At the Top of Mount Fløyen

The sky was uncharacteristically blue on the day that I decided to head to the top of Mount Fløyen, one of Bergen’s seven mountains. This is famously the rainiest city in Europe, and damp weather generally puts me off doing most outdoorsy things. But I knew the sunshine would come, and my patience paid off, because the view from this inner-city mountain is famously one of the best views in Bergen. So surely it’s better when they’re actually fully visible. Right? Right.

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Solar powered goats and a fence-free environment

Norway is both completely harmonious with nature, and lightyears ahead in terms of technology, so let me begin by saying that the goats at the top of Mount Fløyen beep. Well, their solar-powered collars beep. I only realised this as I sidled along the mossy ground towards the trio of steadfast chaps chomping steadily on mouthfuls of grass amongst the pine trees and boulders at the top of the mountain. Everything seemed perfectly normal until one of them started to emit a high-pitched continuous beeping noise. I’d never heard a goat make a high pitched beep before, so I was relieved to discover that the collar was the culprit.

(Thank goodness for that; I’d been mildly concerned that Norway were starting to employ robo-goats to attract visitors.)

The GPS collars produce the beeps whenever the goats get too close to an invisible boundary, pre-mapped out on a phone. The tinnitus-humming might be quite irritating for the individual animals, but they do conveniently eliminate the need for fences at the top of Mount Fløyen.

In fairness, Norway as a country isn’t big on placing fences anywhere very much. Even at the top of Preikestolen, the gigantic tombstone-slab of a cliff with a sheer drop into the Lysefjord, there’s not even a humble rope in sight. During peak season, tourists crowd onto the cliff like lemmings, some dangling their legs freely over the edge for selfies while more pile on behind them. I’m telling you now pals, it’s an absolutely terrifying sight to behold.

The Fløibanen Funicular

Back to Bergen’s most famous of all the mountains: Fløyen. Having attempted the hike twice before, and having chickened out both times due to inclement weather, the real deciding factor in my path that day was the fact that there was no queue for the Fløibanen Funicular. SOLD.

The iconic red train glides smoothly from the centre of Bergen (mere footsteps away from the Fish Market), all the way to the top of Mount Fløyen in around six minutes flat. The journey comes at a price- a Norwegian price, which is pricier than most prices- but six minutes is far more doable than the hour long hike, and I was planning to hike at the top anyway. Why the hell not, that’s what I say.

So what exactly are these Norwegian prices? Well, during summer (2026), the cost of an adult return ticket on the Fløibanen Funicular is NOK 220, which is around €20. For a grand total of 12 minutes, that’s a pricey ride.

Six minute speed-ascent complete, I hopped off the funicular and on to the big old viewing platform on the top- and let me tell you, it was chilly but glorious. The sun was shining, the bobble hats were out in full force despite the fact that it was May, and the view across Bergen was spectacular.

From 320 metres above sea level, I could see across the entire city and out into the distant mountains, and my floating home looked more like a bath toy than a cruise ship with capacity for more than 2000 people. I grabbed a cinnamon bun and a coffee from the bakery (naturally there’s a bakery, a gift shop and a restaurant at top of Mount Fløyen, as well as public loos), and set off to explore the surrounding area.

After a little too much time attempting to communicating with the beeping goats, I parkoured from rugged boulder to tree trunk to stepping stone through the pine forest, until I reached a tent and thought…”probs not.” (I’ve come across a fair few tents while hiking in Norway, and Mount Fløyen isn’t exactly the wilderness. But crucially you can’t see who is inside a zipped-up tent, can you?) I swung around, back uphill and found myself at a lake’s edge, it’s water completely still. A kayak hung at the side of a shed, ready to glide across to the other side. Complete silence.

There are hiking paths all over the top of Mount Fløyen. If I’d had time, I could have gone far, but alas- when you’re a crew member you can only get so far from the ship before you have to turn back. I followed a gravel pathway through the forest until I reached the funicular again, and made my way back down to the city streets below.

Check opening times and book tickets here.