Day 1: Arrive in Bergen for coastal cruise
We arrived in Bergen by way of Norway in a Nutshell at about 3:30 PM. Our hostel was only a 4 minute walk from the station which was nice because it was raining when we arrived. Since it was wet and we had a kitchenette and seating, we hit the bakery for breakfast pastries and brownies and the supermarket next door for sandwiches, yogurt, and session IPA and had a night in. That was a nice change. I was pleasantly surprised to see decent beer at the supermarket. I thought we’d have to go to the government run liquor store (Vinmopolet) for that.
Our cruise doesn’t leave until 8:30 PM or so but check in is early this afternoon so we checked out at 11:00 AM and made our way leisurely to the cruise terminal. We stopped by the Vinmopolet to get some booze for the cruise. Technically you’re not allowed to bring any on board but we figure if we’ll be fine to have quiet drinks in our cabin. We passed this pretty park and fancy gazebo on the way.
We got hit with a spattering of rain on our walk to the cruise terminal but it wasn’t bad. We got there at around noon. At 1:00 PM they started checking in bags so we dropped ours off and went for a walk. There were some nice old houses in the neighborhood and some cute dogs in a camper.
After we got tired of walking we sat by the harbor and watched our boat arrive. And watched crazy people jump into the harbor. It’s 59° F today. It’s been in the 50s most days. One day in Oslo it got up to 72°, which is pretty much a heat wave in this part of the world.
The photos below are of Bergen as we leave on the ship for our 12-day cruise.
Day 2: Return from Coastal Cruise
We arrived back in Bergen at around 3:00 PM. Rain was forecast so we bought a transfer through the ship from the port to our hostel. We got to see some of the city from the bus as we dropped off other passengers. Then after checking into our hostel we went for a short walk despite the rain.
Since we had breakfast and lunch on the boat we didn’t really need dinner. So we hit the supermarket for breakfast, beer (since we have a refrigerator again), and Pringles. For some reason we don’t eat Pringles at home but we do on vacation.
Essentials
Lodging
We stayed at the City Hostel Bergen (formerly known and recommended as the Marken Gjestehus) both nights we were in Bergen. We stayed in a double room with ensuite bathroom and a kitchenette. Sheets and towels were provided, the rooms were spacious, and the hostel is convenient to the train station and downtown.
Dining
We ended up getting something from the supermarket and snacking in our room. There are lots of dining options in Bergen if you want to venture out.
Transportation
We were able to walk everywhere we needed to go. It was about a mile from the hostel to the port but it wasn’t hilly so it was manageable even with baggage.