Hiking in Bergen

Surrounded by seven mountains, Bergen is one of Norway's best cities for a walking holiday.

Part of our series on hiking in Norway.

Whether you want an easy ramble around the city or a full-day weekend hike in the mountains, Bergen is a great location for walking.

Walking around Bergen city centre

The downtown area is perfect for casual strolls, most notably at the Bryggen wharf and around the lake by the buildings of Bergen Art Museum. Another good option from the Fish Market area is to walk along the Nordnes peninsular to the aquarium.

Want something longer? Then head past Bryggen, through the fortress grounds and through the suburb of Sandviken until you reach the Old Bergen Museum.

But given the spectacular natural setting of Bergen with mountains in almost every direction, anyone with the slightest interest in hiking should head for the hills.

Hikes from Mount Fløyen

Easily accessible from city centre thanks to the Fløibanen funicular, Mount Fløyen is the starting point for many of Bergen's best-loved hikes.

Allow a little extra time here to take in the view of the city below and enjoy a browse around the gift shop. The aroma from the freshly baked sweet buns in the adjacent cafe is hard to resist!

The Brushytten cabin is a popular destination for beginners as it's well-signed and only a 2km walk from the top of the funicular. During the summer season the kiosk may well be open and serving up coffee and hot chocolate to fuel you up for the return walk.

Don't miss the great viewpoint a few hundred metres before the cabin. To continue hiking, you could return to the city centre via one of three well-marked paths, or continue on to the west to the top of Mount Blaamanen and Mount Rundemanen, or to the south towards Mount Blaamanen.

Mount Fløyen is also the start or end point of the famous hike between the top of the Fløibanen funicular and the cable car over on Mount Ulriken. This hike is not for the inexperienced, but it offers tremendous views across the city and its surroundings.

Much of the hike takes place on fairly exposed ground, so consider the weather before making the trip. A map is recommended, and you should allow at least five hours for the one-way hike.

Lovstakken

To the west of the city, Lovstakken is a quieter option yet still offers stunning views of the region. The hike was rumoured to the the favourite of the famous Norwegian composer Edvard Grieg.

There are various routes depending on whether you are walking from the city, arriving at the foot of the mountain by bus, or driving.

The most commonly used walking route from downtown Bergen is from Danmarksplass, but you can also walk over Puddefjorden bridge and up from Gyldenpris.

The mountain hike itself is around 2.2km, but you can double that distance if you start the walk from the city centre.

Damsgårdsfjellet

Another of the seven mountains surrounding the city, Mount Damsgård is a fine alternative to Lovstakken to the west of central Bergen. At just 317 metres above sea level it is the lowest of the seven.

The shortest hike is from Melkeplassen. From Olav Kyrres Gate you can take bus number 19, or you can walk from the city centre in about 45 minutes via the Puddefjorden bridge. The hike itself is around 5km.

Stoltzekleiven

Could you handle 722 steps? If so add Stoltzekleiven to your list. It's a steep paved trail and stone staircase up to Sandviksfjellet and is one of the most popular trails in the city. You can extend the trail by walking to the trailhead on Fjellveien in the Sandviken suburb of Bergen from the city centre.

From the top of Stoltzekleiven you can expect great views of Sandviken and the water. The views get better the higher you go, encouraging you farther up the stairs! Once at the top, many people choose to continue their walk along to Mount Fløyen and take the funicular back down to the city.

As the surface of the steps is predominantly stone (there are some wooden staircases on the steepest parts), it can get slippery after a rain shower, so take extra care.

Bruviknipa

If you're prepared to travel a little from Bergen to start your hike, your options increase significantly. One of the best-loved hikes in the wider region is Bruviknipa on the island of Osterøy, the largest Norwegian island not located adjacent to the ocean.

The well-worn 4.4km return trail should take most people between three and four hours. It's accessible from early March through to mid-October most years.