Bergen's Soul: Historic City Walk & Timeless Tales
Join authorised, local guides for an authentic, small-group experience around Bergen - both the city and off-the-beaten path. The first half of our tour focuses on Bergen's history. We wander the fortress complex, covering Bergen’s medieval history and short period as Norway's capital. After this crash course in Norwegian history, we make our way to Bryggen, Bergen’s UNESCO Site. Here, you learn about 1,000 years of trade history and the reason for Bergen’s founding and growth. The second half of our tour is about life in Bergen. We leave the ‘touristy’ part behind and wander into the neighbourhood surrounding Bryggen. As you explore Bergen’s best kept secret, you’ll learn about everyday life. The tour ends by passing by our top picks for restaurants. We consider this a moderate walk with stairs. The walk is approximately 3km (2 miles). Once you book, you’ll receive a confirmation email with all the details — including where to meet, what to wear, and our contact info.
Reviews
Reviews and Rating (Tripadvisor)
5 stars
Reviews by Tripadvisor travelers
L6924SZjuliew, 12/13/2025 10:36:42 AM
An excellent tour from Hagda . She was there then we arrived at the meeting point . Very knowledgeable and I formative . Was able to answer all our questions and even gave us some restaurant recommendations which we booked up . We would strongly recommended this tour to get to know the lovely city of Bergen .
Z4473YNleoh, 12/10/2025 10:35:01 AM
Jeff was super knowledgable & friendly. He shared a mixture of historical, political & foodie facts (I won’t spoil it but there are some shocking ones in there for Bergen!). We covered lots of different areas from the fortress to hidden streets with epic views. You can tell he loves Bergen & is a great advocate, Highly recommend this tour!
Nomad38381582296, 12/9/2025 11:33:06 AM
A perfect walk tour and orientation to Bergen, from the balance of a historical perspective and then a walk through local neighborhoods and popular places to see, eat and explore later. Emma was our delightful, entertaining guide and we learned so much from her about historical Bergen, The Norwegian culture, and then what it’s like to live in Bergen. Topping it off, some great suggestions only a local can provide. Highly recommended!!
Vanessa_L, 12/6/2025 12:56:35 PM
Absolutely brilliant tour with Emma! The first hour was historical and the second hour was focussed on what it’s like to live in Bergen and Norway, which was so insightful. She also showed us some great coffee and dinner venues. Couldn’t have been better!
shunib, 12/5/2025 4:17:13 PM
Our guide for the day was Eirik and he provided my wife and I with a fascinating insight into the history of Bergen from the early settlement days right up to the present day. Of particular interest was the detail and happenings around the time of the Second World War and Norway under occupation. Also to see the old buildings and to appreciate the preservation work which is going into retaining the authentic character of the city.
Reed_T, 12/5/2025 6:28:16 AM
Jeff did a wonderful job of guiding us through beautiful Bergen. Knowledgeable and kind, we thoroughly enjoyed this walking tour and would recommend, also a great way to get an overview of the highlights while staying in Bergen.
Jeffrey_N, 12/3/2025 11:54:47 AM
Jeff was so friendly and knowledgable. We expected to go into the city centre to be told about the main attractions but instead were over the moon to be taken from the fort into some of the back lanes and out of the way spots. He kept us entertained with facts and stories for the whole 2 hrs. It really felt like we were taken on a local tour and were discovering secret gems of places including a stop where we bought the most delicious coffee. This was a really good experience walking tour that I would highly recommend.
taylorc866, 12/2/2025 3:17:57 AM
Fantastic walking tour of the area. We got a great intro to new areas and in depth knowledge from a local of the spots! Serena sent us away with recommendations for coffee/food and they were all wonderful!
Susan_B, 12/1/2025 2:32:59 PM
A very informative wander around the beautiful and interesting places of Bergen. Jeff was a great tour guide and his knowledge of Bergen was immence. Thank you Jeff from your NZ followers.
Tim W, 12/1/2025 8:23:31 AM
Very detailed and informative delivered in a friendly and relaxed manner. Made up for the cold weather and rain. Will look at some more tours with them
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Departure point
Please meet us at the address Bradbenken 1, a brick office building next to the entrance to the fortress. We stand on the side of the building facing the harbour. Your guide will be holding a sign with the tour name on it. The guide will be standing there 10 minutes before the tour starts.Return details
Join authorised, local guides for an authentic, small-group experience around Bergen - both the city and off-the-beaten path. The first half of our tour focuses on Bergen's history. We wander the fortress complex, covering Bergen’s medieval history and short period as Norway's capital. After this crash course in Norwegian history, we make our way to Bryggen, Bergen’s UNESCO Site. Here, you learn about 1,000 years of trade history and the reason for Bergen’s founding and growth. The second half of our tour is about life in Bergen. We leave the ‘touristy’ part behind and wander into the neighbourhood surrounding Bryggen. As you explore Bergen’s best kept secret, you’ll learn about everyday life. The tour ends by passing by our top picks for restaurants. We consider this a moderate walk with stairs. The walk is approximately 3km (2 miles). Once you book, you’ll receive a confirmation email with all the details — including where to meet, what to wear, and our contact info.Redemption
Thanks for your booking! Please read this information carefully. MEETING POINT: The tour begins at Bradbenken 1. You must be there at least 10 minutes before the tour start time. We are not obligated to contact you if you are late; it is your responsibility to tell us. If you are late, wait at the meeting point and contact us. We cancel all bookings more than 20 minutes late. The tour ends at the fish market/tourist office. WALKING GRADE: This walk is moderate, and you will be walking on cobblestone. There are 2-3 flights of stairs (up-hill) on this tour. We walk approx. 3km (2 miles) in 2 hours. CRUISE SHIP PASSENGERS: Some cruise ships dock in the city centre (5-10 mins from our meeting point), while others dock out of the city centre (20-25 mins from our meeting point). We have a cruise port map on our FAQ page as well as up-to-date information on where all the cruise ships are docking. Please check here: http://ilovebergen.net/faq CANCELLATIONS & REFUND POLICY We do not cancel the tour due to rain. You can cancel and be fully refunded up to 24 hours before the tour starts. If you wish to cancel within 24 hours of the tour taking place, you will not be refunded. This is Viator's policy so we can't make exceptions (we get penalised if we cancel those tours). If you wish to move tours, we are unable to do that within 24 hours of the tour taking place. If you do want to move within 24 hours, we'll charge a 50% rebooking fee. CONTACT US: We are open 9am – 6pm every day and can be contacted via WhatsApp (+47 940 54 465) and email (bookings@thehiddennorth.com). Please only call us in an emergency (we are often out on a tour and can’t pick up the phone).24 hours before travel date - 100% refund
Less than 24 hours before travel date - 0% refund