10 Most Instagrammable Places in Bergen

The easily recognizable shape and location by the harbor have made the sawtooth silhouette of the characteristic saddle roofs on Bryggen a symbol of Bergen.

You get the best photos from the other side of Vågen, a little further out, and preferably on a calm day so that you get the reflection of the row of houses in the water. Up close, it's worth focusing on the details in the old lumber, irregular lines and sloping walls. With many visitors, it can be a challenge to capture anything without an extra lens or two so try to avoid the most popular times.

While central Bergen boasts many pretty scenes with its old wooden houses, Old Bergen is the icing on the cake.

A benefit of this area is that there is no vehicle traffic, so no parked automobiles or other modern vehicles to disrupt the view. Cobbled streets, green lawns and flowers provide the perfect frame. The lighthouse with its view across the fjord looks great in the foreground of a panoramic photo of the city fjord, especially if you manage to capture the evening sun's play of colors.

The most classic picture postcard view of Bergen is taken from Fløyen, with the fountain in Lille Lungegårdsvann to the left of the picture and the Nordnes Peninsula at an angle to the fjord on the right. The picture says a lot about the city, with the dense buildings around Vågen, surrounded by fjords and mountains, and the archipelago and the open sea on the horizon.

The funicular elevators you from the streets in no time, to enjoy a full view of the city without the effort of climbing. A grandstand has been placed here, the perfect spot for you to take your time and get exactly the right photo. Extra Instagram kudos for those who wait till sunset and capture those dramatic skies.

In 1990, someone in Bergen had the idea to create a gingerbread village from gingerbread houses that the children made at their kindergartens and schools etc. The idea caught on with more and more participants and ambitious dimensions, to the extent that new and larger premises soon had to be found.

The building that once housed the local bathing baths, Sentralbadet, has now become a permanent place for the numerous gingerbread creations. Every year, this baking art reaches new heights and with the atmospheric lighting and elaborate decor, it's not hard to find some great photo opportunities here. Just a shame you can't capture the smell of baking, because a big part of visiting the gingerbread village in Bergen is the heavenly smell of Christmas spices.

Ulriken lies slightly south of the center, and so doesn't quite have the same atmosphere as the popular Fløyen. However, Ulriken is higher and more airy, with panoramic views. The panorama in the direction of the city centre is dominated by the not particularly photogenic districts below Ulriken, but if you manage to capture one of the aerial cableway gondolas that transportation people up and down, it becomes a more interesting scene.

Snow-capped peaks in the west highlight the landscape shapes during the winter months, and if you're really lucky, the conditions on Ulriken self are usually perfect for skiing - not to mention some action-packed photos! The most common scene is still gray skies and low cloud cover, and the magical atmosphere that this brings.

The Nordnes Peninsula is characteriaed by traditional wooden houses and the typical narrow streets, which the people of Bergen call 'smau'. The municipality and locals are very proud of their little district and take good care of their streets and town squares. Cobblestones in pretty patterns, flowers and tasteful colors on the houses help create cozy nooks and crannies that look great in photos.

Many streets and alleys are closed to motorized traffic, and even pedestrians can have trouble finding their way in the maze of streets, so it's worth hunting for some good photo opportunities. The 'smaus' west of Klosteret are perhaps the most photographed, but east-facing Ytre Markevei is also a good candidate for the title of Bergen's most beautiful street.

Shipping is an important part of Bergen's identity, and the port area of Vågen has always been a key part of the city. Shipping and international trade have long since moved to larger ports, but Vågen still welcomes many different types of vessels. The magnificent sailing ship Statsråd Lehmkuhl is often berthed here, and is from time to time joined by other historic ships too.

At weekends in the summer season, veteran boats occasionally meet at Vågen, and boating is generally very active at this time. Not everyone thinks that the fish market in the heart of Vågen is particularly picturesque, but no one can say that the product range of crab claws, anglerfish and smoked herring wouldn't make a great photo.

Lille Lungegårdsvannet – or Smålungeren, as Bergen residents call it - lies in the heart of Bergen. It is the octagonal remnant of a fjord arm, which once stretched all the way to this point. The water brings space and air to a densely populated city, and opens up the view toward the surrounding mountains.

A fountain breaks the surface and brings the lake to life, along with the Japanese cherry trees that surround the water. The trees usually bloom around Norway's Constitution Day on 17 May, when the park is at its most magnificent with abundant flower beds and cheerful Bergen locals.

The area between Permanenten and Telegrafbygningen is the central part of Bergen's city park, and it really stands out. The municipality's gardeners take their decor very seriously here. Monuments to the city's foremost musicians are surrounded by neatly trimmed hedges and trees, green lawns and well-kept flower beds. And right in the center is Musikkpaviljongen.

Sometimes it lives up to its name and serves as a stage for an informal music performance. Otherwise, it is empty and available for photo shoots for passers-by, who may be attracted by whimsical, old-fashioned shapes and sumptuous floral decor.

Bergen is strategically placed next by the fjords that have made Norway's landscape world-famous. Separate fjord cruises are available for tourists, but even ordinary speedboat routes take you on spectacular trips into the Sognefjord and Hardangerfjord, with their steep mountain sides, waterfalls and deep green valleys.

A fjord cruise through the Osterfjord to Mostraumen offers the same type of landscape in a slightly smaller format at a shorter distance from Bergen. The city fjord just outside Bergen is also an experience. The landscape is not as vertical and mighty as deep in the Sognefjord, but it is more open and brighter, with bridges, ship traffic and beautiful Bergen city nestled under the city mountains.