Guides · Bergen
Bergen Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Hours & Guide
By Viktorija Dvariskyte · Marketing Manager
Marketing Manager
The Bergen Christmas market returns to Festplassen, beside the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake in the city centre, from 20 November to 22 December 2026, according to Visit Bergen, the city's official tourism board. Entry is free. Just a few minutes away, Pepperkakebyen, often called the world's largest gingerbread city, opens from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027.
Bergen, Norway's second city, is surrounded by mountains and fjords, and its UNESCO-listed Bryggen wharf and historic harbour look magical in the winter lights. This guide covers the 5 best ways to enjoy a Bergen Christmas market trip, each with the address, how to get there and a Pro Tip. Where 2026 details had not been announced, we give last year's information.
The city centre is compact and walkable. The order starts at the Festival of Lights and the market on Festplassen, visits the gingerbread city, walks to Bryggen, and finishes with the funicular up Mount Fløyen.
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1Bergen Christmas Market on Festplassen - The Main Market
The Bergen Christmas market fills Festplassen, an open square on the edge of the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake, from 20 November to 22 December 2026, according to Visit Bergen. Wooden stalls sell Norwegian crafts, knitwear, Christmas decorations and festive food.
The market has a Ferris wheel and a carousel, and food stalls serve traditional dishes, from waffles and gingerbread to warming bowls of soup. Look out for persetorsk, a traditional salted cod dish from the Bergen region, and pinnekjøtt, salted and dried lamb ribs.
The market closes on 22 December, so it is not open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
2Pepperkakebyen - Bergen's Famous Gingerbread City
Pepperkakebyen, Bergen's gingerbread city, is the highlight of Christmas in Bergen. Every November, schoolchildren, kindergartens, businesses and residents bake around 2,000 gingerbread houses, ships, trains and buildings, creating a miniature Bergen complete with the Bryggen wharf and the harbour.
It is often described as the world's largest gingerbread town by area, although a gingerbread village in New York City holds the official world record. The 2026 gingerbread city opens daily from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027, according to Visit Bergen, and entry is ticketed.
At the end of the visit, you can taste Bergen's own gingerbread hearts. It is a short walk from the Bergen Christmas market.
3Festival of Lights - The Christmas Tree Lighting on Festplassen
The Festival of Lights marks the start of the Christmas season in Bergen, with the lighting of the city's Christmas tree on Festplassen and festive lights across the city centre. It is one of the biggest community events of the year in Bergen, with music and a family-friendly atmosphere.
Visit Bergen lists the 2026 Festival of Lights on 14 November at Festplassen, although the date had not been confirmed at the time of writing. The same weekend, Pepperkakebyen opens its doors.
After the lighting, the streets of the centre stay decorated until the new year, with Christmas concerts held in churches and concert halls throughout December.
Check dates for Bergen
See what is available on your dates.
4Bryggen - The Hanseatic Wharf in Winter
Bryggen, the row of colourful wooden merchant houses along the harbour, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a reminder of Bergen's history as a trading centre of the Hanseatic League. In winter, the narrow wooden alleys behind the facades are decorated with lights and are home to craft shops, galleries and cafés.
It is a great place to buy Norwegian design gifts, knitwear and handmade crafts away from the market crowds. The Bryggens Museum and the Hanseatic Museum tell the story of the wharf's history.
The harbour front looks especially atmospheric after dark, when the lights reflect in the water.
5Fløibanen Funicular - Mount Fløyen and the City Lights
The Fløibanen funicular climbs from the city centre to Mount Fløyen, 320 metres above sea level, in around six minutes. From the top, visitors enjoy panoramic views over Bergen, the harbour, the fjords and the surrounding mountains, and the city lights are spectacular after dark.
In winter, Fløyen often has snow, and its forest trails and lakes make it a popular spot for winter walks. A café and restaurant at the top offer a warm place to stop.
The funicular runs frequently throughout the day and evening, and tickets can be bought online. It is a short walk from the Bergen Christmas market and the harbour.
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Bergen Christmas Market 2026: Dates, Hours & Guide - FAQ
The Bergen Christmas Market runs from Friday 20 November to Tuesday 22 December 2026 on Festplassen, according to Visit Bergen. In 2025 it opened from 12pm to 9pm on weekdays and from 10am to 9pm at weekends, and similar hours are expected for 2026.
Yes, entry to the Bergen Christmas Market on Festplassen is free. You pay for food, drinks, gifts and rides such as the Ferris wheel. Pepperkakebyen and the Fløibanen funicular are ticketed, and prices in Norway are high compared with most of Europe.
Festplassen is a 3-minute walk from the Byparken light rail stop and about 10 minutes on foot from Bergen station. The Bybanen light rail links Bergen Airport Flesland with Byparken in about 45 minutes.
No. The market closes on 22 December and is not open on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. Pepperkakebyen runs until 10 January 2027, so check its holiday opening hours if you are in Bergen over Christmas.
No, the market on Festplassen does not reopen after Christmas. Between Christmas and New Year, visit Pepperkakebyen, which stays open until 10 January 2027, or take the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen to see the city lights.
The market fills Festplassen, Bergen's main event square, beside the Lille Lungegårdsvann lake in the city centre. Pepperkakebyen is a short walk away on Kong Oscars gate, and the Bryggen wharf is about 10 minutes on foot.
Weekday afternoons are the calmest, while weekends are the busiest. The sun sets around 3.40pm in mid-December, so the lights come on early. Bergen is one of the rainiest cities in Europe, so bring a waterproof jacket.
Start with the market on Festplassen and Pepperkakebyen, the gingerbread city. Then explore the craft shops in the wooden alleys of Bryggen and ride the Fløibanen funicular up Mount Fløyen. The Festival of Lights opens the season on 14 November 2026.
Pepperkakebyen, Bergen's gingerbread city, is open daily from 14 November 2026 to 10 January 2027 at Kong Oscars gate 24 to 26, according to Visit Bergen. Entry is ticketed, and queues can be long at weekends.
Try persetorsk, a traditional salted cod dish from the Bergen region, and pinnekjøtt, salted and dried lamb ribs. Waffles, gingerbread hearts and gløgg, Norwegian mulled wine, are also popular.
