12 Great Bergen Tours & Day Trips Not to Miss

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Growing up by the Aurlandsfjord meant that Bergen was the closest city to visit for shopping, travelling (it has the nearest international airport) and for just getting a taste of that city life. In addition to this, I have now lived here for several years, and feel like I know my way around the many great ways you can explore it – such as the Bergen tours I am going to introduce you to in this post.

Bergen is the second largest city in Norway, and has loads of visitors each year. With good reason. They come to see the famous Bryggen, hike one of the mountains in the area, or use the city as their gateway to the fjords. In my opinion, Bergen is the best city to fly into for anyone visiting Norway. This is especially considering all the great Bergen tours there are to choose from!

If you, like many visitors, only have a day or two in Bergen, I recommend that you book a tour of the city before your visit. When it comes to Bergen sightseeing, it can be a little challenging to figure out where to start and what to see, especially if you are short on time.

Luckily, there are several tours in Bergen worth considering (whether you want to explore the city by foot, bus or even Segway!), and there are plenty of great fjord trips from Bergen as well. The latter is ideal if you only have a few short days in Norway, and want to experience both the city and the fjords!

Heading to the fjords? Read my post on how to get from Bergen to Flåm!

Since I get quite a few emails and questions from people who want to make the most of their Bergen sightseeing (due to a lack of time), I thought I would round up some of the best Bergen tours in this post! I’ll include tours in Bergen, as well as boat tours and fjord trips from Bergen. You’ll be surprised with how easily you can explore Norway and the famous fjords when you have your base in this city!

When you arrive at the airport in Bergen, here’s exactly how to get to the city centre!

The 12 best Bergen Tours and Day Trips

The list below are all tours I have either tried, or had recommended from people who have tried them. They are all operated by different companies (or private persons), and are all unique on their own.

If you want to know what to do in Bergen before going on a tour, here’s my travel guide to the city!

So, I hope this list is helpful when you choose which Bergen tour to join, as there will be something for everyone here! Whether you prefer going with a private guide on one of the fjord trips from Bergen, or want to have a fun Bergen sightseeing trip with a local, you’ll find the perfect tour on this list!

Side note: I have numbered this list of Bergen tours, but they are all in random order. As mentioned, each tour will be perfect for someone, so it is not for me to say which is better for you and your family.

Before you go: Consider the Bergen card

If you are visiting Bergen for more than a day, the Bergen card is a must for your trip. Most importantly, it gets you free transportation on the buses and Light Rail (ByBanen) in the city, which is absolute gold. Of course, it also gets you free entrance and discounts to loads of museums and attractions around the city, such as the Bergen Aquarium, Fløibanen (where you’ll see the view from the picture below) and Håkon’s Hall (the fortress main building).

My top tip before your arrival: the Bergen Light Rail ‘ByBanen’ goes all the way to Bergen Airport, and is a convenient way to get from the airport to the city centre. It is super affordable, as it only costs 41 kroner. HOWEVER, if you have booked your Bergen Card in advance, it’s free! So make sure to get the Bergen card before you arrive in Bergen, so you can start using it right away.

#1 Classic 24-hour Hop-on-Hop-off Bus Tour

Can’t go wrong with one of these, right? I know you may find it a little basic, but to be honest: I love these! Whenever I have less than 3 days in a city, I’ll spend the first morning on one of these Hop-on-hop-off buses, just to get a lay of the land and an idea of the city. During the trip I will take note of which places and sights I want to see more of. Then, for the rest of the 24-hour period, I’ll use the bus as my transportation in order to travel to those places! I genuinely think it’s a great way to get an idea of a place.

#2 Guided Segway tour

This is such a great way to see the city! Out of all the Bergen sightseeing tours, this one might just be the most fun. Segways are those vehicles you’ll see people stand on, holding on to for dear life while racing through the city with their guide. At first they can be challenging to drive, but luckily there are not many hills in Bergen (my first Segway experience included hills, and it was terrifying). You simply control them by leaning back or forward as you go, and the Segway (seemingly) magically understands your intent.

If you want your Bergen trip to have a bit of action built into it, I recommend going on a Segway tour. Side note: this is one of the bestsellers on the list, so I do recommend booking early. Another side note: keep reading if you want to make it even more special!

#3 Guided Segway tour BY NIGHT

I dare say this tour is quite similar to the Bergen segway tour I have just listed, but at the same time it’s completely different. If you feel like riding a Segway isn’t challenge enough, try doing it at night time!

To be fair, it doesn’t really get all that dark in Norway in the summer, but getting a dusky view of the city is still quite unique. And I bet this is a tour not everyone can say that they have been on. I recommend this if you have a day in Bergen, and spend most of it exploring on your own. Then, in the evening, you can join this tour and get some extra information of all the sights.

#4 Self-guided audio tour of Bergen

Feeling a little independent? Then a self-guided audio tour is the way to go. I absolutely love this tour, and if I had to pick a favourite, this would be it. Please note that you will NOT have a guide on this tour, and it is completely self-paced (which is why I love it).

In short, you will receive an English MP3 download when you “book” this tour, and then you can start your self-guided tour whenever you feel like it. I believe it is absolutely genius, and I wish more cities had this option. Again, there is no guide and no meeting point, so you need to be independent enough to handle that (though I’m sure you are). I couldn’t recommend this enough, and it’s super affordable as well (less than $20 at the time of writing)!

I love this tour so much, because it really lets you deep dive into Bergen’s fascinating history, and how it went from a medieval trading town a thousand years ago, to the largest wooden city in Europe during the Hanseatic days of the 1800s, to the modern (small) city it is today.

