A city with its feet in the sea, its head in the skies and its heart in the right place... full of infectious enthusiasm, and happy to share it with visitors. Welcome to Bergen, the old city with a young outlook. Bergen grew up around its colourful harbour – it was the hub of commerce, seafaring and craftsmanship. It became the north’s largest city, Norway’s first capital city and the seat of royalty. Bergensers have an in-born love for their city and even newcomers quickly fall under its spell. Bergen is a charming city full of small wooden houses. They scramble up the mountainsides and compete for space with wealthy mansions, flaunting themselves all the way into the city. Clusters of old houses cling together in among the new quarters. Bergensers take a keen interest in protecting their grass-root traditions and building styles, and Bergen architecture is distinctive yet diverse. Though Bergen has suffered many fires over the centuries, it still has one of Europe’s largest conglomerates of wooden houses.