Bergen trip
Bergen is Norway’s second-largest city, surrounded by seven hills and an equal number of fjords. It’s a charming little city, with its Vagen harbor as the centerpiece.
This is a much more traditional city than the capital, with hundreds of timber-clad houses populating the hillsides, and cable cars shuttling people to and fro, while also offering stunning views.
When you add to that the mix of great museums, welcoming locals and a dynamic cultural life, it’s easy to understand why Bergen is as popular as it is with tourists. And it is rather popular, during the summer season it can actually get a bit overwhelmed by tourists, so if you plan on visiting during that high point, make sure to book your accommodations well ahead of time.
The Hanseatic Museum is quite an interesting place to visit, because it offers a terrific window into the period in which the Hanseatic League was a major player in the world. The museum itself is housed in a rough-timber building from 1704 and it’s a great because it shows the contrast between the very austere living and working conditions of Hanseatic sailors and the like, and those of management, which were considerably less so.
Those who are fans of steam-powered locomotives will love a trip to the Railway Museum, and on Sundays you can take a tour with an actual steam strain between Garnes and Midtun.
The Bryggens Museum is quite a unique attraction as well, this archaeological museum was built on what is thought to be the first settlement in Bergen, and an 800-year-old foundation was incorporated into the museum’s exhibits. The museum features a varied collection of medieval tools, pottery, skulls and runes.
The city has a plethora of manors that you can visit but we’ll only mention the Damsgard Manor, built in 1770, it is considered by many to be one of the finest examples of 18th century rococo timber architecture.
