We arrived in Bergen after our wonderful drive through the Jotunheimen Mountains and fjord cruise. We were now on the west coast of Norway. We found our way to the open-air Fish Market on the wharf, where we had a fish and chips dinner.

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The next morning, our group tour focused on the old town that thrived when Bergen was an important European trading post. The district, known as Bryggen, was controlled by German middlemen from 1370 to 1754. German merchants ran a trading group, known as the Hanseatic League, organizing trade between cities stretching from London to the Baltic region of Russia. In Bryggen they set up warehouses and living quarters, shipping out Scandinavian cod in exchange for grain and fine goods.

 

Our local guide took us through the Bryggens and Hanseatic Museums, where we learned about medieval life in Bryggen and the history of the Hanseatic League.

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It drizzled most of the day. It was too overcast for the funicular ride up the mountain for views of the city and the coastline. With free time after the tour, we decided to get out of the rain – as advised in the Rick Steves Scandinavia guidebook – and headed for the KODE Art Museums. There we saw what we missed at the closed National Gallery in Oslo. One building was devoted to nineteenth century landscapes, showing the beauty of rural Norway. In another, the life and work of Edvard Munch was the main attraction.