2 Days In Beautiful Bergen, Norway With Kids
After having the best layover of our lives at Amsterstam Airport Schiphol, and over 15 total hours of travel time, we landed in Bergen, Norway with kids in tow around mid-afternoon.
Can it be? Is it true? Are we really finally in Bergen?
The Bergen Airport is smaller than other international airports we’ve flown into. However, it was quite modern and easy to navigate. We found the airport bus into town waiting right outside baggage claim and customs. A short but scenic drive through several mountain passes later, and we were deposited by the famous fish market, right outside our hotel.
Can you see the Korean drumming troupe in front of the red fish market tents? Totally random and I’m not sure why they were there. But as a half Korean who can sometimes feel out of place in non-diverse locales, this made me feel immediately welcome.
As soon as I stepped off the bus, I knew that I’d love Bergen.
It’s centered around a horseshoe-shaped harbor and nestled in beautiful foothill mountains, with the fish market as its focal point. There’s a juxtaposition of nature and civilization, co-existing in harmony together. And historic architecture mixed with sustainable modern design. Organic food options abound, and there’s an emphasis on reusable rather than disposable. Plus it’s incredibly welcoming to families and foreigners alike. What is there not to love about visiting Bergen, Norway with kids?
(By the way, if you’re a fan of Disney’s FROZEN, Bergen is the real life inspiration for Arendelle! And you can really see the resemblance in terms of the geography. But thankfully not the whole snowstorm-in-the-middle-of-summer thing).
We chose to stay at the Scandic Strand Hotel for a few key reasons.
Though the hotel brand may be unfamiliar to some, it’s a huge Scandinavian company with multiple hotels in every major city throughout Scandinavia. Scandic has also prioritized sustainability for over two decades and has the distinction of the Nordic Swan Ecolabel. (That’s a rigorous certification akin to being a B Corp).
Scandic Hotels also invented the concept of reusing your hotel towels to save energy and resources, which has since become an industry standard. You can read all about their sustainability guidelines on their website. They range from lessening environmental impact to whistleblowing and everything in between.
Moreover, their hotels were hip, affordable, kid-friendly, and included delicious breakfast buffets. We ended up staying at 3 different Scandic Hotels and were pleased with every experience.
That said, I will be completely honest and say the Scandic Strand could’ve used a bit of a facelift – a fresh coat of paint and new carpeting perhaps. However, it was clean, reasonably-priced, the staff was helpful, and the wifi worked perfectly. It was super conveniently located and included a delicious buffet breakfast. They even left this thoughtful welcome gift for our kids in the room. If you’re visiting Bergen, Norway with kids, the Scandic Strand is a great place to stay.
Our children loved playing with this simple balloon. It traveled all the way to Denmark with us! Inside the little pouch were some kid-friendly temporary tattoos.
We booked a Family Room.
This meant there was a small annex room off the main one that had a sloped ceiling. It had just enough room for a twin bed and pack n play, and had a curtain closure. Our kids LOVED this little room. It reminded me a bit of Harry Potter’s cupboard under the stairs but roomier. Though there were no windows there, that was great for getting them to sleep at night.
The sun rises around 4am and sets around 11pm around this time of year in Bergen, but it seemed to never get truly dark at night regardless. Strangely, very few of the hotels we stayed in on this trip had good black out shades. The Strand had thick curtains which was helpful. but they still allowed some light to seep in around the edges. So, having the kids in a walk-in closet essentially was a bonus as far as we were concerned!
Another reason why Bergen feels like an eco-friendly city? This book prominently displayed in the window of a bookstore next to our hotel:
Spotted this book by @campervanliving in a shop window next to our hotel in Bergen, Norway. Eco-conscious living is truly a global movement! #2minutesolution #ecoblogger #travelblogger #nomoreplastic pic.twitter.com/GSQDBxZYN1
— Eco Friendly Mama (@EcoFriendlyMa) July 6, 2018
Sightseeing in Bergen, Norway with kids
Mount Fløyen
After we dropped off our stuff in the room, we headed out on foot to Mount Fløyen, the 1,400 foot tall mountain that Bergen is nestled into. To get to the top, there’s a Fløibanen (electric funincular tram) which is just a few short blocks from the fish market. They run every twenty minutes or so, and have a special section reserved for wheelchairs and strollers. The waiting room at the bottom is carved right into the mountain with exposed stone walls. Our kids didn’t mind having to wait in the cavern!
You can buy a one way or roundtrip ticket. With young kids, we opted to take the funicular both ways and it was definitely worth the additional expense. Kids 3 and under are free, so we didn’t have to buy a ticket for our toddler which was nice.
The view of Bergen Harbor from the top of Mount Fløyen is spectacular!
There was a nice cafeteria at the top which had a limited but perfectly decent menu.
Though the inside seating area looked very comfortable, we opted to sit outside and enjoy the view. There was also a little hot dog stand that my son of course ran right to, as well as a little ice cream and souvenir shop.
I had this delicious salad with smoked salmon, mango, sugar snap peas, and avocado. Every ingredient was fresh and super flavorful. Super impressed with the quality!
My husband’s yummy cheeseburger. He washed it all down with some local ale.
There are numerous family-friendly trails from here that you can explore.
A neat example of recycled art.
One led to a little goat barn where they could wander about freely. They’re not just for show though. These cashmere goats, “The Fløyen Boys,” help to keep the trails clear by eating the vegetation. Eco-friendly landscaping at its finest!
There were also several playgrounds within close walking distance. When visiting Bergen, Norway with kids (or anywhere really) building in playground time to your day is key to keeping your kiddos happy.
Right behind the restaurant there was this troll-themed one. Little did we know this would be the first of many FANTASTIC playgrounds we’d encounter on our trip through Scandinavia!
A fun way of using the natural landscape to inform the playground design and incorporating this hill into the slides.
A little further behind the restaurant was this one in the style of a low-ropes course. It was made entirely from wood and metal (no plastic!) and my son loved climbing on everything there. There is apparently a zipline/high ropes course here that older kids can do, but was either closed for the day or on break for the summer.
On the map there was one specifically called Troll Park, which we were keen to check out. This actually ended up being up the little hill to the side of the Funincular station, but was worth the trek!
This clearing was much larger than the other two playgrounds, and had wooden carved troll heads hidden throughout its rolling green grass and trees. While there weren’t as many play structures in this area, our kids still had a great time exploring and being free in nature. Ideal for families who follow the Waldorf educational philosophy especially!
Believe it or not, it’s about 9pm in these sun-drenched photos!
And can you believe all these fun playgrounds are in one spot?? We could’ve stayed there until midnight exploring Mount Fløyen, but we wanted to try to get on a regular sleeping schedule as quickly as possible. Thankfully, the funicular ride back down was an adventure our kids were looking forward to so they didn’t argue much about having to leave.
Click here to see my time lapse video of the ride down the mountain!
Breakfast at the hotel in Bergen, Norway with kids
The next morning, the kids woke up around 6am and were ready to go! Our hotel’s breakfast buffet was fantastic, and featured a separate table just for gluten-free products. As it turns out, Scandinavians are very attuned to food allergies. So, many places we went had clearly marked menus plus gluten-free and vegan options!
And yet, for those of us who are gluttonous glutin-lovers, the fresh-baked bread here was amazing – crusty on the outside, soft and warm in the inside. I regret not taking photos of the whole buffet. But let’s chalk that up to jet lag!
Bryggen
Bellies full of smoked salmon, we headed out to explore Bergen. Our first stop was Old Bergen’s Hanseatic Quarter, or Bryggen. This historic area featured small historic buildings made entirely of wood and jammed together like classic books on a library shelf.
Nary a right angle to be seen!
