Rain Down the Fun: Bergen with Kids

In the city famous and proud of having 200 days of rain per year you might not soak in the sun, but no worries, the place offers loads of fun. If you are planning on visiting Bergen with kids you have an array of activities and sights to choose from. Here is a list of our favorites in the second-largest city in Norway.

Bergen with kids
Bergen from Mount Floyen

Mount Floyen

Bergen is surrounded by seven mountains, perfect for families who love to hike. While we do, we aren’t the biggest fans, especially because in Bergen you never know when it might start to rain. Hence out of the seven mountains we could choose from, we chose the one with the funicular that takes you to the top.

We loved the views from the top, observing the sprawling city, it’s beautiful harbor, and the mountains in the distance.

But there are more reasons to choose mount Floyen, such as great hiking trails, Troll Forrest, a terrific playground for the kids deep in the woods, and a small pond. At the pond, you can rent a canoe for free.

The kids tell me that rowing was their favorite part.

Here is the offical webiste for more details: https://www.floyen.no/en.

Bergen Science Centre VilVite

A very hands-on playful science center that the whole family will enjoy. Our kids loved experimenting and playing with water, robots, globes, etc.

We also attended a show where they did fun chemistry experiments and even though it was in Norwegian, we could follow what was going on.

Here is their official website for more details: https://www.vilvite.no/english/.

Old Bergen Museum

Old Bergen Museum

I am a huge fan of open-air museums. I can’t explain it. If I had to try, I’d say it’s because it allows you to immerse yourself in the past way better than an ordinary exhibition in a museum. Old Bergen Museum does this perfectly.

It consists of around 50 wooden houses dating from the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. A walk around and stepping into the houses lets you know what life was like back then.

In one of the houses they had actors dressed up as people from the 19th century Bergen and we talked to them and asked them about their lives, which our kids found very amusing.

It was even cooler when one of the actresses took us around a few houses and further explained what we were seeing.

Here is their official website for more details: https://www.bymuseet.no/en/.

Bryggen in Bergen

One of Bergen’s main attractions, is a line of old buildings at the harbor, the first buildings that were erected in the city. Take time to walk around them or step inside, many have now been turned into little shops or cafes.

If you stroll behind them through narrow alleyways you’ll think you’ve left the 21st century Bergen.

There are two museums in Bryggen – The Hanseatic Museum and Schøtstuene and Bryggens Museum. We didn’t have enough time to visit them, but both were highly recommended.

Fjord tours

While it’s not about Bergen, some of the fjord tours start in Bergen’s harbor and offer amazing views of the city.

I write about the tour more extensively in the post: Fjord cruise with kids.

Food in Bergen with kids

Dining out in Bergen is expensive and since we were renting a house close by, we only had a quick bite in Bergen. We decided to try their famous reindeer sausages.

Supposedly the best place to get them is Trekroneren, where one such sausage cost around 75 NOK, that is around 7 Euros. I can fully recommend them, as they were delicious. Kids confirm.

Bergen Card

If you are planning on spending more time in Bergen, I recommend thinking about getting the Bergen Card. It offers many perks such as free local transport, lots of free admittances and discounts.

You even get a discount for parking, which for us was very welcome.

Parking in Bergen?

Yes, well, it’s very difficult to find free parking in Bergen. So that was out of the question. After thorough research, we decided to park at the ByGarasjen multi-story car park, which is located close to the city center and then either walk or take the local bus.

Want to know the best way to get to Bergen by car? Jump on board!

Tell me what you think...