Bergen - Norway - page 253

10

Bergen

I n western Norway the landscape
takes on an awesome beauty, with iri-
descent glaciers, deep fjords that slash
into rugged, snowcapped mountains,
roaring waterfalls, and secluded valleys
that lie at the end of twisting roads.
From Bergen the most beautiful fjords
to visit are the Hardangerfjord (best at
blossom time—May and early June),
to the south; the Sognefjord, Norway's
longest fjord, immediately to the
north; and the Nordfjord, north of
that. A popular excursion on the
Nordfjord takes visitors from Loen to
Olden along rivers and lakes to the
Brixdal Glacier.
On the Hardangerfjord you can
stop over at a resort such as Ulvik or
Lofthus. From many vantage points,
it's possible to see the Folgefonn Glac-
ier, Norway's second-largest ice field.
It spans more than 260 sq. km (100
sq. miles). Other stopover suggestions

include the summer resorts (and win-
ter ski centers) of Voss and Geilo. For
resorts in the fjord district, see chapter
11, “The West Coast Fjord Country.”
Bergen, with its many attractions;
its good hotels, boarding houses, and
restaurants; and its excellent boat, rail,
and coach connections, makes the best
center in the fjord district. It's an
ancient city that looms large in Viking
sagas. Until the 14th century, it was
the seat of the medieval kingdom of
Norway. The Hanseatic merchants
established a major trading post here
that lasted until the 18th century.
Bergen has survived many disasters,
including several fires and the explo-
sion of a Nazi ship during World War
II. It's a town with important tradi-
tions in shipping, banking, and insur-
ance, its modern industries are
expanding rapidly, and its university is
one of the academic jewels of Norway.

1 Orientation
ARRIVING
BY PLANE Planes to and from larger cities such as Copenhagen and London
land at the Bergen Airport in Flesland, 19km (12 miles) south of the city.
Dozens of direct or nonstop flights go to just about every medium-size city in
Norway on such airlines as SAS ( & 81-52-04-00; www.scandinavian.net).
Frequent airport bus service connects the airport to the Radisson SAS Royal
Hotel and the city bus station. Departures are every 20 minutes Monday to Fri-
day and every 30 minutes Saturday and Sunday. The one-way fare is 65NOK
($9.25).
BY TRAIN Day and night trains arrive from Oslo and stations en route. For
information, call & 81-50-08-88. Travel time from Oslo to Bergen is 8 1 ⁄ 2 hours.
Visit www.nsb.no for information.
BY BUS Express buses travel to Bergen from Oslo, Trondheim, Ålesund, and
the Nordfjord area. The trip from Oslo takes 11 hours. Visit www.nor-way.no
for information.