Bergen with Kids

Bergen with Kids  – Bergen’s weather is as unpredictable as Scotland. But mixed weather doesn’t stop the fun, and it means that there is a variety of family friendly indoor and outdoor attractions for all ages to enjoy. From funiculars to fish markets, here’s the best in town.

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Where to Stay – Bergen with Kids

I’ll start quickly with accommodation. A pal recommended the Scandic hotels to me, and my family has stayed with them in both Oslo and Bergen. They are affordable and family friendly, making a city break in Bergen achievable. They offer bunk beds for kids, welcoming toy packs for wee ones, funky public areas, robes and slippers for adults, great central locations, and a fantastic price point. I rate and recommend this brand.

The award-winning breakfasts deserve their own commentary, as they’re high quality and quite epic. Fruit shots, freshly made omelettes, a muesli bar, my kids even found Millionaire Shortbread much to their sweet-toothed delight – it was fantastic.

Bergen itself has six Scandic hotels in the heart of the city (plus two more nearer the airport). We opted for Scandic Ørnen, which is close to the train station and has a restaurant and bar on the 12th floor with views over the city. Scandic Torget Bergen is on the Bryggen, but there’s also central Scandic Neptun, Hotel Norge by Scandic, Scandic Byparken and Scandic Bergen City. They’re all modern, contemporary and welcoming. Now here’s a list of things to do!

1 Bergen with Kids – Catch the Fløibanen Funicular to the Summit of Mount Fløyen

Hikers can walk up to the top of the mountain, which gives excellent views right across Bergen. Catching the funicular is fun in itself (and easier for little legs), but at the top you also find a playground (complete with trolls), café, toilet facilities, mountain walks, and unexpected free range goats. Tickets and prices can be found here – round trips are available, and obviously it’s cheaper to catch the funicular one way and hike the other. Currency fluctuates, but an easy guide is simply divide by 10, so 95 NOK is approximately £9.50. The funicular reopens on 1 April 2022, but if you visit before then the FREE option is to hike up and down the mountain – the walk takes between 45 minutes and 1 hour depending on your pace.

Prices, from 1 April – 30 September 2022

Adults (from 16 years)	NOK150.00 return
Adults (from 16 years)	NOK75.00 single
Children under 3 years	Free
Children	NOK75.00 return
Children	NOK40.00 single

It’s cheaper in low season. From 1 October 2022: NOK 105 for adults for a round trip and NOK 53 for one way. Children / Senior NOK 53 round trip and NOK 30 one way.

[The Bergen Card offers free travel (round trip) from October to April. 50% discount (round trip) from May to September. I also I’ll cover the Bergen Card in more detail further down the article so you can decide if it’s a good investment for you.]

2 The Aquarium – Top Things to Do in Bergen with Kids

People rave about Bergen’s aquarium or ‘akvariet’. It’s a great rainy day option, plus it’s a bit of a tardis and always a hit with kids. We arrived to be greeted by a huddle of Gentoo Penguins, or Donkey Penguins as they’re known, due to their braying call. We caught a feeding session, which was hugely informative – ask me anything!!! We learned that penguins bring each other rocks as tokens of affection, discovered the camouflage reasons why penguins have white tummies and black backs, plus why they shake their heads (as if to say No) when offered fish – they’re actually stimulating saliva so they can swallow the fish whole.

The Shark Tunnel was a huge hit, beautifully mesmerising. We also enjoyed the hands on shipping area, where we climbed rigging, rang a ship’s bell, hoisted the sails and steered the vessel – boy, we were busy! Other highlights included a floor of crocodiles, Dory & Nemo, local Bleke fish, quirky axolotl, sea lions, otters and even a stuffed polar bear. A gift shop and café are available on site too. Check out the feeding times and events here.

Prices – NOK870.00 admission for a Family Ticket. With the Bergen Card it’s free admission in low season from November to the end of February, then a 25% discount from 1 March to 31 October. More info on the Bergen Card below.

3 Explore the Bryggen – Bergen with Kids

FREE – These iconic harbourside red, white and mustard buildings are a key photo opportunity in Bergen. What appeals to kids (and big kids) is exploring up the alleyways of this wooden mini maze. It reminds me of being aboard an old wooden pirate ship, as kids clamber up and down staircases seeking what’s around the next corner. The buildings house art galleries, gift shops and crafts, so gorgeous for a browse too.

Even if it’s bucketing down (which is was when we visited), there are lots of nooks and crannies where wee ones can find shelter.

4 Catch the Ulriken643 (Ulriken Cable car)

The Ulriken Cable Car takes you up to the highest of Bergen’s seven mountains on Norway’s largest gondola – we’re talking 643 metres above sea level. There’s a restaurant at the top, the Skyskraperen Restaurant. You can book a return journey, but there are lots of hiking opportunities too. Hike up, hike down, even walk from Ulriken to Fløyen across Vidden, but it takes around five hours so not for little ones. Discover all the info here.

