Fodor's Expert Review Bryggen

A trip to this merchant city is incomplete without visiting the historic Hanseatic harborside, Bryggen. A row of mostly reconstructed 14th-century wooden buildings that face the harbor makes this one of the most charming walkways in Europe, especially on a sunny day. Several fires, the latest in 1955, destroyed some of the original structures, but you'd never know it now. Today the old houses hold boutiques and restaurants, and wandering through the wooden alleys here will be a highlight of your trip. Bryggen has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979.