Bergen is the main city in Norway’s fjord region. Served by air and ferry, it is the ideal point of entry for discovering this area, and boasts a number of tourist attractions. With a relatively large population of almost 300,000, it attracts many travellers every year. So the question of where to stay in Bergen is essential to identifying the best places to stay.
In this guide, we’ll share with you the things you need to know about Bergen and its main neighborhoods, to help you choose the right accommodation. For each area, we’ll give you our recommendations by budget, whether in a hotel or a tourist rental.
Main information
Before going into the description of the places to target when selecting accommodation in Bergen, here are the essentials to know from a tourist point of view. They should give you a better idea of the city and its constraints.
Our favorite places to stay
For those in a hurry, here are our favorite places to stay in Bergen:
- $ This accommodation, ideally located right in the historic center, offers rooms at affordable rates,
- $$ This hotel, just 5 minutes from the Hanseviertel quay and where breakfast is included in the price,
- $$$ This upscale establishment is Bergen’s most luxurious.
Map of different places to stay in Bergen
To give you a quick overview of the different places we recommend to stay in Bergen, you’ll find on the map below all the Bergen accommodation recommendations we’ll be sharing in this guide. You can also use it to locate the various neighborhoods we’ll be detailing.
Bergen accommodation essentials
Places to stay in Bergen
Let’s get to the heart of the matter with a review of the main areas where we recommend staying in Bergen.
Stay in Bergen's historic Bryggen district
Bryggen means "the pier" (or "the quay") in Norwegian. This name was given to Bergen's historic harbor district. It's the most typical, the most touristy, but also the most popular in terms of accommodation. If you're on a budget and there's availability, this is clearly the place to stay if you're visiting Bergen for any length of time. Most hotels are located in this area.
It generally surrounds the inlet into Bergen. There are many stores, bars and restaurants. It's a lively area where life is good.
A must-see is the Hanseviertel Bryggen quay, which runs along the northern edge of the harbor. This is a very photogenic place, with its colorful wooden facades (red, white, yellow, etc.), which once served as warehouses for the "Hanseatic League", the historic association of northern European merchant towns. But it's also a busy place, lined with a variety of stores, restaurants and bars, with terraces on sunny days.
Other points of interest in Bryggen include
- bergenhus fortress
- the Church of St. Mary (or "Mariakirken"), famous for its 2 bell towers
- a number of museums (notably the Hanseatic and Bryggens Museums)
Bryggen is also the departure point for the Fløibanen cable car, which takes you to the summit of Mount Fløyen, high above the town. As well as cultural activities, this mountain offers superb views of Bergen and the surrounding area. Not to be missed!
As you can see, most of the things to do, see and discover are to be found in this historic district. If you want to make the most of your stay, this is the place to look for accommodation. On the other hand, prices are higher than outside the area, and you'll need to book your accommodation as early as possible, as supply is relatively limited.
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This inexpensive establishment in Bergen offers rooms with a sober, modern decor. It's an excellent compromise between location and price.
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This Thon chain establishment is just a stone's throw from the Hanseviertel Bryggen quay. Excellent breakfast and parking (for a fee) right across the street.
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This Scandinavian Scandic hotel is Bergen's most luxurious. It boasts an indoor pool, spa and restaurant. The best thing about staying here is that you can take advantage of the hotel's parking facilities (for a fee).
Accommodation in central Bergen
Apart from Bryggen, which could be considered the hyper-center of Bergen, you can select your accommodation where to stay just a few hundred meters away. You'll still benefit from the proximity of a wide range of entertainment (restaurants, bars, cultural activities, stores, etc.), while having access to other types of accommodation.
Accommodation where to stay in central Bergen can be found in the districts of :
- Nordnes, to the east, where you'll find a few hotels on the edge of Bryggen, but mostly rentals
- Fjellsiden, to the north, mostly residential, where you'll find only rental apartments, sometimes in beautiful Norwegian wooden houses
- Nygårdshøyden, to the south, near the university
With the exception of the southern part, which is a little further away, Bryggen is only a ten-minute walk away (15 minutes at the most), while remaining within the city center. Depending on the area you choose to stay in, you'll find more or less restaurants and shops, but overall it's residential. These areas are nonetheless pleasant to explore, allowing you to enjoy Bergen from a different angle. Sometimes sloping, made up of cobbled streets lined with traditional houses, these streets are full of charm.
As a result, there are fewer hotels than in Bryggen. Most are bed & breakfasts or tourist rentals.
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This youth hostel is the only one in this area. The rooms are clean and comfortable. It's a great place to stay if you're looking for cheap accommodation in Bergen.
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This Thon hotel is located northwest of Bryggen, a 5-minute walk from the Hanseviertel quay. Breakfast is included in the room rate.
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Located close to the train station to the east, this modern hotel offers a range of room sizes, including family rooms. Breakfast is included in the price.
Accommodation in the Bergen area
To keep your accommodation budget down in Bergen, you need to get away from the city center. The best place to do this is in the south of the city, in the Solheim district. This district offers several advantages when it comes to accommodation:
- it's served by the tramway, at the Florida and Danmarks plass stations. The heart of Bergen can be reached in less than 10 minutes.
- there are a number of modern hotels, with relatively low prices for Norway, as well as apartments
The advantage of staying here is not only the budget, but also the convenience of parking. Of course, you still have to pay for parking, but you avoid having to drive through the city center, and you can get around on foot or by streetcar.
As far as entertainment is concerned, this is essentially a residential area. Although there are a few restaurants, they are mainly fast-food outlets. The advantage is that it's quiet and peaceful, with few tourists other than those staying here.
As you can see, you don't stay in this area to enjoy the general atmosphere, but to take advantage of the best prices. Or simply to find accommodation that's available on the dates you plan to stay, as the best-located ones are all full. It's a very good compromise for staying cheaply in Bergen, in a quiet location at a relatively acceptable distance from the city center.
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Just 200 m from the Danmarks plass streetcar station, this establishment offers good value for money. Pay parking is available near Danmarks plass.
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Located in the south of Bergen, just a 30-minute walk from Bryggen and less than 5 minutes from the tramway (Florida station), this modern hotel combines comfort and price. It's a good place to stay in Bergen on a budget.
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These apartments are located on the waterfront, overlooking Bergen and the mountains. They are equipped with kitchens and come in a range of sizes to suit families in particular. On the other hand, they are a little out of the center of town (about 15 minutes' walk from the tramway).
Summary
Bergen is a large city, but the tourist part is relatively limited, at the level of Bryggen. As a result, choosing where to stay in Bergen is fairly easy: you need to focus on this area first, or move further away. The further away you are, the more important it is to choose accommodation close to public transport, the easiest of which is the streetcar.
As you will have seen from this guide, few hotels have their own parking lot. And when they do, they charge extra. It’s worth bearing this in mind, as it increases the budget for accommodation in Bergen to around twenty euros a day on average.
In any case, Bergen represents a road-trip stopover in this region, either at the beginning, the end, or even in the middle, depending on where you set off from (Stavanger, for example). So you’ll usually spend 2 or 3 days there, enough time to soak up the historic center, visit a few museums or monuments, climb to the top of Mount Fløyen, and possibly take a cruise in a fjord.