A full guide to visiting Bergen in Winter (by a local)

Personally, I think that Norway is at its most magical during the colder months of the year. I recently wrote about Bergen’s cosy autumn vibes, but visiting Bergen in winter is just as breath-taking. The darkness descends early and the city comes alive with festive lights.

I feel like I’m finally getting to live out my Frozen-inspired dreams. It turns out that the fantasy city of Arundel is at least partly inspired by Bergen! I love walking along the historic Bryggen harbour to frosted trees, a light dusting of snow on the ground and the colourful houses lined in Christmas lights. 

I don’t think there’s any bad time to visit Bergen, but the pre-Christmas period is particularly festive and cosy if you’re looking for an easy weekend away. Flights from London are cheaper than ever with the new routes by Norwegian.

So if you’re planning a Bergen visit during the winter period of late November – March, here’s a full guide on everything you need to know. 

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links, which means that if you click on any of those links and make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission, at no cost to you, to help support this website. 

Bergen is on the South West Coast of Norway and surrounded by mountains on all sides. It also benefits from the warmer air from the Gulf Stream. Therefore it’s much warmer than many other cities in Norway, including Oslo. 

Temperatures can vary with highs of 5 degrees to lows of -2 in the evening, with January usually being the coldest month. However on occasion it can go down to -10 degrees or lower, so pack warm clothes!

There is a lot of rainfall during winter so always bring a good rain jacket. It does also occasionally snow, with the first snowfalls starting as early as mid November. However it often doesn’t settle in the city centre, and isn’t that consistent. If snow is really important to you, there are probably better places further North in Norway to visit instead.

Always ALWAYS pack a good rain jacket when visiting Norway. That is the most important rule! I will always swear by my North Face jacket, but try to get a rain jacket with a good waterproof rating of at least 15,000mm.

I also highly recommend packing waterproof hiking pants, waterproof boots, scarfs, hats and gloves. When it comes to local fashion, most Norwegians you see in Bergen will be dressed in outdoorsy wear and hiking gear, so you’ll fit right in. 

Snow shoes probably aren’t necessary unless you’re planning on doing a lot of hiking or travelling to other, snowier places. 

Layering is also your best friend in cold climates like this. Pack several layers of thermal tops, ideally made from merino wool which is an insulating, breathable material to wear against your skin.

Other than that – pack your camera, sense of adventure and empty space in your suitcase to bring back souvenirs!

Unfortunately with it’s rainy climate and overcast skies, Bergen isn’t a great place to view the Northern Lights. It can happen! I was lucky enough to get the best Northern Lights show of my life one autumn in Bergen. But it’s quite rare, especially in the city centre where there’s light pollution. 

If Northern lights are your reason for visiting Norway, I highly recommend heading to the Northern capital of Tromsø instead for that snowy, winter wonderland feel. 

2025 dates: November 21 – December 22, 2025

Bergen’s Christmas market (Bergen Julemarked) takes place in Festplassen every year, right in the city center with a great view of Mt. Ulriken and an iconic ferris wheel!

The market offers a great variety of handmade gifts from Norwegian artisans, such as fluffy Norwegian socks, hand-painted Christmas ornaments inspired by Nordic nature, and locally-produced gifts such as ceramics, woodwork and knitwear. 

There’s also a ton of opportunities to buy artisan cheese and salamis. Fjak, Bergen’s local artisan chocolate company, is also present and sells chocolate in a bunch of flavours unique to Norway such as a cinnamon roll or brown cheese. 

For food, you’ll find the usual German sausages, chimney cakes, pizza, burgers, and more. For something unique, try the Elk burger with locally-sourced Elk meat. Reindeer hotdogs are also great. For dessert, freshly made crepes and churros are always delicious. I also recommend trying the freshly made Norwegian lefse, a thin doughy roll often rolled with cinnamon. 

Pepperkakebyen is, in my opinion, the highlight of Bergen at Christmas. Imagine walking in to a massive room filled with the delicious, buttery spiced aroma of fresh gingerbread to find a twinkling village that looks like something from a Hallmark movie. 

The gingerbread town is the result of communal effort from all of Bergen’s residents, who donate gingerbread houses to it every year. It’s not just for tourists! This wholesome festive tradition is a very special part of the city’s identity. 

I recommend spending at least an hour at Pepperkakebyen. You’ll want time to spot all the famous Bergen buildings made out of gingerbread in the displays, plus take a million photos. 

In 2025, Pepperkakebyen runs from 15 November – 11 January 2026. I’ve written a full guide to visiting the gingerbread town here.

Bryggen is the famous historical harbour area of Bergen, and a UNESCO world heritage site. It’s an important site from the Hanseatic League’s trading empire in the middle ages. 

There are many beautiful wooden alleyways you can wander down, where small businesses run shops selling unique souvenirs. It’s a great place to spend an afternoon, especially with all the festive lights up. You can also come back at night to see it all lit up!

