Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords
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© Lonely Planet Publications 190 www.lonelyplanet.com 191 Bergen & the Southwestern Fjords Two beautiful, vibrant cities and some of Norway’s most scenic fjord country make for a wonderful combination. If you’re short on time (and even if you’re not) and looking for the best that Norway has to offer, this could just be the region to visit. Bergen is one of the world’s most beautiful cities, laid out across harbours and hillsides. It’s also rich in history and architecture, especially in the quayside Bryggen district. But this is a city that is anything but stuck in the past with a dynamic cultural life, great restaurants and nightlife. To the south, Stavanger may not match Bergen for architecture, but its old quarter, terrific museums and feel-good vibe make it a must-see. Even better, both Bergen and Stavanger serve as gateways to the fjords you always dreamed of. Hardangerfjord and its tributaries are quite simply magnificent. Villages be- neath precipitous cliffs find their most stunning manifestation in little Eidfjord where farms clinging to high ledges, dizzying waterfalls and Norway’s best nature centre provide interest to add to the undeniable beauty. Ulvik, Utne and Kinsarvik also provide perfect vantage points onto this perfect world, while Stalheim allows you to look deep into the valley from its eyrie-like perch. If the plunging landscapes inspire you to do likewise, Voss should be high on your list, where a range of high-energy, high-altitude thrills await. To the south, Lysefjord might just be Norway’s most recognisable image, whether high on Pulpit Rock (Preikestolen) or balancing atop Kjeragbolten. These are places where a frisson of fear draws you to the edge, where you’ll stand, amazed, at Norway’s extraordinary beauty. SOUTHWESTERN FJORDS BERGEN & THE BERGEN &THE HIGHLIGHTS Stroll through the historic Bryggen ( p195 ) in Stalheim Hotel Bergen, a Unesco World Heritage site Bryggen (Bergen) Kjeåsen Farm (Eidfjord) Climb to Preikestolen ( p229 ) or Kjerag- Hardangerfjord bolten ( p231 ) overlooking Lysefjord Relax on a slow boat up Hardangerfjord ( p215 ) from tranquil Ulvik Amble through cosmopolitan Stavanger, particularly the historic timber houses of Old Stavanger ( p222 ) Preikestolen Wake up to the best hotel view in Norway at (604m) the Stalheim Hotel ( p213 ) Stavanger Kjeragbolten (1087m) Climb up (or through) the mountain to Kjeåsen Farm ( p216 ), high above Eidfjord POPULATION: 840,000 HIGHEST ELEVATION : FOLGEFONN (1654M) 192 BERGEN •• History lonelyplanet.com lonelyplanet.com BERGEN •• Information 193 BERGEN & THE SW FJORDS five years) and finding accommodation can restaurants. The bus and train stations lie changing money is Sparebanken Vest (Map p196 ; 0 50 km be a problem so always book ahead. a block apart on Strømgaten, a 10-minute Nedre Korskirkeallmenning). 0 30 miles walk southeast from the ferry terminals. en Sogne efjord fjor den Vangsnes Sogn HISTORY Post During the 12th and 13th centuries, Bergen INFORMATION Main post office (Map p196 ; Xhibition Shopping Centre, E39 Tunnel to Lærdal was Norway’s capital and easily the country’s Bookshops Småstrandgaten; h8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat Hordaland Lygrafjord most important city. By the 13th century, Norli (Map p196 ; %55 21 42 91; www.norli.no; mid-Jun–mid-Aug, shorter hrs rest-of-year) Stalheim Gudvangen Sævråsvåg the city states of Germany allied themselves Torgalmenningen 8; h9am-9pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat Vinje Radły Myrdal May-Sep, shorter hrs rest-of-year) Great selection of travel Mjølfjell into trading leagues, most significantly the Tourist Information den E16 Holsnły Hanseatic League with its centre in Lübeck. and English-language books. There’s another branch across Bergen Turlag DNT office (Map p196 ; %55 32 22 Osterfjord Dale Voss Osa Askły Słrfjor Ulvik At its zenith, the league had over 150 mem- the road at No 7. 30; www.bergen-turlag.no; Tverrgaten 4; h10am-4pm Kjeåsen Arna See Bergen Kvanndal ber cities and was northern Europe’s most Mon-Wed & Fri, 10am-6pm Thu, 10am-2pm Sat) Maps and Store Region Map Eidfjord BERGEN (p194) Øystese Utne Øvre fjord powerful economic entity; the sheltered Emergencies information on hiking and hut accommodation throughout 7 er Eidfjord ng Kinsarvik Vøringfoss Sotra Norheimsund Waterfall harbour of Bryggen drew the Hanseatic Ambulance (%113) western Norway. arda H Lofthus Jondal % Krokeide To Geilo League’s traders in droves. They established Police ( 112) Tourist office (Map p196 ; %55 55 20 00; www.visit Bjł 13 rnafjorden onn their first office here around 1360, trans- bergen.com; Vågsallmenningen 1; h8.30am-10pm Jun- Sunndal ef Tyssedal forming Bryggen into one of the league’s four Internet Access Aug, 9am-8pm May & Sep, 9am-4pm Mon-Sat Oct-Apr) One Folg Tysnesły Rosendal Folgefonna Odda National Park major headquarters