Prices:

Family One way (2 adults + up to 3 children)	NOK445.00 tickets
Family Round trip (2 adults + up to 3 children)	NOK790.00 tickets

Take 10% off the prices above with the Bergen Card.

5 Theta Museum

Behind a hidden door in the Bryggen is a remarkable, tiny museum. It’s not a museum in the conventional sense, as it was originally the compact, hidden HQ of a WW2 resistance movement of very young and ridiculously brave Norwegians – we’re talking young adults, aged 19-22.

A guide takes you into the room, which is wired with the remains of explosives, and tells the story of these remarkable men and women. Practicalities such as makeshift beds, maps and radios, are placed alongside guns, grenades and photographs. An album contains images of some of the Theta group’s escape across the mountains to Sweden when this tiny room was compromised. Utterly fascinating, real and remarkable story, ideal for children who want a tangible historic experience. Discover more here. I gained access by requesting entry at the Visitor Center at the Bryggen.

6 Bergenhus Fortress Museum

FREE – Another WW2 musuem, also close to the waterfront, is the Bergenhus Fortress. This is a drier experience (think film clips, or artefacts and photographs with display boards and captions) so better suited for older children who can read well and have an interest in the topic.

On the plus side, many topics are covered across several floors, so it is thorough. Exhibitions included Women’s Contribution to the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Resistance Movement in and around Bergen 1940-45, Newspapers in Bergen during Wartime, the Underground Press 1940-1945 and Norwegian Forces Abroad. Plus, it’s free.

Bergen is also home to a Gestapo Museum. This brutal museum is not suitable for children, but I thought I’d mention it as a historical place of interest for adults. NOK100 for adults.

7 Visit the Fish Market, Bergen Murals and Photo Opp Spots

Take in the sights, sounds and smells of the market, and pick up some fish cakes ready to eat. This won’t take long, but you’ll probably pass the market at some point as it’s central and right next to the Tourist Information Centre so you may as well take a look. Norway is known for its seafood, and is one of the world’s greatest exporters of salmon.

If you carry on around this south-west side of the harbour, you’ll reach the aquarium and pass some funky murals, as well as get great views over the water back to the Bryggen for photographs.

8 Family Friendly Dining – From Vegan to Italian

A central place, with Italian food for adults and a children’s menu, is Olivia’s on the harbourfront. Smart, yet reasonably priced (by Norwegian standards), with good views over the water. We also enjoyed family friendly Peppe’s Pizza on Ole Bulls Plass where the waitress challenged my son to a rock/paper/scissors game over ice cream – he won, and received free ice cream 🙂 Vegetarians/Vegans can consider Solros bakery that rustles up a daily stew and soup in relaxed surroundings. Find them on Marken.

9 Other Attractions – Boat Trips, Watersports & Museums

Firstly, just take a stroll around Bergen. The architecture and atmosphere are so different to the UK and US, plus Bergen’s a wonderfully compact and walkable city so make the most of it. There’s a hop on hop off busand two hour Segway tours. We were also tempted by Bergen’s Maritime Museum. In terms of boat trips there are a range of fjord cruises and boat excursions available from Bergen. Discover more here and for short cruises visit here. From watersports (such as kayaking and canoeing), to horse riding and cycling take a peak here for options.

10 Consider the Bergen Card

The more you use them, the more these cards provide value for money. A Bergen card can be bought/picked up at Bergen Airport or at the Tourist Information Centre in Bergen city centre. For 24 hours they cost 300NOK for adults and 100NOK for children, but for 48 hours it’s only slightly more, at 380NOK for adults and 130NOK for kids.

The cards allow you to travel for free on the busses in Bergen and the region. Also the Bergen Light Rail between Bergen airport and the city centre is covered – it usually costs 120NOK for a family of four each way. A host of attractions offer free entry or discounts so see exactly what’s covered here. Do the maths to see if the savings add up for you.

You may also find this Oslo article interesting…

Our Story

We flew from Aberdeen direct to Bergen airport with Wideroe. A light railway connects the airport with the city centre swiftly and easily. If you are reaching/leaving Bergen by train it’s often possible to book family friendly carriages on VY Trains complete with soft play, so look out for those.

If you found Bergen with Kids helped you plan a break then please consider subscribing here or buy us a coffee to support our work that comes to you absolutely free. Please join the conversation on Facebook, or check out the bonny photos on Instagram. I first visited Bergen on a press trip with Fred Olsen, we then stayed as a family with Scandic Hotels for review purposes, and received Bergen Cards to visit a selection of attractions.  For any queries or opportunities please email scots2travel@hotmail.com. Content and images copyright of Scots2Travel. Check out our Privacy Policy here. Copy contains affiliate links that I may make a small percentage from.