In the city of Bergen, surrounded by seven hills and seven fjords, southwestern Noway

 The colorful Norwegian city of Bergen is also a gateway to majestic fjords.

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(n southwestern Norway) Surrounded by seven hills and seven fjords, Bergen is a beguiling city. During the early Middle Ages, it was an important seaport and a member of the Hanseatic League, as well as Norway's capital – a heritage that can still be glimpsed in the beautifully preserved wooden buildings of Bryggen (shown here), now protected as a UNESCO World Heritage site. Chocolate-box, clapperboard houses creep up the hillsides, ferries flit around the fjords, and a cluster of excellent art museums provide a welcome detour: a large student population ensures the city has a buzzy bar scene and nightlife, and easy access to nature means you're minutes away from tranquillity.

+ Bergen's principal port and business section is on a peninsula projecting into By Fjord, bounded to the north by the inlet and harbor of Vågen and on the south by Pudde Bay (and the Store Lungegårds Lake.)

+ Originally called Bjørgvin, the city was founded in 1070 by King Olaf III Haraldsson. About 1100 a castle was built on the northern edge of Vågen harbor, and Bergen became commercially and politically important; it was Norway’s capital in the 12th and 13th centuries. An episcopal see was established there in the 12th century. A trade center for centuries, Bergen exported fish and furs and imported grain and manufactured goods. In the 14th century, German Hanseatic merchants acquired control over the city’s trade; their influence in a weakened Norway lasted into the 17th century. Bergen has remained the most important port on the west coast of Norway, despite its repeated destruction by fire (most notably in 1702 and 1916); wider streets and buildings of brick and stone have been built since those disasters.

+ Bergen is now the second largest city in Norway. It has developed a diversified economy, based largely on fishing, shipbuilding, and associated industries. Tourism has also grown in importance. Notable buildings are the 12th-century St. Mary’s Church, the city’s oldest structure; Bergenhus fortress, including Håkonshallen (Haakon’s Hall, built in the 13th century); and the Rosenkrantz Tower. Bryggen, was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979.

+ Bryggen's Hanseatic Wharf will give you a sense of the local culture. Don’t breathe too deeply when you visit the outdoor fish market, a reminder of the city’s role in early fish trade. Ferry across a fjord to Lysøen, where the former villa of 19th-century composer Ole Bull will captivate you with charm.

+ Bergen is also the seat of a university as well as of the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration. Its West Norway Museum of Decorative Art has a fine collection. The Bergen International Music Festival takes place each year. Bergen was the birthplace of composer Edvard Grieg, violinist Ole Bull, landscape painter Johan Christian Dahl, and the dramatist Ludvig Holberg. ic of the season like never before.