World City Guide

Tours of the City

Walking Tours
Bryggen by Foot (tel: 5558 8010; website: www.uib.no/bmu) offers a guided walking tour, which concentrates on the city’s 900-year history and includes visits to the Bryggens and Hanseatic museums. English-language tours depart daily from the Bryggens Museum at 1100 and 1300 between 1 June and 31 August. Admission includes entry to Bryggens Museum, the Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene Hanseatic Assembly Rooms. Alternative walking tours are available from the Bergen Guide Service, Valkendorfsgate 5 (tel: 5530 1060; website: www.visitbergen.com) for a similar cost.

Bus Tours
Gaia Reiser (tel: 5555 4454; website: www.gaiatrafikk.no) runs three regular tours daily in the peak season. These depart from the Tourist Information Office (see Tourist Information). The first option departs at 1000 and includes stops at Old Bergen Museum and Troldhaugen, while the second departs at 1400 and takes in Troldhaugen and the Fantoft Stave Church. Both tours last about three hours. The third option departs at 1600 and consists of a 90-minute tour of central Bergen.

Boat Tours
Run by Bergen Fjord Sightseeing (tel: 5525 9000; website: www.whitelady.no), these provide excellent views of Bergen’s colourful houses and of the seven mountains that surround the city. The MS White Lady leaves the Torget daily at 1430 between mid-May and the end of August. The trip lasts an hour. In June, July and August, three-hour tours aboard a vintage vessel depart daily from Bryggen at 1130, operated by Maritime Tours (tel: 5532 5560 or 5530 8080; website: www.maritimetours.no). The price includes a smoked salmon lunch.

Other Tours
Fonnafly (tel: 5534 6000; website: www.fonnafly.no) organises tailor-made trips from Sandviken, 1.5km (1 mile) north of Bergen. A 50-minute flight into the largest and most spectacular fjord of Hardanger is one of many possibilities. Bergen Taxis (tel: 07000; website: www.bergentaxi.no) offer sightseeing tours in and around the city for parties of up to four people. Drivers will conduct the tours in English, German or French.