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Summer in Bergen must seem like one very long day, since it never really gets dark this time of year. Unless, of course, the 120 hours I spent there were extraordinary in that regard — as they certainly were in many others. Let me tell you about it.
I promise not to burden you with Wikipedia-grade stuff — just enough to establish the context. Like the fact that Bergen is the second biggest city in Norway, and the one you should pick over the capital, Oslo, if you ever have to make that choice.
Writing this post almost feels like a betrayal. Bergen is an amazing place that enjoys flying a bit under the radar. On one hand, it deserves praise — but on the other, it doesn’t need more tourist crowds flocking to its UNESCO World Heritage waterfront.
They say there were times when Bergen’s port could moor up to six cruise ships at once, bringing in around 30,000 tourists. Apparently, that was too much for a town of 300,000 — so now they only allow two huge-ass tourist vessels in at a time.
Most of those ships stop by on their way to some of the largest and most beautiful fjords in Norway. But you can skip the long cruise and see them from a smaller boat that takes you there from Bergen in just a few hours — for around €200 per person.
Sure, Norway is expensive. But if you rent an apartment, cook your own meals, and plan smart, it’s just like any other EU country. We managed to keep our budget under €750 per person — including stay, flights, and cruises. I can easily spend more in Kraków.
You can save an extra buck if you come to Bergen with a tent and a backpack full of canned food. Camping in Norway is free for everyone anywhere off private land — as is hiking in the Norwegian woods, climbing the mountains, and kayaking the fjords.
Traversing the city, though priceless, costs nothing too. Bergen’s core is compact enough to explore on foot. The infrastructure is outstanding. There’s plenty to see — from traditional wooden houses to a post-modern architecture of nowadays.
Another free-of-charge activity in Bergen is hunting cats and flowers. Both populate many central streets, bringing life to a cityscape that might otherwise seem overly static and reserved. I’m neither a feline fan nor a flower lover, but I couldn’t resist.
Bergen, like most of Norway, is fairly close to the Arctic Circle. In mid July, the sun is never far below the horizon. It sets around 11 pm and rises shortly after 4 am, but even those five hours in between look more grey-ish than like proper nighttime.
It probably is greyish most of the time here anyway, since Bergen — situated on the North Sea coast and surrounded by mountains — has about 240 rainy days annually. Even on sunny days, you can tell that by the rain ponchos sold in every store.
We were blessed with four sunny days out of five. And though it was a notch too hot and bright, nothing beats a golden hour lasting from 8 to 11 pm, nor an hour-long coastal sunset. And I tell you, not many places on this Earth can beat Bergen.
