Lille Lungegårdsvannet

Although it is the second city of Norway with a population of around 290,000, Bergen is a perfect destination for a cruise ship - very scenic and with all its main sights concentrated in quite a small area.

Add to this World Heritage status for the Bryggen dock area and you have an excellent spot to wander around trying to keep dry in the sporadic rain showers.

We wandered into town up and down narrow cobblestoned streets, lined with pastel-painted timber houses and looking very nice in the slightly misty atmosphere.

Then, the Fish Market, or more appropriately, the Fish and Other Yucky Things Market, with whale salami and moose and reindeer meat on sale as well.

Further around Byfjorden, the neat little inlet surrounded by the old town, was Bryggen, a row of old painted timber warehouses repurposed into tourist traps but picturesque nonetheless. Rebuilt in parts after regular fires, most recently in 1955, they were apparently hammered together by carpenters for whom the ninety-degree angle was a foreign concept.

In increasingly dodgy weather, we then made our way to the Floibanen, a funicular railway which took us up 300 metres up Mt Floyen, something of an oasis in the city and made up of spectacular views, shops, walking tracks and goats.

The modern city, a short walk from the old town, is also attractive, with broad streets and squares and some nice buildings.

Tonight we sail north and enter Geraingerfjord, which should make for some spectacular views for a few days.Read more