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First time in Bergen this August-welcome some advice

This forum is awesome for advice so I am hoping for some with regard to my upcoming trip to Bergen. Nothing too Physical due to arthritis and heart concerns. Not interested in museums but I love to take beautiful photos. Morning person, in bed by 9:30pm. The Floyen, Ulriken Cable Car, Ice Bar, Aquarium are all appealing to me but am not sure how to organize visits to each. I've heard the Fishmarket is over-rated but interested in opinions from this forum on that. Already did the cruise ship research and my first two days in Bergen are loaded with cruise ship tourists.
TUESDAY
-Arriving late afternoon on a Logan Air flight from Edinburgh
--Staying at Clarion Havnekontoret
--Hotel provides food at dinner time
WEDNESDAY
--Staying at Clarion Havnekontoret
--10am Taking 3 hour Mostraumen Fjord Cruise
--Lots of cruise ships in town so not sure what to do after the Fjord Cruise. Ideas?
THURSDAY
--Traveling to Os to stay at Solstrand Spa Hotel
--Might have some time in morning before I head to the Spa hotel
FRIDAY
--Back to Bergen to stay at Magic Hotel Kloverhuset
--What to do?
SATURDAY
--Staying at Clarion Bergen Airport Hotel because I have to be at the airport on Sunday morning at 4am
--What to do?

Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to reply.

Posted by
7458 posts

It is extremely off putting to providing any kind of answer and help when the first thing anyone does is to look for perceived problems with cruise ships. Cruise passengers have as much right to be there as people flying in. Bergen is one of the biggest cities in Norway, and many of the passengers go off out of the city on ship's tours. Bergen is as busy (if not busier) with land based tourists (and those who have flown in for a few days) as with cruise passengers, especially in August.

Like many markets round the world the fishmarket, I think, is best seen as early as possible, around 9 to 10am. Not only is there more stock to be seen, but it is less crowded with tourists. You may find this history of the 900 year old market to be interesting- https://en.visitbergen.com/things-to-do/fish-market-in-bergen-p822253

Ulriken is very easy- either the dedicated bus from the City Centre, or scheduled bus or tram- see here- https://ulriken643.no/en/find-us

Likewise- the Fløibanen. If you are a morning person get there early, it opens at 7.30am, so you can be there long before the tourists (cruise or otherwise) arrive. It opens that early because the railway is also transport for the locals who live on the hill as much as it is the tourist attraction many see it as. From the Clarion it is only a short walk away.
See their website- https://www.floyen.no/en/floibanen/opening-hours/

Take the train up then walk down hill. It is not well known that there are three intermediate stops on the railway (all of which are on Google maps) mainly to serve the locals. So you can start to walk down, then use one of those other stations. There is no reason why you could not walk down to Skansemyren, hop on a train down to Fjellveien, walk down to Promsgate and take another train up or down, or any variation of that theme. I have done versions of that theme several times.

I would have scheduled this on the Wednesday then the afternoon Fjord Cruise, but it looks like you need to do that on the Friday.

For the Aquarium either take the Skyss Bus #11 or the much more fun route is to take the ferry from the Fishmarket directly there (it also has 2 other stops on it's route)- https://en.visitbergen.com/things-to-do/discover-bergen-by-boat-a-great-way-to-see-the-historical-sights-p1651263 . You could do that on the Wednesday afternoon after your Fjord cruise.

This is the Aquarium 'how to get here' web page- https://www.akvariet.no/en/plan-your-visit/practical/how-to-find-us

The Ice Bar is only a short walk from the Magic Hotel. See this Google Maps extract- https://www.google.co.uk/maps/place/Magic+Hotel+Kl%C3%B8verhuset/@60.3951553,5.3129582,16z/data=!4m9!3m8!1s0x463cfc02ac0ffd19:0x2036ebf2ccd062d5!5m2!4m1!1i2!8m2!3d60.3942119!4d5.3227858!16s%2Fg%2F11d_z7zbd3?entry=ttu

Your hotel is marked and the bar is just by the Nykirken at the top left of the map.

Posted by
7683 posts

It is extremely off putting to providing any kind of answer and help when the first thing anyone does is to look for perceived problems with cruise ships. Cruise passengers have as much right to be there as people flying in.

Of course they do, and I am quite sure that the OP did not say negate that. There is absolutely no reason why travelers can't plan their itinerary to avoid hordes of cruise passengers (or any other potential crowds). I certainly would, just like I plan itineraries to avoid school holidays. No one wants to be at a destination where you are fighting with crowds of people all heading towards the same scenic view or sights in town.

Posted by
2535 posts

My take on it is the same as Mardee's. I did not read it as a slam against cruises, but rather how to work a trip around more crowds etc.

Posted by
7458 posts

Well anyone who wants to avoid crowds of tourists of all sorts does not go to Bergen in July or August. The port actually limits the number of cruise passengers to 8,000 a day, and a maximum of 3 ships. Of those not everyone goes ashore and many go off on excursions. If no cruise ships came in the city would still be busy in high summer.

It is not a port city where I would even think of looking at the numbers of ships due in. From what I have seen when I have been there there is not much discernible effect. Because most of the ships berth at the old Ferry Terminal that is walkable so there isn't clustering of bus loads as can happen elsewhere.

Posted by
25 posts

I always check cruise ship schedules when I go anywhere near a port. I like to avoid crowds when possible due to my health issues. I realize that Bergen and lots of places are crowded in August but being that I am a school teacher, I can only travel during school holidays. The only day when there are 3 ships in port is the second day that I am in Bergen and that day I will be on the fjord cruise from about 10-1:30pm. They limit the number of people on the boat and that's a wise choice for me because even if it is a full boat, we can be outdoors, good ventilation. I am just not sure what to do when I get back from the cruise but the post here from a helpful person gave me some good ideas and information. This is a great forum! Thank you!

Posted by
154 posts

We were in Bergen over the last couple days (first week of September). There were cruise ships in port and it was crowded. (But it wasn’t Disneyland crowded. ). You wait a couple minutes for a table or you go to the next store instead of the one with a line. We liked Bergen better than Oslo; but , preferred our rural adventures in Vik and Flam to either. We really enjoyed the fjord swim near the Aquarium. Skip the Ice Bar.