How to Find Hotels in Bergen, Norway

The second largest city in Norway, Bergen is a cute town of approximately 240,000 residents. Full of charming wooden buildings on a backdrop of majestic mountains, Bergen is a delightful city for travelers interested in history. The nightlife and atmosphere are enticing for younger travelers as well.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Passport
• Computer with Internet access for making reservations

Prepare for Your Stay in Bergen

1. Realize that Norway's climate is warmer than you may expect. Warm temperatures are only during a limited time, but can warm up to nearly 85 degrees F in the summer. Winters may be extremely cold and in some mountainous areas, glaciers are permanent.
2. Understand that since Norway is part of the Schengen countries, citizens of industrialized nations are not required to have a visa for short business trips or tourism. There are few or no border checks.
3. Find an exchanger who can change your U.S. dollars to the Norwegian crown. The currency is abbreviated kr (see Resources, below).

Transportation in Bergen

4. Know that Norway's geography makes it difficult to travel by road and train. Domestic flights are very popular and competitively priced by Norwegian standards. The largest carriers are Coast Air, SAS Braathens, Norwegian and Wideroe.
5. Understand that the Bergensbanen railway does run east to Voss, Geilo, Honefoss and Oslo. Though there are not a lot of connections to the rest of Norway, Bergen offers some train transport for ease of movement.

Accommodations in Bergen

6. To book accommodations, contact Bergen Tourist Board at 011 ([phone] or visit their Web site (see Resources, below).
7. Book your stay in hostel accommodations to save money and stay in some great areas. One Bergen hostel is located just five minutes away from the city center, while another is only a few minutes from a famous fish market and historical Bryggen.
8. Consider staying in mid-level accommodations if you want more privacy than a hostel. You can expect to pay 890 kr for a single room, 1080 kr for a double and 200 kr for an extra bed.
9. Prepare to pay a considerable sum for superior accommodations. During the summer months you will pay about 1,500 kr per night. Mid-level lodging is usually the most accessible for travelers from the United States.

Tips & Warnings

• All phone numbers include the international prefix "011." When calling internationally but not from the United States or Canada, substitute that "011" with "00." All country codes are within parentheses and begin with a "+" sign.
• Make sure you don't miss the climb up Mount Floyen. You will be in awe of the view of the city and the fabled seven mountains.