Bergen, Norway - Day 3
- Robert Walley
- May 25
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 1
The last full day in Bergen was spent exploring the city on foot, and task number one for the day was scoping out a good coffee shop to get the day going. Det Lille Kaffekompaniet did not disappoint. If you find yourself in Bergen and want to visit, do remember that it opens at 10, later than most coffee shops. It is a small place just up the hill and to the right of the Fløibanen station, which was convenient since that was our next stop.
At the Fløibanen there are 2 lines, one to buy tickets and one for pre-purchased tickets. The line to buy tickets was long, but the QR code to buy online instead saved a solid 15 minutes. We breezed through the station, walking through the underground passage that led to the loading platform. It is unique since the Fløibanen goes up a steep incline to the top of Mt. Fløyen, so the train car has multiple levels, allowing riders to sit or stand on a level surface rather than strap into a seat for a slanted ride. Boarding feels somewhat like getting on a roller coaster, but the 5-minute ride to the top could not be smoother.
Atop Mt. Fløyen, there is something for everyone to do. Stepping off the train, you walk into a breathtaking view of Bergen from above, allowing the entire city to be seen and beyond. Pictures from the viewing deck are guaranteed to be terrific, but arriving earlier in the morning ensures you will have a better viewing spot. In the park are there are playgrounds, a restaurant, a bar, an ice cream shop, and a souvenir shop. Further back is the rest of Mt. Fløyen, which holds many hiking and biking trails as well as a lake where you can rent canoes for free. We tried to do this, but unfortunately, they do not rent canoes in May. Before going back down the mountain, we enjoyed a glass of rosé and a local IPA from Bergen while overlooking the city.
It was early afternoon when we got back to the harbor area, so we went to Bryggeloftet in hopes of a free table where we could have lunch. Bryggeloftet is one of the best seafood restaurants in town, located in Bryggen. It is consistently booked at dinner, but we took the last table outside for lunch. We ordered a chicken Caesar salad and the wolfish, both of which were delicious.
After lunch, we made our way around the harbor to the tip of the Nordnes neighborhood. There is a nice park here on all sides of the peninsula, the right side of which has a platform by the water for tanning or swimming. We did not get in, but plenty of locals did. Despite the cold water, they were desperate to enjoy the warm, sunny day since it rains roughly 270 days of the year in Bergen. We sat on a bench at the peninsula, watching people reluctantly wade into the chilly water and boats make their way into the harbor.
Boat after boat kept bobbing in, seeking a spot to tie up with the many others in the harbor. This was for Constitution Day, occurring on May 17. It is Norway's biggest holiday, so it's no surprise that everyone around town – and from out of town – was gearing up to celebrate a day early. Constitution Day in Norway is the 4th of July in the USA, and it celebrates Norway's peaceful separation from Sweden in 1814. One of the festivities is an annual women's soccer game 3 miles from the center of Bergen. Locals rep the jerseys of both teams playing, and when the game starts, cheering from inside the bars can be heard from afar.
We enjoyed the hubbub in the harbor for a while. Come dinner time, we decided to try a reputed hot dog stand since we had an upscale lunch. The stand sold 10 different kinds of hot dogs that had meats, including beef, reindeer, and more. We ordered a hot dog with cheese, raw onion, and ketchup as well as a wild game sausage with mustard, herbal spices, and fried onions. Both were delicious!
Our last 2 stops for the evening were an ice cream shop, which had some delicious Norwegian flavors, and a 7/11 for some train ride snacks in the morning.
Though Friday night before Constitution Day was just getting started for the locals, we strolled back to the hotel and called it a night. We needed some rest before the 6:21 train ride in the morning and had worn ourselves out seeing as much as we could of Bergen in the prior two and a half days. This city has a lot to offer, and its charm will be missed!
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