The smell of clean wood was deliciously overwhelming as we walked through the narrow wooden paths between these buildings. I know wooden construction is a fire hazard, but there’s something to be said about being surrounded by wood. It was like walking through a fresh clean forest, ahhhhh.
There was a small cobblestoned square behind the buildings. And by the way, even though the ground in this area was a bit uneven, our durable Baby Jogger City Mini stroller handled it all like a champ.
This wooden codfish was entirely carved from one gigantic tree trunk and represents the main export which made Bergen Norway’s biggest city for centuries – fish!
We stumbled across this small shop on Bredsgården Street. I loved seeing these wooden cups, which the friendly saleslady said are quite common for Norwegians to own. Nature lovers will tie them to their backpacks with string, and then fill them from a thermos during hiking breaks.
There were many wonderful wooden souvenirs here in a range of prices. I regret not buying a cup, but did pick up several other wooden items here.
They also sold these wooden carvings which are miniature versions of the buildings lining the front of Bryggen.
Bergenhus Fortress and Håkon’s Hall
From Bryggen, we kept walking along the harbor towards this 13th century fortress and compound. The Rosenkrantz Tower was open but covered in scaffolding. Since our daughter had fallen asleep in the stroller by this point, we opted to skip the climb.
That said, I was eager to see Håkon’s Hall, the largest secular medieval building in Norway with a distinctive staircase-shaped facade. Unfortunately, we forgot to check our guidebook for its hours, and didn’t realize it wouldn’t open until later in the afternoon that day! Rookie travel mistake.
Here’s the exterior at least. Our son enjoyed rolling down the grassy hill out front, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Mount Ulriken
You’d think visiting two different mountain tops in less than 24 hours would feel like overkill, but after the beauty and fun of Mount Fløyen, we were looking forward to visiting its bigger, taller sibling.
To get there from the city center, we took a small tour van that happened to pick up right around the corner from our hotel. (Did I mention our hotel was in a fantastic location??). We just showed up, paid the man standing under the pop up tent our fares, and boarded the van. We bought a Family ticket which was cheaper than buying them separately, and again our daughter was free. Since these run every half hour, we weren’t worried about making a reservation, and in fact the van was less than half full when we departed.
A short but scenic drive through Bergen left us in front of the mountain at the Ulriken643 Cable Car station. That ride lasted about 7 minutes and offered another scenic view of Bergen from a different vantage point. Click here to see my time lapse video of the ascent!
At the top, there was a modern lodge with a gift shop and a fantastic restaurant aptly named Sky:Skraperen. It features local, seasonal, and sustainable cuisine in a beautiful, eco-friendly setting.
They had serve-yourself rye pancakes, oatmeal & cranberry cookies, and traditional “eplekake” (apple turnovers). As we were quickly learning about Norway, the people here have a deep respect for nature and natural products. That meant, no plastic used in a food display. Reusable glass cups for water instead of disposable. Communal jam and sour cream jars instead of mini plastic packages. And doesn’t this presentation look delectable?
We opted for a hot lunch and ordered from the “mountain menu.” Though Sky:Skraperen converts to a high end restaurant for dinner, during the day it offers casual and kid-friendly counter service. One wall is entirely glass, so you have a spectacular view of the mountain vista while you eat.
In a nod to Norway’s commitment to sustainability, our table number was written on a wooden cone instead of those plastic number flags you usually see. Our meal was brought out in earthen bowls and a wooden plate. Even the knife to spread the delicious veggie-infused butter was carved from wood.
This Bergen Fish Soup was one of the tastiest – perhaps even the best – dishes on our entire trip. Creamy, salty, herbaceous broth, with large flaky chunks of white fish and perfectly cooked root veggies.
My husband had the Local Fish And Potato Mash With Leek Oil And Root Vegetables which was also amazingly delicious.
And apparently my son’s Traditional Norwegian Meat Broth With Barley And (you guessed it) Root Vegetables was also fantastic. But he ate it so fast no one else got to try a bite!
