Everything we would tell you in person: how things work at the apartment, how to get into town, and the places we actually go ourselves. Tap any card. The printed guidebook in the apartment carries the rest.
House rules and check-out
A short list so that everyone has a relaxed stay, neighbours included.
Let us keep it hyggelig
Before you go
- 01Check-out by 11:00, so the cleaners have time before the next guests.
- 02Leave used towels on the bathroom floor.
- 03Run the dishwasher, or put the dishes away.
- 04Set the heat pump to 20 degrees in auto mode.
- 05Close the windows.
- 06Have a quick look round for anything you might have left behind.
- 07Last of all, lock the main door behind you.
Hyggelig is often translated as cosy, but it is more than that. It is a warm, friendly atmosphere and enjoying the good things with the people around you. We hope you feel the hygge during your stay.
Takk for besøket. Thank you for staying with us, and safe travels onwards.
Heating and laundry
Two controls and one machine. That is the whole of it.
Warmth
The heat pump is controlled with the remote. Set it to whatever suits you while you are here, and back to 20 degrees in auto mode on the morning you leave.
The bathroom has underfloor heating. You control it on the small console just under the light switch.
Laundry
There is a washing machine for you to use. We do not provide detergent, so pick some up at Kiwi down the street.
Wifi and staying online
Fibre, 500 up and 500 down, strong throughout the apartment.
The router sits inside the apartment so the signal is strong throughout. Behind the sofa there is an ethernet port if you want the fastest and most stable connection. There is no television, but with a line like this, streaming on your own laptop or tablet works well.
Drink straight from the tap while you are at it. Norwegian tap water is among the best in the world, so there is no need to buy bottled.
The terrace, garden and fire pit
The area above the garage is yours, and the trail up Løvstakken starts just past it.
What is yours to use
The area above the garage is yours. There is outdoor furniture for you to use, and the cushions are inside, in the technical room under the staircase.
You are welcome to cross the main terrace to reach the path up Løvstakken. The main terrace and the upper garden are our own space though, so please pass through rather than settle in.
The fire pit, two things we ask
Bikes. We do not have bikes to lend. If you bring your own, leave them in the driveway against the fence.
Deer. Keep an eye out. We see them in the garden fairly often.
Waste, sorted the Norwegian way
Five bins, and you never have to deal with the collection.
You never have to deal with the collection, we handle it. If a bin is missing it is out by the road for collection, so just leave your bag by the garage door.
Travelling with little ones
What we have, what to bring, and where to take them.
The cot and the high chair are in the technical room. The cot is 60x120 cm and fits best at the foot of the bed, though floor space gets tight once it is up. We provide the mattress and a fitted sheet, so bring your own duvet, pillow or sleeping bag.
A stroller can go inside or just in front of the apartment. There is no stair gate, and the outdoor areas need constant supervision with a small child. We have no other baby equipment such as a bath, a changing mat or a bottle warmer.
Nearby, and in the city
The small local playground by the bus stop, at Kråkenestoppen 12-4.
Olympic-size pool, a training pool and a children’s pool, slides, diving boards up to ten metres, hot tub and saunas. Close to the bus station and the Bybanen.
Hands-on science and technology across a large exhibition, with 3D films and science shows. Worth checking the day and the schedule before you set out.
Sea lions, penguins, a shark tunnel, and a tropical department with crocodiles, snakes and spiders.
Parking and driving
Your spot is number 79. Free, designated, and a short walk from the door.
Your spot is number 79
Free and designated. Coming up the gravel road, continue a short way over a small hump and you will see a parking area on your right with four marked spots. Please use only the one marked 79, not 79a. If someone has parked in it by mistake, use one of the neighbouring spots until you next need to drive, and let us know.
Unloading. Pull briefly into the driveway with the two white garage doors. Please do not leave the car there unattended, it needs to stay clear for us and the neighbours. Move it to spot 79 straight after.
What fits. Regular cars and SUVs. We cannot take large vans or campers. If you are unsure, message us first.
