A few years ago, I’d never have believed that I’d spend a bank holiday weekend climbing mountains in the cold instead of relaxing on a beach with a pina colada, given the opportunity. But happily, the weekend I got swept into a little Norwegian adventure turned out to be one of the best trips of my life.

So if you’re tired of all inclusive beach breaks or want a change of scenery (and the scenery really can’t be understated), take my advice and spend your next bank holiday shivering on the side of a mountain in Norway.

I’ve thrown together a few tips that I’d share with anyone considering a scandi adventure – read on for a rundown on when to go, what to eat, where to stay and what to do in and around Bergen.

When to go

To avoid spending precious annual leave, we chose to plan our trip for the four day Easter weekend in April. This was the perfect amount of time for us to fly to Bergen, explore the city and get a few day trips in before a short flight back to Gatwick.

One thing we noticed when we arrived, though, was a slightly deserted feeling to the city, with very few people wandering the streets despite Easter being a pretty significant public holiday in Norway (a country with one of the longest Easter celebrations in the world). It soon transpired that as well as April being a bit of a shoulder season for tourism in Bergen, a lot of the locals had cleared out to head elsewhere – with skiing being a top bank holiday weekend activity.

Nevertheless, it was actually quite nice to explore the serenity of a city without any crowds. So unless you’re yearning for hustle and bustle or a bit more of an atmosphere than the slight ghost town we encountered, Easter weekend might be a great time for you to go.

In terms of climate, visiting in between seasons meant we got to see the splendour of the landscape in full. Snow-capped mountains gave way to babbling streams and waterfalls as we snaked through the peaks on the magnificent Flam Railway, before arriving to crisp air and sunshine as we lunched in the picturesque village of Flam. I’d guess a visit in the summer would surely be just as enjoyable – less snowy but bright and beautiful. And a perfect excuse to take a dip in the crystal clear fjords.

Where to eat

Never one to go to a new place without doing my research, I have to admit my apprehensions on sampling food in this part of the world. Mentions of stinky pickled herring, boiled sheep’s brain and caramelised cheese did nothing to generate mouthwatering anticipation.

However, I clearly didn’t delve deep enough. Every single meal we encountered was impressive – fresh fish cooked so perfectly it melted on the tongue, highly spiced soups and stews to fortify against the wind chill, soft cinnamon buns with crunches of sugar crystals. We did try some of the caramelised cheese on a waffle though, and it was really weird. So some vindication for my Googling efforts there.

Breakfasts were spent ordering the aforementioned cinnamon buns, alongside coffee, at Godt Brod, which, without investigating, I can only assume translates to ‘Got Bread’. A delightful name indeed. Nobody correct me.

One afternoon we dined at Skyscraperen, a glazed restaurant set atop Mount Ulriken – accessible by cable car. A three course set menu including a ticket for the return trip up the mountain was less than £70, which was actually pretty good value by Norwegian dining standards. And though we had come to expect it by this point in our trip, the food was brilliant. Beautifully cooked and accompanied with explanations of each ingredient’s connection to the area. But the real highlight of this meal had to be the view. Even with drizzle obscuring the Bergen skyline, the sheer magnitude of the mountain landscape was breathtaking.

A couple of meals were had overlooking the port, in the Bergen fish market. The restaurants we dined at here were really lovely – though you certainly pay for the touristy location. It was here we discovered that actually the Norwegians are much better at the whole fish and chips thing than us Brits. We’re better off sticking to… other stuff? I couldn’t tell you what culinary specialty we excel at off the top of my head but I’m sure there’s something.

One other restaurant worth mentioning is Pingvinen, which translates to ‘penguin’, though there thankfully didn’t appear to be any on the menu (we were inclined to check after realising some of the fishmarket restaurants were offering whale. There’s a limit to my impulse to try new things.). The restaurant was cosy, and contrary to many of the places we visited in Bergen at this time of year, pretty full and buzzing.

Reviews touted it as a spot serving up authentic homecooked Norwegian food. Hearty stews, meatballs not dissimilar to those found at a certain Swedish furniture chain, and fish with potatoes in various forms. This meal was special because it finally confirmed the lesson I’d been continuously learning throughout my visit. Norwegian food is really bloody nice and scaremongering listicles talking about sheep’s brains are nonsense.

Where to stay

Because we were only staying for a few days, and initially planned to self-cater to avoid extra expense (or questionable cuisine), we found a very reasonably priced Airbnb a short walk from the town centre. It was great for what we needed it for – clean, convenient and comfortable. There were a few hotels which were closer to the main part of town, so something to look into if you’re planning a trip and relish the luxury of not needing to make your own bed.

What to do

Flam railway/Stegastein viewpoint/ferry along the fjords

Although we only spent a few days in this part of the world, we made sure to explore as much as we could. A big draw of this area was seeing the fjords by boat – something we opted to incorporate into a day trip to Flam, travelling by train to embark on the Flam railway and spending some time in Flam – though truly this little village doesn’t have much to it beyond a small shopping complex with a restaurant. But what it lacks in activities it makes up for in how quaintly beautiful it is.

We had booked an excursion from Flam before we boarded the ferry back to Bergen that afternoon – a trip to the Stegastein viewpoint. This vantage point overlooks the valley that Flam is nestled in, with a top-down view of the fjord. It is unbelievable. It is a bit of a tourist trap, so you may struggle to get a solo Insta pic, but so, so worth a visit.

Heading back to Bergen by ferry gave us the chance to experience the fjords by boat without splurging on a private tour. Even the icy wind couldn’t wipe the smiles off our faces as we stood on the front deck, giddied by the sensation of gliding across the water, surrounded by giant, snow-capped mountains. I feel the same sense of awe even thinking about it now as I type.

Troll forest

Take the funicular railway to one of the mountains overlooking Bergen and you’ll find yourself doing more than just admiring the breathtaking views of the city. The troll forest is an enchanting area of woodland with plenty of walking trails, wildlife and hidden sculptures to discover. One of the paths we took led us to a lake with a lovely little coffee shop – a perfect chance for a hot chocolate with a view.

Viking stave church

It’s not often you get to come across a piece of Viking architecture. Well, maybe it is if you live in Norway, but that’s besides the point. The Fantoft Stave Church was originally built in 1170, and rebuilt after a fire daw it destroyed in 1992. I believe you can get tickets to explore the inside, but the attraction was closed when we chose to visit. Although the building is a replica of its original form, it’s quite something to experience the intricately overlapping tiles and dark wooden structure up close.

Explore Bergen

Bergen is a very walkable city, and once you’re in the centre there are a few attractions you won’t want to miss. The iconic coloured facades on the edge of the harbour are a UNESCO world heritage site and as striking up close as they are from afar. With little alleyways and hidden nooks running between and behind these buildings, there’s plenty to discover – we even completed an escape room in one of the upper floors.

Maybe it’s rude of me to say that I had low expectations for this trip to Norway, but it’s kind of true. I was anxious about the kinds of food that might be on offer, anticipating a hostile, icy climate and unsure about what my friends and I would do to fill our time. But I really couldn’t have been more wrong.

From views that made me feel like I was confronting my place in the world, to mouthwatering meals and much more, the long weekend we spent in Bergen left a lasting impression I didn’t expect. It was a trip that taught me to appreciate travelling at a slower place, stopping to smell the roses (or herring, if that’s what you’re into) and letting an ancient landscape soothe your soul. If it’s somewhere you’ve never considered putting on your travel list, all I hope is that my experience might just convince you otherwise.