A walk through Bergens past & present

Join us on 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.

The first half of our tour focuses on the history of Bergen. We wander the Bergenhus 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 wish 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 be able to ask as many questions as possible.

Group size: 16

Please note – 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.

This is a moderate tour with cobblestone paths on hills. Good and comfortable walking shoes are required.

Meeting point:

We meet at the 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.

Duration:

2 hours

Finishing point:

This tour ends at the fish market.

Language:

English (private tours in other languages are available on request)

Booking:

The tour must be pre-booked online in advance. You can easily do that here: A Walk Through Bergen Past & Present | I Love Bergen

We do carry card machines if you wish to pay on site but cannot guarantee a spot on the tour at the last minute – we strictly stick to our group size. Tours require a minimum of 1 person to operate and the first booking must be done at least two hours before the tour begins, or the tour will not operate.

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.

Tour operated by:

The Hidden North