In winter
The gravel road can be snowy, and winter tyres are strongly recommended here and everywhere in Norway. When the driveway is icy it is easier to unload in front of it than to drive up.
Charging, fuel and parking in town
At the Rema 1000, and another at the Spar. You pay at the charger with an app or a card, and the operator’s app shows live availability and the price. The nearest fuel is at that same Rema 1000.
Fjøsangerveien 4. The big central car park if you are heading into town by car.
Statens vegvesen publishes live conditions and closures for the whole region.
Buses into Bergen
Kråkenestoppen is your stop. Sixteen minutes to the bus station.
Your stop is Kråkenestoppen
Tickets, in the Skyss app
Buy them in the Skyss app. A single ticket is valid 60 minutes within one zone, and each extra zone adds 30 minutes. Bergen, including the airport, is Zone A. Card, Vipps or Apple Pay all work.
In the Bergen area you do not need to show your ticket when boarding, but keep your phone charged in case of an inspection.
For the last bus back to Kråkenestoppen, check the app on the day. Times change with the day and the season. Bybanen, the light rail, is reachable by bus from here.
The airport and taxis
Twelve minutes by car. Early mornings, take a taxi.
Bergen Airport is a 12 minute drive. Early in the morning public transport is limited, so a taxi is the easier option. By bus it takes around 45 minutes with one change, and the Skyss app is the best way to plan it. The airport bus does not stop in Bønes; the nearest stop is Fyllingsdalen terminal.
Car hire. The airport is the easiest place to pick one up.
Call or book through their app. Uber also operates in Bergen. Most taxis will come up the gravel road and drop you right in front of the house.
Shops and groceries
Two supermarkets on our own street. Both shut on Sundays.
On our street
Øvre Kråkenes 115, same street. Has a post counter inside that sells stamps. 07:00–23:00, Monday to Saturday.
Sundays: both are closed
If you arrive for the weekend, stock up on the Saturday. Norwegian law closes the big shops on Sundays, but several run a smaller Sunday branch, a søndagsbutikk. All three of these are about a ten minute drive, and the Sunday selection is smaller than usual.
Open on a Sunday
Anything larger
Delivers to us, which is worth knowing when the rain sets in and nobody feels like driving.
Bønes itself is quiet and residential, but a lot is within about a ten minute drive: Fyllingsdalen, Minde, Wergeland, Lagunen, Rådal, Nesttun and Kokstad. That is where you will find the bigger shops, the shopping centres and most places to eat outside the city centre.
Where to eat
Kristin’s list. Norway’s fish is fantastic and definitely worth trying.
For something special. A boat takes you out to the restaurant on a small island. We had our wedding dinner here, and it is magical in any season.
Fine dining with one Michelin star, built on local ingredients. Worth checking the days before you set your heart on it.
Traditional Norwegian cooking in a cosy, historic setting right at Bryggen.
A Bergen institution for a quick bite. The reindeer hot dog is the one to have.
Traditional Bergen home cooking at the bar, and a good place to try the local dishes without a reservation.
If you are properly hungry. Brazilian grill, endless grilled meats and a big salad bar.
Restaurants come and go, so we check this list every year. If you find something closed, or something wonderful we have missed, tell us.
Coffee, bakeries and a drink
Where to stand in a queue happily, and where to find the local beer.
Coffee and baking
A cosy little place with very good coffee, in the small backstreets close to the harbour. Expect a short wait.
A city-centre favourite, and one of the places locals send you for a proper flat white.
They roast their own beans. A little out of the tourist streets, so check the hours before you walk over.
Organic bakery with consistently good cinnamon buns, bright and easy to sit in.
Inside a 300-year-old wooden building on Bryggen itself. Cakes, buns and a view of the wharf.
A drink
Bergen’s best-known craft brewery, in Fjellsdalen just down the hill from us. On some Fridays they open the production floor for guided tours, tastings and a bite to eat, so check ahead.
