Ferries to Bergen
Bergen Bergen is the second-largest city in Norway. Bergen is often referred to as the "Gateway to the fjords", and it is indeed the natural place to set off on an exploration of what many consider to be Scandinavia’s number one tourist attraction, the fjords of Western Norway. It is also the starting point for "Hurtigruten", the coastal steamer service which plies all along this scenic coast to the Land of the Midnight Sun in the very north of Norway. Founded in 1070, Bergen was once the capital of a region that extended as far as Iceland and parts of Scotland. Today, this busy port city is used mainly as a convenient starting point for tourists visiting the fjords of western Norway. However, Bergen’s natural beauty and its historical attractions make it a worthwhile destination in its own right. Bergen was named European City of Culture in 2000. Compact and easy to navigate, the city offers impressive museums, excellent restaurants and a thriving nightlife, all served up in a relaxed atmosphere. History In about 1070 Bergen was just a port settlement of some importance on the east side of the peninsula, but by 1240 it had become the capital of Norway in place of Trondheim. The town’s rise to prosperity began with the establishment of a "counting house" of the Hanseatic League, first recorded in 1343. The German merchants quickly gained control of the entire Norwegian trade, and lived in a special quarter of town called the German Warf. The Middle Ages saw the Black Death sweep across Europe, and Norway was devastated, with half the population dying. Life in Bergen was centred around fishing and shipping until the 1980s, when oil was discovered off the North Sea, and Bergen entered an age of new prosperity and industry. Bergen nowadays is still a centre for oil exploration, shipping and fishing but it has also developed as a centre for environmental and oceanographic research in Norway. What to See and Do in Bergen