I highly recommend taking a walking tour to learn more about Bryggen’s history and local legends. They usually last about 2 hours and are a great way to learn more about the city. For an even more unique experience, why not try this self-guided fictional walking tour of Bryggen to walk in the footsteps of a convicted 16th century witch. All you need is a functional phone and some imagination.

The best places to find unique gifts and souvenirs is the Bergen Christmas market, and the Bryggen area. 

The whole area on the harbour front is lined in souvenir shops selling everything from reindeer antlers (note that reindeers shed their antlers naturally so no animal cruelty involved there) to little troll figurines.

As a Bergen expat who has spent a LOT of money on souvenirs for myself and friends, here are my top suggestions for unique Norwegian gifts to buy: 

• A cheese slicer – invented in Norway, this is an obscure but surprisingly useful utensil that Norwegians are very proud of! You’ll find one in every Norwegian home. 
• A troll statue – trolls are an important part of Scandinavian folklore, and an iconic symbol of Norway. They’re ugly-cute but definitely an interesting gift!
• A Nisse figurine – these helpful little household sprites comes from a popular Nordic Christmas myth. They help out around the house in exchange for Christmas porridge and butter!
• A mini ceramic house – you’ll see these in several shops in Bryggen. They’re absolutely stunning, and some of them can be used as oil burners. 
• A Christmas ornament – my favourite for this can be found in the Christmas market. There’s one stall that sells hand-painted baubles with images of Bergen on it. 
• A Viking souvenir – from mugs to real cow-horn drinking horns, there’s a lot of choose from that symbolises Norway’s Viking heritage. 
• Nordic socks – there’s nothing more cosy than giant fluffy socks, and the Nordic countries do it best.
• Dale of Norway sweater – Norwegian sweaters are legendary for being both good quality and expensive. If you’re going to buy a sweater, my suggestion is to choose Dale of Norway, one of Norway’s oldest and most prestigious wool-wear brands. 
• Unique art – there are a few small business art shops in Bryggen that are worth checking out. My favourite is akb illustrations – her art is whimsical, and the artist herself is a lovely person!

Don’t forget that certain shops offer a ‘tax-free refund’. It just means that you can submit the receipt at the airport before you leave Bergen to claim a tax refund on your purchases (around 18-20%). Definitely ask the shopkeeper about this when you buy!

Bergen has the COSIEST independent cafes and they’re a perfect place to spend a winter’s afternoon people watching, reading, or chatting with a friend. Here are my top three: 

• Fjåk chocolate shop & café– drop by here for the best and creamiest hot chocolates of your life. They have some great winter flavours to choose from too like gingerbread or winter chai. The brownies are also to die for. 
• Vågal– close to Bryggen and Floibanen, this cafe is a favourite among students and locals. It has a gorgeous atmosphere with plants and books everywhere, and it’s my favourite place to write.
• Le Café Pomme – This French bakery and cafe is cosy, offers adorable latte art, and the chocolate torte is divine. They also do some great sandwiches and snacks for lunch!

Enjoy Norway’s breath-taking nature on a guided fjord cruise to Bergen’s local Osterfjord.It’s a half-day round trip on a big comfortable boat that will allow you to see some gorgeous waterfalls, sheer cliffs and the famous Mostraumen strait. 

This is one of the top things to do in Bergen that I always recommend to visitors. I’ve done this fjord cruise myself at least 3 times now and it’s been fantastic every time!

However, I do suggest checking the weather forecast and booking a few days in advance, since you’ll be spending a lot of time outdoors so it’s best to pick a dry day. 

Read more: My favourite Nordic Christmas myths and stories

You can catch the funicular train every 10-15 minutes from Fløibanen station, which takes you straight up to the top of Fløyen mountain for an incredible view of the whole city. If you’re lucky and get some snow, it’s truly magical! If you’d prefer to walk, you can also take the path behind Fløibanen and walk up to the viewpoint in about 30-40 mins. 

There’s plenty to do at the top of Fløyen. Two cafes, a souvenir shop, a troll forest, goats, and plenty of hiking trails ranging from short (1-2 hours) to longer (6+ hours) that all start from the Fløyen viewpoint.

Depending on the weather and the amount of time you have, you really can spend a whole day up there!

If it’s a rainy day, spending time in some of Bergen’s museums is a great option. Here are my top 5 suggestions: 

• The Kode museum: This contemporary art museum features famous Norwegian artists, including a whole Edvard Munch collection. 
• The Hanseatic museum: The Hanseatic museum tells the story of Bryggen during the middle ages and it’s golden days of being part of this huge trading empire. 
• The Troll Museum: This fun museum focuses on Norwegian folklore and mythology. It’s interactive, and perfect for families with kids!
• Bergen Martime Museum:Learn about Norway’s seafaring history, with an awesome-looking new exhibition of Viking ships!
• Bergenhus Fortress: this is one of Norway’s oldest and best-preserved fortifications, and is a local landmark. You’ll find it at the end of the row of colourful Bryggen houses. There is a small entry fee to see the main hall. 

Has this convinced you to make Bergen your next winter destination? Let me know in the comments!