My daughter, who is the pickiest eater of us all, enjoyed munching on the crispy flat bread, which we saw being toasted in a giant oven by the entrance. My mouth is watering with the taste memory of this fantastic meal!
While Ulriken didn’t have as many playgrounds as Fløyen, it did have this amazing play area built entirely from wood and other eco-friendly materials. Again no plastic needed to make a durable and fun play zone for kids!
The big draw of Ulriken is the miles of trails leading from the back of the lodge to even taller peaks. Many of these trails aren’t well marked, so you kind of wander where you want, or follow people who seem to know where they’re going.
We hiked (with my daughter napping in the carrier on my husband’s back) for about half an hour through rugged but low-incline terrain. Everywhere you looked was another gorgeous view. My son, who ordinarily complains about having to walk long distances, wanted to lead the way and had more stamina than both adults combined.
It doesn’t really even matter if you make it to that peak in the distance, the journey is the destination, so to speak!
When we returned to the lodge for an ice cream before heading back down, we met a nice man who had just run up from the base of the mountain and was covered in sweat. How long did it take you? I inquired, expecting him to say something like 2 hours since the trail was steep and full of switchbacks. He said it took him 28 minutes! And he does this a few times a week! Amazing to think you can live in a city like Bergen and have this beautiful mountain to climb for exercise instead of working out on a treadmill at the gym.
You can see our hiker friend climbing up the trail in this photo – and there were many more just like him going up and down!
Dinner In Bergen, Norway with kids
After we reluctantly pulled ourselves away from the peak and descended back down via cable car, we aimed to have dinner in Bergen and then a good night’s rest. We’d have to catch an early train to begin our “Norway In A Nutshell” adventure.
We had found an organic restaurant called Pygmalion in our trusty Rick Steves guidebook and were looking forward to eating there. Unfortunately, they only had outside tables available when we arrived, and it was too cold for the kids.
Family Travel Tip: Sometimes, you have to roll with the punches and let your kids’ mood set the tone. If they don’t want to do the thing you’ve been planning to do for months, as Bergen’s most famous animated queen sings, “let it go!“
So we ambled around looking for another restaurant for a while until we ended up at Baker Brun.
We had stopped here in the morning to have one of their Skillingsboller (cinnamon rolls), so it felt like a reliable choice. They had cases of pre-made sandwiches, pastries, and smoothies to choose from, plus made-to-order salads.
The food was okay, but what made the meal really special were the staff. They were very sweet and accommodating to this weary family of hikers, even making my picky eater an off-menu cheese sandwich. Another thing I liked about this place is that they offered glass water cups instead of plastic. The food was served on real plates with silverware instead of disposable.
Moving On
We had a perfect two days here and found it very easy to visit Bergen, Norway with kids. Everyone was friendly and spoke excellent English so navigating around town was a breeze. The city also sincerely embraces an eco-friendly, family-centric lifestyle that is a model for how all cities across the world should be. The playgrounds are fantastic and sustainably-designed. With lots of open spaces and a reverence for nature, our kids had a blast exploring the mountains that surrounded Bergen.
If you’re planning a visit to Bergen, Norway with kids or without, I highly recommend getting the Rick Steves Scandinavia guidebook. I also like to have a second reference, and my go-to for that are Lonely Planet guidebooks! I’ve been using those travel guidebooks since college and they’ve never steered me wrong. If you use the affiliate links in this post I get a very small affiliate commission, which costs you nothing, but would be so appreciated!
Next up – our adventure continues deeper into Norway. Click here to read about our trip to visit Fjords and hike to the largest glacier in continental Europe…with kids!
Hill
Wow! This trip review was excellent!! I’m going with my family (4 yo and 5 yo) in April and this was very useful.
Eco Friendly Mama
Thank you so much! I’m glad you found this helpful and hope you have an awesome trip there. Please let me know how it goes! ☺️