72 Hours in Bergen, Bergen, Norway

Once past the cruise tourists who tend to stick to the UNESCO World Heritage Bryggen and to the funicular that takes them up Fløyen, Bergen is a charming city with many hidden gems waiting to be discovered. This harbour town has retained its cosmopolitan character and the second city of Norway after its capital Oslo, is very welcoming. This student town is vibrant, surrounded by beautiful mountains and spread around the water: an easy access point to the North Sea that has made Bergen what it is today.

Start by exploring the Golden Age of Bergen, when the Hanseatic League ruled on the city, the region and most of Northern Europe: the must-visit Bryggen side with its postcard-perfect colourful wooden houses.

Actually, there was life in Bryggen before the Germans settled in town with the Hanseatic League. It is thanks to the 1955 massive fire that destroyed a quarter of Bryggen close to the Holmen district that this early medieval life was unravelled. The tarred-covered wooden buildings went up in flames fast. Bergensers are used to it, as no less than 11 major fires had turned their city into ashes since 1170. This time, a team of archaeologists excavated the area to reveal old Bergen, layer of sediment after layer of sediment. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).