Bergen in May: a seasonal travel plan
Bergen, Norway. In may, the average daytime high is 11.8 °C and the night-time low is 5.0 °C. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
Choose a month
Selected month: May
Temperatures by month
Air temperature: Bergen
Contents
Weather at a glance
- Daytime high
- 11.8 °C
- Nighttime low
- 5.0 °C
- Monthly precipitation
- 131.9 mm
- Days with at least 1 mm
- 17.0
- Daylight
- 17.2 h
2015–2024 averages. Daytime temperature is the average daily maximum; nighttime temperature is the average daily minimum.
Early, middle and late month
| Period | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Days with at least 1 mm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1–10 | 9.4 | 2.9 | 5.4 |
| Days 11–20 | 11.9 | 4.8 | 4.8 |
| From day 21 | 14.1 | 7.0 | 6.8 |
What this month is like
Bergen, Norway. In may, the average daytime high is 11.8 °C and the night-time low is 5.0 °C. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
There are 17.0 wet days on average, with about 131.9 mm of precipitation. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
How to plan the day
Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
Average daylight is 17.2 hours, so put longer routes in the brighter part of the day.
What to pack
Pack a jacket or jumper, long trousers and closed shoes. Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag.
Precipitation and an alternative plan
Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What to pack
Pack a light jacket, a jumper, long trousers and comfortable closed shoes. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
Compared with neighbouring months
Average daytime high: previous month — 6.5 °C, May — 11.8 °C, next month — 15.8 °C. Days with at least 1 mm of precipitation: 15.0, 17.0 and 17.7.
Things to do
Bergen grew around the Vågen bay, and its historic centre reads through Bryggen, the row of coloured wooden warehouses at the water. Rain arrives in every season, so a hooded jacket beats an umbrella, and the funicular and boats show the city from above and from the fjord.
Bryggen and the fish market
Bryggen, the wooden warehouses of the Hanseatic traders, stands at the water with Bergenhus fortress behind it. Walk the painted fronts, step into the courtyards and cross to the fish market for shrimp.
Fløyen
The Fløibanen funicular climbs Fløyen in a few minutes and opens the whole city and the fjords below. Walk down by the forest trail to return to the centre another way.
The fjord by boat
Boats leave the bay for the narrow fjord, passing sheer slopes and waterfalls. Take a seat on deck, dress warm and give the trip half a day.
Where to stay
Bryggen and Vågen
Everything sits close by Bryggen: warehouses, market and boats. Cruise groups fill it by day, but the quarter empties and turns quiet in the evening.
Nordnes
Nordnes occupies the quiet peninsula beyond the centre: old wooden houses, the aquarium and the waterfront. The market is fifteen minutes on foot and cars are rare.
Sandviken
Sandviken runs north along the bay: wooden houses, narrow streets and water views. It is a lived-in, calm quarter, and the centre is a walk along the shore.
Getting to and around Bergen
Bergen airport at Flesland connects to the centre on the Bybanen light rail, which reaches the Byparken stop in about forty-five minutes. The historic centre is compact and walkable, buses serve the residential districts, and boats and ferries reach the fjords and islands. Bybanen tickets come from machines at the stops and also cover buses.
Three days in Bergen
Bryggen and Fløyen
Start at the Bryggen warehouses, walk to Bergenhus fortress and the fish market. After lunch ride up Fløyen and come down by the forest trail.
The fjord
Morning boat into the narrow fjord, past waterfalls and steep slopes. Back in town, walk Nordnes and eat dinner by the water.
Ulriken and Troldhaugen
Ride the cable car up Ulriken for the panorama. In the afternoon visit Grieg's home at Troldhaugen and return through Nordnes in the evening.
Weather throughout the year
| Month | Daytime high, °C | Nighttime low, °C | Precipitation, mm | Days with at least 1 mm | Daylight, h |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0.1 | -3.5 | 329.4 | 22.4 | 6.7 |
| February | 0.6 | -3.5 | 256.9 | 21.1 | 9.0 |
| March | 2.7 | -2.3 | 209.4 | 20.4 | 11.8 |
| April | 6.5 | 0.2 | 126.3 | 15.0 | 14.6 |
| May | 11.8 | 5.0 | 131.9 | 17.0 | 17.2 |
| June | 15.8 | 8.9 | 159.3 | 17.7 | 18.9 |
| July | 16.7 | 10.1 | 183.3 | 21.8 | 18.1 |
| August | 16.3 | 10.2 | 223.4 | 21.9 | 15.7 |
| September | 13.8 | 8.3 | 243.4 | 19.8 | 13.0 |
| October | 8.7 | 4.1 | 299.5 | 20.9 | 10.2 |
| November | 3.7 | 0.4 | 254.5 | 19.7 | 7.5 |
| December | 1.5 | -1.8 | 349.2 | 23.4 | 5.9 |
Frequently asked questions
Bergen: what is the temperature in May?
The average daytime high is 11.8 °C and the night-time low is 5.0 °C. Fit the main walking route into daylight hours; bring an extra layer for the evening.
How many days with precipitation are there in May?
On average, there are 17.0 days with at least 1 mm of precipitation; the monthly total is 131.9 mm. Precipitation is frequent. Keep several indoor activities in your plans and fit longer walks between them.
What should I pack for walks in May?
Pack a light jacket, a jumper, long trousers and comfortable closed shoes. Add a waterproof outer layer and shoes that dry quickly.
How does the weather change from the start to the end of the month?
Average daytime highs by part of the month: 1–10 — 9.4 °C; 11–20 — 11.9 °C; 21 to month-end — 14.1 °C.
How many daylight hours are there in May?
The average is 17.2 hours. Long daylight hours make it easy to split a walk between morning and evening, with a longer break in between.
Is Bergen worth visiting in May?
The climate suits a trip if daytime temperatures around 11.8 °C and nights around 5.0 °C work for you. Plan the main route in daylight and add an extra layer for early and late hours.
What can I do in Bergen on a wet day in May?
Keep an indoor backup route and a compact rain jacket in your day bag. Keep a museum, market, café or another indoor route near your accommodation.
What should I pack for Bergen in May?
Pack a jacket or jumper, long trousers and closed shoes. Average daylight is 17.2 hours.