A Walk Through Bergen Past & Present

Summer: 10am, 11am, 2pm, 3pm, 6pm / Winter: 10am & 2pm

2 hours

Moderate walk (some up-hill, some cobblestone)

Adult: 280 NOK / Child 250 NOK

See the best of Bergen with our popular walking tour!

Join us for an unforgettable journey through the historic streets of Bergen, the most beautiful city in Norway. Our tours focus not just on the history and highlights of Bergen, but also the off-the-beaten path hidden alleys and stories of everyday life. All our guides are locals who call Bergen home, and this tour was designed by them to show you Bergen’s history, everyday life, and favourite local spots.

We focus not just on the highlights, but providing a local experience and going off-the-beaten path.

The first half of our tour focuses on the history of Bergen. We wander the fortress complex, covering Bergen’s medieval history and short period as the capital of Norway. Meet King Håkon Håkonsson, whose coronation is the first historic description of Bergen being a rainy city and learn how he built up the fortress (and Norway) as a European powerhouse. Learn about Norway’s period under Denmark, Sweden, and Nazis during occupation, and see how we use the fortress today. After this crash course in Norwegian history, we make our way to Bryggen – Bergen’s UNESCO World Heritage Site. Here you learn about 1,000 years of trade history and the reason for Bergen’s founding and growth. Get to know the Hanseatic League – the German trading organisation that operated here for 400 years – as we wander the 300-year-old alleys. Our historic overview finishes at St. Mary’s Church, the oldest building in Bergen.

The second half of our tour is about life in Bergen. We leave the ‘touristy’ part behind and wander into the neighbourhood surrounding Bryggen. Your guide chooses the path based on their own interests and local experience, and as you explore Bergen’s best kept secret, you’ll learn about everyday life: house prices, work, what we do for fun, how we handle the rain, and more! This is also one of the most picturesque parts of the city. Be sure to ask your guide as many questions as possible and be sure to say hi to all the local cats that may follow us for part of the journey. The tour ends by passing by our favourite cafes, restaurants, with recommendations for ways to explore Bergen independently.

Our walking tour focuses on giving you both the highlights but also our favourite places in Bergen. We pride ourselves on being locally owned and operated and use authorised guides who live in Bergen all year round. Don’t miss an opportunity to uncover the treasures of Bergen on this captivating walking tour. Whether you’re a history buff, nature lover or simply seeking an authentic experience, our tour will leave you with a lasting memory of the best city in Norway.

We limit the group size as this is a tour partly through a residential neighbourhood. We also want you to ask as many questions as possible!

The number one tour on TripAdvisor, GetYourGuide & Google!

“Dane was a fantastic guide!! Did much more than just “show us Bergen”– went into history of the area//Norway in general. Helped us get a feel for what Norse life might have been like and the mindset of Bergen residents today.”

“We really enjoyed our walking tour of Bergen with Patrick. He is extremely knowledgeable about Bergen’s history, both medieval and modern. The route was interesting and we had a chance to see neighborhoods as well as historical sites and lovely views of the city. We recommend the tour highly.”

“The first day of our whole trip to Norway, we began with an I Love Bergen walking tour. Josina was our guide and we loved the tour. Josina had a good knowledge of Bergen and was very informative about Bergen history. She covered a wide variety of topics about Bergen, was extremely patient, answered all questions, and even gave the group a few restaurant tips. Thanks to her great tour and also the beauty of Bergen, it was one of our favorite towns in Norway!”

“We were lucky to have Emma as a guide – so passionate about Bergen and easy to follow (she’s from Australia). She not only covered the wonderful wood structures along the Bryygen, but also walked us up the mountain to see a neighborhood that has been gentrified and is now so very prized. We were introduced to wonderful restaurants, the fish market, and to facts about life in Bergen today. The Hanseatic League came to life for us, thanks to Emma’s tour!”

“An excellent walk led by Magda, who answered all our queries and took the group behind the “usual” tourist areas and showed us a little bit of Bergen which was off the beaten track. An excellent walk and excellent value for money”

“I highly recommend this your. Our tour guide Patrick was wonderful! He was friendly, knowledgeable and easy to hear and understand. The route and content of the tour was very informative and entertaining. We did this tour on our first full day in Bergen and it set us up well for the rest of our visit by giving us many ideas for activities. It was the perfect length to give us a lot of information without being too tiring.”

Highlights

Visit the Bergen Fortress and see the palace from the 13th century

Learn about Bergen's medieval and Hanseatic history

Explore Bryggen, the UNESCO World Heritage area

Go off-the-beaten path into the historic neighbourhoods

Get tips for cafes, restaurants, and things to do in Bergen

Meeting point:

We meet under a non-descript brick building next door to the Thon Hotel Orion, a large blue building just outside the Bergen Fortress.

Address: Bradbenken 1

All guests are required to be at the meeting spot at least 10 minutes before the tour start time. We do not wait for latecomers and guests more than 15 minutes late to a tour have their booking cancelled without refund.

Ending point:

This tour ends across the street from the fish market and tourist office.

Walking Length:

Approximately 3km (2 mi). There are at least three sections with up-hill and three staircases. This tour is marked as a moderate tour.

Cancellation policy

Guests can cancel the tour and be fully refunded up to 24 hours before the tour start time.

There are no refunds due to bad weather. If extreme weather is forecast, the company will cancel the tour and contact travellers in advance to select another time or day. If another time isn’t suitable, the guest will be fully refunded. The tour runs on rainy days.

Children and pets welcome!

Infants and children are welcome on the tour. If you have a stroller, keep in mind we will be going up three short sets of stairs throughout the tour. Dogs are also welcome on the tour but must be always kept on a leash.

Practical Info

The walk covers the following places in Bergen:

Fortress
Bryggen
Fjellsiden hillside neighbourhood
Vågsbunnen neighbourhood with restaurants, shops and cafes
Fish market