The Top of Bergen - ULRIKEN - highest of the 7 mountains

Bergen is surrounded by one of the world’s most spectacular tourist attractions – the Norwegian Fjords, which have now been included on UNESCO´s World Heritage List. Ulriken (643 metres above sea level) is the highest of the seven mountains (“de syv fjell”) that surround Bergen. Bergen has given a warm welcome to its visitors for more than 900 years. Bryggen has become a symbol of our cultural heritage and has gained a place on UNESCO's World Heritage List.
Aside from their commercial interests, Bergen merchants had a nose for culture. It was they who laid the foundations for Bergen to be the cultural city it is today. It can be a party just to wander out and about in Bergen on a balmy summer evening. The streets throng with people milling in and out of cafés sampling food or enjoying a beer on Bryggen.
For the grandest view in western Norway, visit Bergen's highest mountaintop, Ulriken, at 642m (2,106 ft.). The attraction lies at Landaas, 5km (3 miles) southeast from the center of Bergen. The Ulriksbanen (tel. 55-20-20-20), the most famous cable car in western Norway, runs up the mountain. A shuttle bus departs for the Ulriksbanen from the Tourist Information Office in Bergen every hour on the hour, daily from 10am to 5pm from May to September. Off-season departures depend on the weather. From the uppermost station of the cable-car station, you can walk for 4 to 5 hours north along a well-trodden track to the top of the Fløibanen funicular railway, with scenic vistas in all directions. This is our favorite walk in the Bergen area.
Vidden - A mountain foot walk from the city of Bergen
Hikes from Mount Ulriken
Mount Ulriken is also a good starting point for hikes. A popular, but long and quite hard hike, is to Mount Floien and it takes approx. 4 hours to walk. Mount Ulriken is higher than Mount Floyen, but it is a lot of "ups and downs" between these two mountains. Enjoy the pretty rigorous 5 hour walk from Ulriken along the ridge to Fløyen another of the hills around Bergen.
The plateau is above the tree-limit and experiences an Alpine climate. The Vidden is also a very popular hiking place for the people from the city of Bergen; multiple accesses to the plateau are situated in the city center, such as Fløibanen funicular and the Ulriken cable car. Mind that the city center of Bergen is only a few hundred meters away, but still you have the feeling to be at a complete remote location.
How to get to the Mount Ulriken.
The first option is by walking, this is really the hard way. The second option is to take the shuttle bus from the tourist information (in the center of Bergen) to the Mount Ulriken cable car and walk from there. This walk is really hard. The third and easiest option is to take the shuttle bus and continue by the cable car to the top.
If you want some quite easy exercise, you can walk down from the mountain and then join the shuttle bus. This cable car is also known as 'Ulriksbanen'.
Bergen's best view
Enjoy Bergen's best view of the fjords, islands and coast. Mount Ulriken is by far the highest of "the 7 mountains" (642 m) surrounding the old city centre. Free use of telescopes! Well-marked trails offer excellent walking in the unspoiled mountain wilderness.
From the Fish Market to Mt. Ulriken
Take Mt. Ulriken double-decker bus to the cable car that brings you to the top. The cable car departs every seven minutes from 9am to 10pm (10am-5pm in the winter).
The Ulriken Restaurant & Coffee Bar
On the summit of Mount Ulriken, offers traditional cuisine and light meals - and a stunning panorama. Indoor and outdoor tables. Licensed.
This "Bergen in a Nutshell" sightseeing tour takes you along the harbour and Bryggen, through the historic town centre, up to an overwhelming experience on mount Ulriken and back. This tour gives you a wonderful insight into the city that is the gateway to the fjords! You have a choice of 8 languages in the bus and on the top of Mt. Ulriken. There is also informative guiding in the cable cars.
Our unique double-decker bus departs 50 m from the Fish Market, directly across from the Tourist Information, every 30 minutes. 9.15am to 8.45pm (May-Sept), and Sat/Sun in good weather (Oct-April).
Tickets available at Tourist Information, leading hotels, and on the bus/cable car.
Concerts can be arranged on Mount Ulriken, on request. We can also offer guided tours in the mountain wilderness, perhaps with a visit to one of the nearby lodges. There is parking for tour buses and a convenient roundabout by Ulriksbanen's lower station.
If it´s just a good old-fashioned ramble in the mountains you´re after, this is perhaps the best spot in Bergen. 15 different walking trails, including circular routes, of varying degrees of difficulty and length, take in spectacular views of the district. “The most important facility here is of course the VIEW,” Eirik enthuses. “On clear days you can enjoy the sight of skerries, fjords, mountains and the open sea, not forgetting the city itself. The panoramic view is spectacular and unique, and the high mountain experience is tailor-made to give our visitors a taste of the real wild mountain life Bergen has to offer.”
The Ulriken643 Panoramic Tour takes you by cable car to the highest of Bergen’s famous "Seven Mountains". The tour takes you to spectacular scenery and mountain terrain 643 metres above the city streets. Tours start 30 metres from the Fish Market. Ulriken643 Panoramic Tour is a spectacular mountain tour by double-decker bus and cable car. The trip takes roughly 2 hours.
UlrikenOpp - uphill mountain running competition
Everyone can join this competition - The long distance (3.6km) starts from Bergen City by "Store Lungegårdsvann", and continues to the top of Ulriken (at 605m a.s.l). The shorter distance (TRIM - class) is 1.7km from "Montana" to the top of Ulriken. This year competition will be held on dated 2010-05-29.
Day trips: Mount Ulriken - Vidden - Mount Floyen
Ulriken Opp (Mountain Race)
Montana
NO-5096 Bergen
Phone: 55 13 24 05 55 13 24 05
http://www.ulrikenopp.no/
Bergen Official Tourist Board
All the information you need on Bergen and the fjords in one place. Bergen's Tourist Information Centre is in The Fresco Hall situated in Vågsallmenning Square opposite the Fish Market. The building itself is one of the city's art treasures. In these beautiful and spacious surroundings, information is available about what to do in Bergen and all of Fjord Norway. Besides obtaining free help and advice, they can also buy a range of products and services.
Tourist information center in Bergen
Vågsallmenningen 1
NO-5014 Bergen
Norway Tel.: (+47) 55 55 20 00,
Fax: (+47) 55 55 20 01
E-mail: info@visitBergen.com
Bergen Official Tourist Board
Slottsgaten 3
P.O. Box 4055
5835 Bergen, Norway
tel. : +47 55 55 20 10
Email: mail@visitBergen.com
Official Travel Guide to Bergen: http://www.visitbergen.com
Ulriken643 Panoramic Tour
Ulriken 1
5009 Bergen
Booking/ Tel: 53 643 643
Email: post@ulriken.no
http://www.ulriken643.no/
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