DAY TRIPS · VESTLAND

12 best day trips from Bergen by car

Bergen is the gateway to the fjords: Vestland had 6.2 million overnight stays in 2025, second only to Oslo, and almost half of them were foreign visitors. With a car you can reach UNESCO fjords, glaciers and the open coast in a single day. Here are our favourites, from easy half-days to big days out.

Trip	Drive (one way)	Season
1. Voss	1–1.5 h	All year
2. Nærøyfjord & Flåm	2.5–3 h	All year
3. Stegastein viewpoint	about 3 h	All year
4. Norheimsund & Steinsdalsfossen	about 1 h	All year
5. Hardanger loop	full day	All year (best May–Oct)
6. Bondhus glacier lake	2.5–3 h	May–Oct
7. Fedje	1 h 20 min + ferry	Best Apr–Sep
8. Øygarden coast	about 1 h	All year
9. Osterøy	about 30 min	All year
10. Modalen	about 1 h 25 min	All year
11. Gullfjellet hike	30–40 min	All year
12. Ulriken & Fløyen	in the city	All year

1. Voss

Lakes, mountains and Norway’s adventure capital. Ride the Voss Gondol to Hangurstoppen (818 m) and stop at Tvindefossen, a 110-metre waterfall right by the E16.

2. Nærøyfjord and Flåm

The UNESCO-listed Nærøyfjord is 17 km long and only 250 m wide at its narrowest. Continue to Flåm on the Aurlandsfjord. Full route: Norway in a Nutshell by car.

3. Stegastein

A platform 650 m above the Aurlandsfjord, reached by a road that is open all year. In summer, continue over the Snow Road. See Stegastein and the Snow Road.

4. Norheimsund and Steinsdalsfossen

The easiest taste of Hardanger: a 50-metre waterfall you can walk behind, and lunch by the fjord in Norheimsund, about an hour from Bergen.

5. The Hardanger loop

Ferry, cider farms, the Hardanger Bridge and Vøringsfossen in one big loop. Best over two days. See our Hardanger road trip.

6. Bondhus glacier lake (Folgefonna)

Folgefonna is Norway’s third-largest glacier. From Sundal (paid parking) an easy 2.5 km gravel road leads to Bondhusvatnet, a turquoise lake under the Bondhusbrea glacier arm – 45–60 minutes each way, May to October. Glacier walks on the ice itself are guided only.

7. Fedje

A tiny island village out in the North Sea, 30 minutes by car ferry from Sævrøy. See Coastal day trips north of Bergen.

8. Øygarden

Islands, bird life and the North Sea Traffic Museum, about an hour west of Bergen.

9. Osterøy

Seventeen hairpin bends at Kossdalsvingane, the Bruviknipa hike (822 m) and old farms – only 30 minutes away.

10. Modalen

A quiet fjord valley with the 200-metre Slottet rock wall above the Mofjord and access to the Stølsheimen mountains.

11. Gullfjellet – Bergen’s highest mountain

At 987 m, Gullfjellet is the highest of Bergen’s mountains. From the car park at Gullbotn it is 4.7 km and 784 m of climbing to the top, about 3 hours up. You need a car to get to the start.

12. Ulriken and Fløyen

Bergen’s two city mountains. Take the cable car up Ulriken (643 m) and hike the Vidden trail across to Fløyen in about five hours, or climb the 900-odd steps of Stoltzekleiven in 30 minutes. For Fløibanen, park in the Rosenkrantz garage about 250 m from the funicular.

What about Preikestolen and Trolltunga?

Both are famous, but neither works as a day trip from Bergen. Preikestolen is about 5 hours away via two ferries and Stavanger. Trolltunga is about 3 hours to Odda plus a 7–12 hour hike – plan at least one night there. See our Trolltunga guide.