Bergen

From Stockholm I made two stops in Gothenburg and Oslo. Unfortunately the weather was not great in either so I cut my time spent in those cities and continued on to Bergen. I took the train from Oslo to Bergen which covered some of the most scenic landscapes over a seven hour journey. Leaving at 8am and arriving at 3pm the train went through several weather systems including; snow, rain, fog and clear skies. I later found out that this is the #1 train journey in Europe.

Alighting from the station on the south east of Bergen, it was a short walk north to the harbour area where my hostel (the only one in Bergen) was located. Compared with other YMCA hostels this was more tired looking but it was cheap and had great facilities so could not complain.

Check Out:

• Mount Floyen; which commands the best view of the city. You can either walk up or take the funicular and then walk down.
• Bryggen; the old city has some very picturesque wooden buildings and good gift shops for buying souvenirs.
• Continuing on with my routine of frequenting rock bars, the "Garage" bar in the city is a comfortable place with many seats. They have many live acts on and are the only bar in Bergen with a 3:30am late license. So you will see many locals flock there after the other clubs close to get their last round.
• Troll spotting; Bergen is right amongst nature, with plenty of forested hills which have a rich folklore to them. So make sure you have a wander around and see if you can find any trolls or other mystical creatures.

To Eat:

• Fresh fish from the market on the harbour; its a bit pricey but the quality is phenomenal.
• Fårikål; lamb stewed with cabbage and potatoes. It is great for warming you up on a cold night.

Other Advice:

• The time I was in Bergen (October), is off season. So a lot of the Museums, Shops or other tourist venues are open for shorter hours, usually 11am - 3pm.
• The weather change multiple times during the day in Bergen so make sure your carrying waterproofs at all times.
• Don't try and swim in the Fjord during Autumn!
• The best place to get an airport bus is from the harbour area next to the tobacco shop if you are staying in the city centre.