Around fifty craft beers on tap, mostly Norwegian and Scandinavian. Upstairs at Torget 2, quiet, no loud music.
A small, calm craft beer bar on Skostredet, with rotating taps and staff who will steer you well.
Opening hours move around in Bergen, especially outside summer. It is always worth a look at the day before you set off.
Løvstakken and walks nearby
Put on your hiking shoes: the trail starts at our own garden gate.
Up Løvstakken, from our garden
Take the natural staircase along the main terrace to the top of the garden, then turn right and head north. The trail is faint at that point because mostly only we use it, so keep your phone’s GPS on.
It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to the top and the view over Bergen is the reward. Bring water, a snack and a charged phone. You can walk down into the city or take the bus back.
We would not recommend the trail in icy conditions without proper gear, and it gets overgrown after sunny spells. Go prepared whatever the season.
Other walks from here
The wide gravel path along the hillside above the city centre. Flat, well lit, and good in almost any weather.
A steep stone staircase up Sandviksfjellet and a local favourite. Nine hundred steps or so.
The high traverse from Ulriken across to Fløyen. A full day, and only in settled weather.
A day in Bergen
Jurgen’s route. What we suggest when friends or family visit for a day.
The day itself
Start by wandering the old city wharf, a UNESCO site with the iconic colourful wooden houses.
Hike up, or take the Fløibanen funicular. Our tip: ride up, enjoy the view, then walk back down. It is a nice walk and you see different views on the way.
Shop in the centre, then walk round the Nordnes peninsula. On a sunny evening, bring an engangsgrill, a disposable grill, and barbecue at the tip where people gather.
If you have longer, or the weather turns
At Bryggen, on Bergen’s trading history. Parts of the museum have been under restoration in recent years, so check what is open.
Four art museums round Lille Lungegårdsvann, with Munch, Harriet Backer, Nikolai Astrup and J. C. Dahl.
From 1270. You can visit the dungeon or climb the narrow staircase right to the top.
By the Ulriksbanen cable car, and from there the Vidden hike across to Fløyen, 5 to 7 hours.
If you plan to see several of these, look at the Bergen Card first. It gives free or discounted admission to most museums and attractions in Bergen and the region.
Day trips by car
We like to take things easy around here. Driving is a relaxing way to explore.
Waterfalls and scenic drives
A 182 metre drop, impressive in every season, though winter access can be trickier with snow. Stop in Voss for coffee on the way, surrounded by snow-capped mountains and fast rivers.
In Norheimsund, on the way back, where you can walk behind the waterfall.
Adventure, and snow
Rafting in the rivers, and indoor or outdoor skydiving if you want the adrenaline. These are popular. We would look at Voss Active.
The lift starts right at the train station, so the train works well.
The fjords
Most fjord trips leave from the harbour downtown. Norway in a Nutshell is the well-known one, but there are many options.
Daylight, and the lights
In late June it hardly gets dark, light from around 04:00 until well after 23:00. In late December there are about six hours of daylight, roughly 09:30 to 15:30.
We see the northern lights maybe two or three times a year; cloud is usually what gets in the way.
When it rains
It is Bergen. There is a plan for this.
Hands-on science and technology, with 3D films and science shows. Easily half a day with children. Check the day and the schedule before you set out.
Sea lions, penguins and a shark tunnel, plus a tropical department with crocodiles, snakes and spiders. Around sixty tanks in total, and feeding times are the ones to aim for.
Slides, indoor and outdoor pools, at the Vestkanten centre. There is a bowling alley and a curling rink under the same roof.
The two shopping centres, both about ten minutes by car, both with plenty of places to eat.
Swimming
Sea baths, saunas and one Olympic pool.
A heated seawater pool at 29 degrees, with a sauna, diving board and diving tower, right in Nordnes park by the Aquarium. Open every day in summer and a few days a week in winter, and the hours change with the weather.
Olympic-size pool, children’s pool, slides, diving boards up to ten metres, hot tub and saunas. Central, by the bus station.