#5 Private walking tour (with a local)

These kinds of tours are always fun, and I love seeing a city from a local’s perspective. I haven’t gone on this one myself (as I live in the city and consider myself a local), but have heard great reviews and experiences from my Airbnb guests who have done it. What is so great about this tour is that it is completely customizable, and can be adapted to your needs and interests. Want the best coffee in the city? Want to know how to find the Aquarium? Just want the history of Bryggen and the fish market? Regardless, your private local guide can help you!

#6 A Bergen Food and Culture tour

This is a popular tour for visitors to Bergen, and is often likely to sell out. Going on a walking tour is a classic way to get to know a city, and but adding a food aspect to it makes it 10 times better (in my opinion). There are so many great restaurants in Bergen, but this tour will take you to a few of the highlights.

During this 3-hour walking tour of Bergen you will not only see the main sites of the city, but you will also get to sample traditional Norwegian dishes along the way. Of course, a visit to the Fish Market is included in this tour, but also great guides with truly unique storytelling abilities (and I should know, as I am an Adventure Guide for Disney myself.

#7 A guided walk with a witch

This is probably the most unique tour on this list, and I am here for it. This is a self-guided fictional tour of Bergen, perfect for those who want to explore the alternative side of the city.

Basically, this is similar to the self-guided audio tour above, as you will use your phone to listen to the stories and tales told about the city, and you can follow your own pace.

Your guide is the real historic character Anne Pedersdotter, who was the widow of a priest and one of the most famous women in Norway to have been convicted of witchcraft. She was burned at the stake in 1574.

On this tour, you can walk in her foot steps and learn about the city in a fun (and interesting) way!

#8 Guided hike to three of the seven Bergen city mountains

If you are a hiker looking for a serious workout, look no further than this three-summit tour of Bergen’s mountains. During this trip you will hike three of the mountains surrounding the Bergen city center, usually starting with Mount Fløyen.

If you are a hiker and want to do some of these on your own, I recommend starting with my guide to hiking Mount Ulriken (including video).

Fjord trips from Bergen (day trips)

Are you ready to leave the city? There are actually several tours from Bergen that will allow you to see the fjords, and a lot of travellers choose these options to easily explore the fjords. If you prefer planning and going about it on your own, I recommend checking out my Norway itineraries.

Whether you follow an itinerary or book one of the tours from Bergen listed below, trust me when I say that the fjords will take your breath away! Bergen truly is the perfect base for anyone wanting to see the beauty of the Norwegian fjords.

Read next: The best fjord cruises from Bergen.

#9 A Private Trip to the Hardangerfjord

Slightly on the pricier side, but you get what you pay for. This is a full day tour from Bergen, and takes around 10 hours. You’ll have an English guide with you, and it is possible to be picked up (and dropped off) at your accommodation. This makes it a super convenient trip for anyone short on time, and want to make sure they see one of Norway’s beautiful fjords. The Hardangerfjord is picture perfect, and actually the backdrop of one of Norway’s most famous paintings; Brudeferd i Hardanger.

On this tour you will not only get to marvel in the beauty of the landscape, but also cross the impressive Hardanger Bridge, and see Vøringfossen (Norway’s biggest waterfall). Please be advised that some entrance fees are not included in the tour price, such as the entrance to Hardangervidda Nature Center.

#10 A private tour to Flåm (and the Sognefjord)

Home sweet home! This tour takes you to the area where I grew up, and I love hearing people tell me how beautiful it is there (as if I can take credit). This tour takes you to the heart of the fjords (in my opinion), and is also a full day trip. The journey from Bergen to Flåm is about 3 hours, so you won’t be surprised when I say that this tour takes approximately 11 hours.

What I love about this tour is that the Flåm Railway is included in it, so you’ll not only get to see the fjords in a day, but also travel on one of the world’s most spectacular train rides! So if you have only a few days in Bergen, and you’re not quite ready to follow my itinerary and book your trip on your own, this is the tour for you.

#11 Bergen day trip to Folgefonna glacier (including blue ice hike)

Going blue ice hiking is becoming more and more popular amongst visitors to Norway, and if you are one of the people who want to try it this day tour out of Bergen is for you. This is a full day trip, starting and ending in Bergen, taking you to the Hardangerfjord region and the Folgefonna glacier.

During this day you will spend time hiking across the beautiful blue ice of the glacier, with an experienced team of blue ice hike guides. The time spend on the ice is between 3-4 hours, and the trip is tailored to each group.

#12 Bergen Fjord Cruise to Mostraumen

Bergen is a bit of a drive from the UNESCO Listed fjords of Norway and the destinations surrounding them (such as Flåm and Aurland, where I grew up). However, there are fjord cruises leaving right from the center of Bergen, allowing you to go into some of the smaller fjords a little closer to the city.

Mostraumen is one of these, and this narrow fjord passage will give you a true taste of what the west-Norwegian fjords look like, without getting too far out of the city. This is the perfect tour for those who don’t have the time to visit the Nærøyfjord or Geirangerfjord.

Want more Bergen tours? Check them all out below!

I hope you have enjoyed reading this post, and that you have been able to figure out which of these great Bergen tours you should join during your trip to Norway. Joining a sightseeing tour is a great way to explore a city, and especially when you are short on time. I find that many travellers to Norway only have a day or two to spend in Bergen before heading to the fjords (or up North), so I always recommend some of these tours. Do let me know in the comments which one caught your eye!

Want more information before your trip to Norway? Head this way for my extensive Norway travel guide, or this way for my guide to planning a trip to Norway!