Bergen

Bergen enchants as Norway's fjord gateway and second-largest city (about 295,000 people in the municipality) where colorful Hanseatic buildings line Bryggen's UNESCO-listed waterfront, seven mountains encircle the compact center, and rain-washed streets (Bergen receives around 240 rainy days a year, making it one of Europe's wettest cities) lead to the fish market serving the freshest Norwegian salmon, king crab, and even whale meat. Norway's historic capital until 1299 embraces its rainy reputation—bring waterproofs and layered clothing—yet the frequent drizzle creates mystical fjord atmospheres with low-hanging clouds, lush moss-covered mountain forests, and cascading waterfalls that reward hikers with dramatic Nordic beauty. Bryggen's leaning wooden warehouses with distinctive pointed gables date to the 14th-century Hanseatic League when German merchants controlled North Sea trade and dried cod (stockfish) flowed through Bergen to Europe, the colorful facades now housing galleries, wool shops, and the Hanseatic Museum preserving trading-post life.

The Fløibanen funicular built 1918 whisks visitors 320 meters up Mount Fløyen in 6-8 minutes (adult return typically 140-190 NOK depending on season) for panoramic views across Bergen's harbor, Bryggen's colorful row, and seven surrounding peaks—or hike the forest trail free in 45-60 minutes through pine-scented woods. Torget fish market buzzes with vendors grilling whale steaks, reindeer, and salmon for tourists (though locals know prices inflated; restaurants nearby offer better value), while the harbor's cruise boats and fjord ferries depart for spectacular day trips to Sognefjord (Norway's longest and deepest fjord) and Hardangerfjord. Beyond tourist zones, Nordnes peninsula offers Bergen Aquarium (around 370 NOK for adults, more in summer) and sea pools, KODE museums showcase Edvard Munch paintings and decorative arts across four buildings (combined ticket NOK 180/$17), and Mount Ulriken cable car (Ulriksbanen, around 365-415 NOK return for adults) ascends Bergen's highest peak (643m) for even more dramatic views.

Bergen's music scene thrives—home of composer Edvard Grieg whose lakeside villa Troldhaugen hosts summer chamber concerts in intimate wooden hall overlooking fjord, and Bergen International Festival (May-June) brings contemporary and classical performances. The food scene celebrates Norwegian coastal ingredients: brown cheese (brunost) on waffles, skillingsboller cinnamon buns rivaling Swedish kanelbullar, fiskesuppe creamy fish soup, raspeballer potato dumplings, and fresh seafood from morning catch. Bergen serves as the ideal fjord basecamp—Norway in a Nutshell tour combines scenic Flåm railway descending steep mountain valleys, fjord cruises on Aurlandsfjord and Nærøyfjord (UNESCO-listed, Norway's narrowest), and return via mountain plateau, all in one epic day trip (NOK 1,500-2,500/$140–$238).

Visit May-September for 12-20°C temperatures, lighter rain, and midnight sun glow (though never fully midnight sun this far south), or December for Christmas markets and cozy Norwegian hygge despite 6-hour daylight. With English-speaking locals, efficient buses and light rail, and fjord adventures beckoning from every dock, Bergen delivers Nordic nature, Hanseatic heritage, and authentic Norwegian coastal living despite rain that locals shrug off with "there's no bad weather, only bad clothing."