abroad, with up to 2000 Bergen has plans to have universal wireless of the best and busiest in the country, Bergen’s tourist office Uskedalen mostly German resident traders who im- access throughout the city by the end of distributes the free and excellent Bergen Guide booklet. Stord Ulven so Jøsendal (1247m) Bremnes ported grain and exported dried fish, among 2008 although most locals expect it to take ὄὄUtåker fjord Błmlo Akra Røldal other products. longer. In the meantime, most hotels and Travel Agencies E134 Skånevik For over 400 years, Bryggen was dominated some cafés have wireless access. Kilroy Travel (Map p196 ; %02633; www.kilroytravels Valevåg Utbjoa Sauda 13 E134 by a tight-knit community of German mer- Accezzo (Map p196 ; Galleriet, Torgalmenningen 6; per .com; Vaskerelven 16; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri, 11.30am- Affjord chants who weren’t permitted to mix with, hr Nkr70; h9am-9pm Mon-Fri, 9am-6pm Sat Jun-Sep, 3pm Sat) Specialises in student tickets. E39 Suldalsvatnet Hylsfjord shorter hrs rest-of-year) Suldalsosen marry or have families with local Norwegians. Haugesund Avaldsnes Ulla By the 15th century, competition from Dutch Bergen Library (Map p196 ; %55 56 85 00; Strøm- DANGERS & ANNOYANCES ord Kopervik dsfj gaten 6; h10am-6pm Mon-Thu, 10am-4.30pm Fri, an Bl sjłen and English shipping companies, internal Although Bergen is generally a safe city, pick- str Karmły ed N Jłsenfjorden 9 disputes and, especially, the Black Death 10am-3pm Sat) Free, time-limited access. pockets are known to operate around the fish Skudeneshavn 13 Rogaland (which wiped out 70% of Bergen’s popula- Cyberhouse (Map p196 ; Hollendergaten 9; per hr Nkr60; market and Bryggen areas so, as in any tourist Utstein Tau Årdal Kloster Lysebotn tion) ensured the Hanseatic League’s decline, h9am-11pm) city, keep a close watch on your belongings. Jørpeland Sirdal Rysstad Stavanger Lysefjord (although Hamburg, Bremen and Lübeck are Zoex (Map p196 ; Kong Oscars gate 13; per 15/30/60 mins Bergen’s weather is something of a national Kjeragbolten Oanes Sola Preikestolen still called Hanseatic cities and Hamburg and Nkr20/40/70; h10am-6pm Mon-Fri, 10am-2pm Sat) joke (including for many people from Bergen) 13 Forsand (604m) Sandnes Lauvvik Bremen retain city-state status). as it’s one of the wettest cities in Norway – you 45 SOUTHWESTERN FJORDS Bryne By the early 17th century Bergen was Laundry can reliably expect rain on at least 275 days Byrkjedal E39 nonetheless the trading hub of Scandinavia Jarlens Vaskoteque (Map p196 ; %55 32 55 04; Lille of the year. In 2006 the city almost broke the and Norway’s most populous city with Øvregaten 17; wash/detergent/dry Nkr55/5/10; h10am- national record (held by the Oslo region) with BERGEN &THE Vikeså 15,000 people. During the 17th and 18th 6pm Mon, Tue & Fri, 10am-8pm Wed & Thu, 10am-3pm 85 consecutive days of rain. A brolly is an centuries, many Hanseatic traders opted Sat) Full service (Nkr110) takes two hours. essential accessory. to take Norwegian nationality and join the The sheer numbers of visitors in summer BERGEN local community. Bryggen continued as an Left Luggage can be a little overwhelming. The sudden in- important maritime trading centre until Lockers at the train and bus stations start flux of cruise passengers (210,000 in 2006 BERGEN & THE BERGEN & THE pop 244,620 1899, when the Hanseatic League’s Bergen at Nkr40. alone) in particular can, without warning, Surrounded by seven hills and seven fjords, offices finally closed. change the atmosphere of this otherwise in- SOUTHWESTERN FJORDS SOUTHWESTERN FJORDS Bergen is a beautiful, charming city. With Medical Services timate city; as one local told us, ‘cruise pas- the Unesco World Heritage–listed Bryggen ORIENTATION Legevakten Medical Clinic (Map p196 ; %55 56 87 sengers from all over the world come to take and buzzing Vågen harbour as its centre- Hilly greater Bergen has suburbs radiating 00; Vestre Strømkaien 19; h24hr) Handles emergencies. pictures, buy a plastic troll and then leave on piece, Bergen climbs the hillsides with hun- out onto outlying peninsulas and islands, Pharmacy (Map p196 ; %55 21 83 84; bus station; their massive cruise liners’. Many locals hope dreds of timber-clad houses, while cable cars but the central area is compact and eas- h8am-11pm Mon-Sat, 10am-11pm Sun) that a new local government tax on cruise offer stunning views from above. Throw ily manageable on foot. Bergen’s main at- ships will reduce the traffic a little. in great museums, friendly locals and a tractions lie around the harbour at Vågen; Money dynamic cultural life and Bergen amply Torgalmenningen, which runs southwest You can change money at the post office, SIGHTS & ACTIVITIES rewards as much time as you can give it. from the harbour to Øvre Ole Bulls plass, tourist office (for much less than bank rates Bergen has lots of quaint cobblestone streets A word of warning, however: In summer is a major commercial and shopping artery.