Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world. Since Bergen is a highly touristy and visited spot, that makes the prices skyrocket even more! However, it is absolutely beautiful and full of unique sights like the brightly colored buildings, a popular fish market, and gazillions of cinnamon buns! Get ready for lots of rain, cold, and mist, even in the summertime! This post gives ideas for free (or cheap/discounted) things to do in Bergen so you don’t break the bank! Pack your rain jacket, umbrella, and sense of adventure, and get ready to explore Bergen on a budget!
Be Sure to Check Out…
Oslo On a Budget post!
How To Plan Your Perfect Trip post!
Summer Packing List for Europe for Women post!
Explore the Old Town
The Old Town in Bergen is epic. It’s full of colorful buildings, souvenir shops, and boats! Its the classic image of fisherman village Norway full of color, saunas, and FISH! Be sure to get all of your Instagram pictures in this epic spot.
Hit the Sauna
Saunas are typically super expensive, however, there is a community sauna that’s only $12 a person for an hour! We sat in the sauna for 20 minutes, and then we cold plunged by jumping in the FREEZING cold water for 5 minutes! It was so awesome. It’s really good for you as well. You can look out at the mountains while you hang out in the sea! It can be a little tricky to find, so try to be there a couple minutes before your session starts. This super cheap sauna is a perfect stop for your Bergen on a budget trip!
- This sauna was a recommendation from a local that we met at the fish market. It lived up to the hype as his favorite sauna in town!
Click here to check it out and buy a ticket.
Bergenhus Fortress
We stumbled upon this fortress while walking through Bergen, and its really neat. It’s free to walk through and around it. You can also pay to go inside, but I don’t think it’s necessary. Be sure to check out the fortress and walls!
Hike Mount Floyen
This is a lovely hike behind the old town section of Bergen! It is pretty steep, so be ready to sweat! It only takes about an hour to make it to the top (maybe a little shorter). Get ready for STAIRS though. There are really beautiful views at the top! There’s also a cafe, a water refill station, and bathrooms at the top as well. There are actually a lot of things to do at the top, including petting the goats that are all over the mountain! There is also a weird forest with lots of troll statues that are fun to take pictures with!
- If you’re not feeling up for a big hike, you can ride the cable car up or down.
Click here to book the funicular.
Bergen Cathedral (and Other Churches)
There are a ton of beautiful cathedrals and churches in Bergen. You definitely need to check out the Bergen Cathedral. It was under renovation while I was in Bergen, but if its open, be sure to look inside. Also check out St. Jakob’s kirke and St. John’s church. Since it’s free to go inside, it’s a great stop for your Bergen on a budget trip.
Explore the Fish Market
This fish market is super awesome. It’s full of fish (duh) and also random meats like crab, lobster, reindeer, and whale! They also have pastries… YOU HAVE TO TRY A CINNAMON BUN! There are some little restaurants included as well. However, it is very expensive, so beware!
Kayak for FREE!!!
Oh yeah. You heard me right. As Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world, kayaking usually costs upward of $100. However, we stumbled upon a TikTok (typical) that was talking about how you can kayak for FREE all over the world! As a budget traveler, I was immediately interested. You can kayak for free; while you kayak, however, you also pick up trash floating in the ocean.
You can sign up here!
- Head to AdO arena to get check. Go to reception, and you’ll get keys to the gate to grab your kayak!
- Pick up trash while you kayak.
- Take some epic mountain pictures!
- Return your kayak and your trash bag.
- Feel good about yourself for helping the planet and being cheap af.
Byparken
This is a lovely little park in the city with a gazebo and a big lake! While we were there, a huge tent was set up with hundreds of people watching soccer games! There are other festivals there as well! It’s a nice place to lay out a blanket for a picnic and spend some time resting and people-watching.
Torgallmenningen
This is the main square in Bergen; it’s right next to the harbor and the fish market. It’s a fun place to grab a meal (even though it’ll probably be more pricey than other areas). There’s also a Sailor’s Monument in the square which is cool to see!
Night Life
Drinks are crazy expensive, but exploring the night life in Bergen is really neat. The drinking culture of Norway is really interesting; it feels very different from where I’m from, so going to a bar and ordering a traditional Norwegian cider was a bit of a cultural and earning experience. Below are a couple places to check out:
- No Stress
- Last Monkey
- Bryggen Nightclub
- Ice Bar
Grab a Cup of Coffee and Eat Cinnamon Buns
There are tons of places to warm up your fingers with some hot coffee. A classic treat in Norway in the cinnamon buns! They’re sold everywhere and are SO GOOD! You can grab some at the fish market or in pretty much any cafe! The best ones we had in Bergen were at a cafe called Baker Brun in the Bryggen section of Bergen!
Budget Hack for Food
Food is obviously a big part of any culture; Bergen has tons of crazy things to eat like reindeer and moose! However, as I said earlier, it’s crazy expensive. If you’re trying to save money, you can head to the many grocery stores in Bergen and grab some bread, cream cheese, and salmon; make yourself a nice little sandwich for under $10 and save a ton of money! We went to the grocery store a ton in Norway; here’s a list of what most of my meals (and my friends’ meals) for our Bergen on a budget adventure:
- Breakfast: Skyr yogurt with granola and a cinnamon bun
- Lunch: Salmon with cream cheese on bread (or a pb&j)
- Dinner: Working on a blog post on recipes while traveling… come back soon for that! However, here are some ideas!
- Tacos
- Orzo with cheese and spinach
- Cowboy caviar
Baunehytten
This is something a friend recommended to me, and I didn’t get to do it which is SO SAD! However, if you have the chance, you absolutely have to do it. It’s a hike to a waffle restaurant and cafe!
- It’s only open on Sundays from 12 p.m. until 3 p.m.
- It serves waffles and warm drinks!
- It’s fairly easy hike. The address is Byfjellene 78, 5097 Bergen.
One response to “EXPLORE BERGEN ON A BUDGET: Unforgettable and Affordable Adventures!”
Fabulous! Let’s go!