Destinations
Bergen, Norway
Dates
Monday, 11 – Monday, 18 May 2026
Holiday Leaders
Gwen Muir
Fiona MacKay
Background
Gwen Muir and Fiona MacKay are both Trustees of SONAS. Gwen was a school teacher and is an experienced leader.
Fiona has had an administrative career, mainly in the public and university sectors, and has been a leader in youth holidays.
Both are passionate about providing Christian holidays and enabling fellowship with folks from across Scotland.
We are to visit the incredible city of Bergen, which is the second largest city in Norway, and located in the heart of the stunning Fjord region. The city has the most breathtaking setting with a beautiful backdrop of seven mountains and facing onto Byforden fjord. The Bryggen area of the city (the old wharf of Bergen) is a living museum with its colourful wooden buildings, cobbled streets and narrow alleyways, which date back to the medieval ages, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.
One of the most popular things to do in Bergen is to take the funicular from the city centre to the top of Mount Floyen and admire the wonderful views of Bergen, its suburbs and the fjords stretching out below. For the more adventurous, you can walk up the mountain taking different routes to the top. There are also many hiking trails that start from the summit with walks suitable for all abilities.
Bergen has a compact centre, so it is easy to explore on foot to see all the main attractions. The city is rich in history, from its Viking origins to its medieval trading past, and there are many fascinating museums to discover. The city is also the centre for the Norwegian fishing industry and there is a bustling fish market with local delicacies to sample. The home of the famous composer Edvard Grieg is a short distance from Bergen and worth a visit. (Did you know that Grieg has Scottish ancestry?!)
Included in the cost of the holiday is a two-hour guided walking/boat tour which gives a great introduction to this fascinating city. Another tour included is a Fjord cruise to Rosendal village at the mouth of the Hardangerfjord. The leaders will give details of many interesting places to visit and excursions that can be done independently.
Accommodation is in the 4-star Radisson Blu Royal Hotel next to the city’s historic wharf area. A breakfast buffet and a three-course dinner is included. There are several lifts in the hotel and they have an in-house gym/sauna.
Vacation notes:
- Accommodation is in a modern hotel located near the historic wharf area with dinner, bed and breakfast
- A walking/boat tour and a fjord cruise is included in the cost
- This is a moderate activity level holiday which will involve a lot of on-foot sightseeing
- Travel will be from Edinburgh airport
Cost:
Sharing | £1,560.00 per person |
Single | £1,720.00 per person |
Deposit | £100 to secure booking |
Full Balance | 90 days before start of holiday – which is 10/02/26 |
Holiday report:
Almost didn’t happen!
A strike in the hotel and restaurant sector in Norway caused the hotel we were due to stay in to temporarily close. After hours of extra effort, Gwen managed to arrange alternative accommodation in the Zander K hotel in the city centre for 6 nights and the Comfort Hotel at the airport for the last night.
The Zander K hotel turned out to be in a good location, was very comfortable and offered us excellent food. The buffet breakfast had an extensive choice and the 3 course evening meals were delicious and sometimes “ a bit different” - the tomato soup ( unlike Heinz) had boiled egg and bacon in it!
The hotel was also able to let us use a room for our evening fellowship times. Elsie led us in a time of worship and shared some thoughts on Jonah, Deborah, David (at Ziklag) and the childhood of Jesus. A recurrent theme being “purpose” and she encouraged us to remember that God still has
a purpose for each of us regardless of our age. Our mornings thoughts were from the Beattitudes. Nineteen of us - 18 ladies and 1 brave (English)man - enjoyed a super week in Bergen, Norway’s second largest city. Surrounded by seven mountains, with a picturesque harbour and historic old
town area of Bryggen, it’s a stunning city.
There’s so much to see and do in Bergen. We got around on foot and by public transport. Most of us increased our “tech savvy” and downloaded the Skyss Billet app which enabled us to purchase a weekly ticket for about £13 giving us unlimited local travel. Using this, or on foot, museums, art galleries the aquarium, Fantoft stave church and Mount Ulricken (cable car also required) were visited. Some travelled further afield to visit Voss, a ski resort about 100km from Bergen - a very scenic rail journey.
On the Tuesday afternoon we had a two hour guided walking tour of the Bryggen area. Our guide was excellent. We learned about the many Norwegian/Scottish connections from centuries ago.
Flashbacks to history lessons at school when the Battle of Largs and the Maid of Norway came up! He also took us to the UNESCO site. Before the walking tour, in the morning, we went up on the Floibanen funicular and enjoyed clear views over the city and beyond, coffee and cake and met some goats!!
Another highlight was a day cruise on the Hardangerfjord and visit to the village of Rosendal on the Friday - scenic- spectacular- snowy hilltops/peaks. Stunning!
Our last day was so special. 17th May is Norway’s National Day or Constitution Day. Bergen was bustling. There was what seemed like an endless parade, drums, flags…National Costume being proudly worn by all ages. The dresses were so beautiful, many with intricate embroidery, some that had been handed down through generations. The Norwegians are obviously very proud of their national identity and celebrate it.
Late afternoon we headed to the Comfort Hotel at the airport for our last night and our flight home on Monday morning.
Not only did we all go home having enjoyed an excellent holiday but also having benefited from having fellowship with other Christians.
Ann Allison, Holiday Maker
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Sonas Christian Holidays is a registered Scottish Charity no. SC053440 and a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation.