They say it’s always cold & wet in Bergen!

Don’t believe them! The first time I went to Norway, in early May, the snow was still on the mountains, and the waterfall frozen, but everyone was on deck sunbathing

The second time however…

It poured! My daughter however went up the funicular about an hour after me and the rain had eased slightly, the mist cleared a bit and they had a bit of a view

There are 2 popular viewpoints, Floyen – you can walk to the funicular station from the ship if you want to DIY

Mount Ulriken, further away, we bought a ticket at tourist information which included a minibus to the cable car

If you are fit and healthy you can walk up & down, or just down, if you are Norwegian you might jog up! They were both really good and there are refreshments and facilities at the top of each, a cider set me back £9 in 2017 though!

Bergen boasts the only McDonalds in the world without a neon sign. Ronald Reagan apparently nipped in when he visited Bergen in 1985 earning it the nickname of The Whitehouse – the things you learn reading random blogs…

The Market is definitely worth a visit, both the purpose built Fish Market and the amazing stalls that line the waterfront. I must have taken this pic to show some local delicacies and prices, a lot of people pick up some salami here or some brown cheese, as well as of course fish!

The last time we visited there were also some craft stalls on the way from the ship, near the free toilets which are on the dockside between the ship & Bryggen.

Bryggen, a UNESCO world heritage site is a row of Hanseatic Wooden houses lining the dockside where merchants lived and sold their wares. Traditionally painted in White, Yellow or Red, the pigment for which was initially blood, they are best viewed from the opposite side of the water, from where this photo was taken, and there, in the car park, you’ll see some great street art too. There’s still trade here today, some are restaurants and one houses a museum

The streets are great for a general wander around, cute and quirky, very instagrammable. There’s an ice bar in town and a great hop on hop off bus, ours was a mini bus, which will tell you a lot about the WW2 history and the terrible bombing raids the town suffered

Most Norway cruises include a stop at Bergen and it’s a great port, again I’ve tried to make this review concise and a little different from what you read on Google. I hope you visit and enjoy – but don’t forget your brolly, just in case!