Today at 10am, your private guide will meet you at the reception of your hotel, ready to take you on a 4-hour private guided walking tour of Bergen. Your guide is knowledgeable and will adapt the tour to your wishes. Together you may decide on what you would like to see during your tour.
From your hotel, you may start by visiting the famous fish market, and then continue to visit the UNESCO listed Bryggen.
The Fish Market in Bergen has existed since the 1200s and has since then been one of the most important places for trade between fishermen, farmers and the inhabitants of the city. In addition to the merchants on land there were also historically sales from boats along the quay. Fishermen who lived outside the city used to row into the Fish Market to sell their catch of the day before rowing back home the same day.
The Bryggen Wharf was established here in Bergen in the 12th century. Starting in 1360 the Hanseatic League, a guild of German merchants who dominated trade in Europe from the 13th to 17th centuries founded a Kontor (trading post) here and gradually came to control the Bryggen area until 1754. Though the buildings you see here today date from after the great fire of 1702, the architectural style has remained the same over time and is much older than the buildings themselves.
Whilst you explore the city, we suggest you visit the Schøtstuene, where you’d grasp an idea of the life and work of Hanseatic merchants on Bryggen from 1360 to 1761. These were the assembly halls of the Hanseatic merchants at Bryggen and have been part of the Hanseatic Museum since 1938. Schøtstuene consists of four living rooms and two cook houses. A unique medieval ruin, sheltered under Schøtstuene, has been made available to the public through its own exhibition through a glass floor.
You could also stop and admire St. Mary’s Church, dating back to 1170, and one of the finest examples of Romanesque architecture in Norway. Pass by Koengen, which was once an army depot, and see the medieval Bergenhus Fortress.
During your walking tour (or after), you may also ride the Fløibanen Funicular Railway to the top of Mt- Fløien. This is one of Norway’s best-known attractions. Fløibanen can be found in the heart of Bergen, close to the fish market and the Bryggen wharf. The journey up to Fløyen Mountain (320 m above sea level) takes 5–8 minutes. The journey is an experience in itself and at the top, you can enjoy fantastic views over Bergen.
Your walking tour will end back at hotel, or any other location you prefer in downtown Bergen. After your tour, you may spend the rest of the day exploring Bergen some more on your own.