Bergen, Norway

You probably don't know much about Bergen, Norway's second-biggest city, if you haven't been there. I didn't. There's a lot to like.

The population is close to 300,000, with some of the residents living on the islands near the city. (Note: Norway's coastline has A LOT OF ISLANDS.) Bergen also is surrounded by mountains, so flat space always has been at a premium.

But the place also has a harbor, and that's been a key to its economic development over the years. Fishing and trading have been important for centuries. Some of the waterfront has been preserved from past eras, which is a treat to see in person. Bergen was the capital of Norway back in the 1200s.

The harbor is still important today, but in a different way. About 300 ships a year, filled with tourists with money, show up there. By the way, about half are either German or British. That means that those who speak German and English probably can get around quite nicely. They jam the old part of town, fascinated by buildings like the one shown here. What's keeping that room up, anyway?

One reasons for its popularity, internally and externally is a mild climate. The average high in the summer is in the 60s, and the average low in the winter is around the freezing mark. There are colder places in Norway, so this works pretty well. 

And the views of downtown, thanks to some surrounding mountains, are fabulous. We need to look around.