Bergen - Norway - page 292

cutting-edge Spanish bodega, attracting an under-40 crowd. Margaritas range in
price from 50NOK ($7.10) during happy hour (daily 5-8pm) to 82NOK
($12), and are based on the fruit of the day, which might include melon, mango,
or strawberries. A long list of tapas, priced from 48NOK to 110NOK
($6.80-$16) per portion, can accompany any of your drinks on the street level,
and some clients opt to order two or three different selections for something
approximating a full-fledged dinner. If you prefer your Iberian food in more for-
mal settings, there are two separate but rather cramped Spanish restaurants on
the upper floor. Both of them are open daily from 5 to 11pm. The street-level
bar is open Sunday to Thursday 3pm to 1am, Friday 3pm to 2am, and Saturday
2pm to 2am. Vetrlidsalmenningen 15. & 55-96-20-10. Bus: 6.
9 Side Trips from Bergen
SOGNEFJORD
Norway's longest and deepest fjord, the Sognefjord is a geologic and panoramic
marvel. The terrain soars upward from the watery depths of the North Atlantic,
and many waterfalls punctuate its edges with spray. The best way to view the fjord
involves a full-day jaunt that's possible only between May 18 and September 15.
It combines self-guided travel by boat, bus, and rail. Begin by heading to the
Bergen harborfront (the Strandkaien), where you'll board a ferry for the 4 1 ⁄ 2 -hour
ride to the fjord-side hamlet of Gudvangen. A bus carries participants on to the
town of Voss (see “Voss: A Winter Playground,” in chapter 11). In Voss, after
exploring the town, you can board a train to carry you back to Bergen. Many
schedule permutations are possible, but the one that's particularly convenient
leaves Bergen at 8:30am and returns at 5:15pm. The combined round-trip fare is
750NOK ($107). Details on this and other explorations by public transport are
available from the tourist office (see “Orientation,” earlier in this chapter).
NORWAY IN A NUTSHELL
This 12-hour tour has been cited as the most scenically captivating 1-day tour
of Norway. Its breadth and diversity of landscapes encapsulates the majesty of
the country's fjords and mountains.
Several different transit options operate throughout the day. The one most
aggressively recommended by Bergen's tourist office runs from June to August
only. It starts at 8:30am at Bergen's railway station. After a 2-hour train ride,
you'll disembark in the mountaintop hamlet of Myrdal, where you can sightsee
for about 20 minutes. In Myrdal you'll board a cog railway for one of the world's
most dramatically inclined train rides. The trip down to the village of Flåm, a
drop of 870m (2,900 ft.), takes an hour and passes roaring streams and seem-
ingly endless waterfalls.
After a 1-hour stopover in Flåm, where you can have lunch or take a brief
hike, you'll board a fjord steamer for a ride along the Sognefjord. You'll reach the
fjord-side town of Gudvangen after a 2-hour ride. After 30 minutes in Gudvan-
gen, you'll board a bus for the 75-minute ride to Voss. There you'll spend 30
minutes before boarding a train for the 75-minute ride back to Bergen. Arrival
is scheduled for 8:18pm.
Expect only a rushed overview of each town, as there is more scenery than you
can digest in a 12-hour day. The round-trip fare, excluding meals, is 750NOK
($107) for adults, 325NOK ($46) for children under 12. There are discounts for
holders of Eurailpasses or Scanrail passes. For more information, contact
Bergen's Tourist Office (see “Orientation” earlier in this chapter).