint feel, Bergen is a perfect gateway to Norway’s gorgeous fjords and Europe as a whole. It is one of Northern Europe’s oldest port cities and is a nice blend of old and new, nature and city. That said, Norwegian Airlines will resume its seasonal service from Newburgh, NY to Bergen in late March. Flights are on Thursdays and Sundays and begin at $100 for a one way. Bergen is an amazing place to spend a few days in and English speakers will feel right at home with Norway’s multilingual people.

Bergen was my first stop on a long backpacking trip last year and it stood out as one of the highlights of Europe despite not being a large metropolitan area. Norway is notoriously expensive, but if you do your research and follow some of my tips you can keep the costs reasonable.

Just a short walk from downtown

Cheap Eats

People say that Norway is a great place to have a fine dining experience because luxury meals aren’t too much more expensive than cheap meals out. I can’t attest to this and did my best to find budget meals instead. Here are some places which had a good bang for the buck.

Trekroneren – Hot dog stand ~$6.50

Asian Street Food – Thai food with big portions ~$10

Sostrene Hagelin – Norwegian style seafood  ~$10

Kafe Spesial – Italian/Pizza, good selection of beer ~$10

I’m sure there are plenty of cheap places if you’re willing to look. As we were only there for a few days we didn’t get to try too many restaurants.

See/Do

Bryggen Wharf – UNESCO World Heritage sight, postcard/instagram worthy, plenty of history and shopping

Mount Floyen – Hike or take the funicular ($11 round trip, $6 one way), great views of the fjord/city

Mount Ulriken – Tallest mountain in the city, romantic cable car rides ($20 round trip), restaurant at top

Nordnesparken – Fjord-side park, near Bergen aquarium, great for night walks

Fish Me Market – Somewhat touristy but good fish market on Bryggen wharf.

Troldhaugen – Composer Edvard Greig’s former house turned into a muesum (~$12)

Bergenhus Fortress – Stone fortress close to Bryggen wharf, nice to walk around for a bit (Free)

KODE Museums – Group of four museums for Norwegian art ($14)

Stay

AirBnBs are probably your best bet, you can find a nice private room for under $35 a night.

Marken Guesthouse – Best rated hostel in the city, ~$20 for a dorm bed.

CityBox Bergen – $~70/night with good reviews and a great location

Guide

I’m somewhat ashamed to admit my first meal in Norway and therefore Europe was a hot dog. In my defense, I had just gotten off an overnight flight and needed an energy boost for hiking. I almost forgot to mention that it was a reindeer hotdog with lingonberry sauce and it was absolutely delicious. Trekroneren is a popular hot dog stand close to the famous Bryggen wharf and Mount Floyen. Both of the latter cannot be missed.

The view from one of the city’s seven mountains

Hiking up Floyen in snow covered trails in shoes with bad traction was not the best idea in retrospect, but the view was definitely worth it. If you’re not into hiking you can take the funicular up and down the mountain for 95 Krone, which is about $11.

One thing I love about Bergen is how walkable it is. After my girlfriend and I got off of the lightrail from the airport we didn’t have to use public transit until we went back to the airport.

We spent the rest of our first day around Bryggen wharf. A UNESCO world heritage site, Bryggen is a row of wooden houses first built in the 1100s. Fires have destroyed the originals, but they have been rebuilt in the traditional style. Perhaps the best view of it is from across the wharf, as you can see the houses and Mount Floyen clearly, creating a beautiful cityscape.

Bryggen in all of its glory

There are plenty of shops in the houses and in their courtyards. One of the shop’s slogans was “There is no bad weather, only bad clothing,” which stuck with me and is apparently a pretty common Norwegian saying.

This post would not be complete without mentioning seafood. There is a large seafood market (Fish Me Market) across the wharf from the Bryggen houses and seafood can be found pretty much anywhere in town. I’d recommend the fishcakes from Sostrene Hagelin. It’s a bit different from what Americans are used to, but tasty nonetheless. It’s probably the freshest fast food meal I’ve ever had and it was under $10.

Fiskekaker med brun saus (fishcakes with brown sauce)

There aren’t too many huge sights to see in Bergen; the best times we had were just wandering down streets and alleys and taking in the sights. We stumbled upon a park at night with an awesome view of the Fjord.

Nordnesparken

Another popular attraction, is the Mount Ulriken cable car. It is pretty pricey, at $20 for a round trip ticket (only about 7 mins each way). We went on a cloudy day (it rains about 240 days a year in Bergen) and didn’t get a great view as a result. But, if you’re lucky enough to get a clear day while you’re there it’s probably worth it for the panoramic views of the city.

Overall, we loved the time we spent in Bergen and it’s definitely a city I plan on going back to, hopefully in the Summer next time. Don’t be scared away by the notion that the Scandinavian countries are all unbearably expensive. I found Bergen to be way cheaper than Copenhagen and enjoyed it more.

Here are some of the best dates from Newburgh, which is about 70 miles from NYC, as of 12/11. You can take a shuttle from Manhattan to Stewart International Airport. One way flights are definitely a good call as they’re very cheap by transcontinental standards and you can catch a cheap flight to mainland Europe after you’re done visiting Bergen. Some of the round trip dates have very good prices as well so you could also make a trip out of just visiting Bergen.

One Way:

$100: 9/1, 9/5, 9/8

$109: 3/31

$119: 4/4, 4/7, 5/16, 6/13, 6/23

$149: 4/11, 4/25, 4/28, 5/2, 5/5, 5/9, 5/12, 6/6, 6/9, 6/16, 8/22, 8/29

Round Trip:

$229:  9/1-9/6, 9/1-9/9, 9/5-9/9, 9/5-9/13, 9/8-9/13, 9/8-9/16

$249:  5/16-5/20, 5/16-5/31

$264:  3/31-4/5, 3/31-4/8

$273:  4/4-4/8, 4/28-5/6, 5/2-5/6, 5/2-5/10, 5/5-5/10, 5/5-5/13, 5/9-5/13, 5/9-5/17, 5/12-5/17, 5/12-5/20, 5/16-5/24, 8/22-8/26, 8/29-9/2, 8/29-9/6

Note: There are also one ways (with a layover) from Boston and Chicago for under $225 and round trips for under $400. Fort Lauderdale is slightly more expensive. Check Google flights for more details.