Travel Highlights - Bergen City

Fishmarket in Bergen

Bergen is Norway's largest port, exporting over half of Norway's fish and processed seafood worldwide. Furthermore, Bergen is a vital gateway for the Atlantic and Arctic sea routes, and a variety of fresh seafood is sold at the Bergen Fish Market. Therefore, a visit to Bergen is a must-do for a feast. The Bergen Fish Market is located on the southern quayside of Bergen Harbor, facing the World Heritage-listed old town of Bryggen across the inner harbor. The market consists of an indoor fish market and an outdoor market. You can buy the freshest catch of the day, ranging from cod, salmon, lobster, crab, North Sea king crab, scallops, Arctic sweet shrimp, and even whale meat.

Fisketorget (Fish Market)

Norway and Bergen are both renowned for their abundant seafood, with Norwegian salmon being the most renowned. Beside Bergen's harbor, not far from Bryggen's old town, lies a famous open-air fish market, offering a wide variety of fresh Norwegian seafood. Many of these stalls offer seating, allowing visitors to sample their purchases immediately. While the atmosphere is lively, the market is also quite touristy; many of the stall staff speak Chinese, and the seafood is quite expensive. Personally, I think the fish market is worth visiting, but for seafood, it's more cost-effective to simply go to a Western restaurant.

Vietnamese girls are really amazing. They can set up a stall of paella in the fish market in Bergen, Norway. How sharp!

Torgallmenningen is a large square in the heart of Bergen. The buildings on either side of the square are arranged in an orderly and uniform style. Within these buildings are a variety of department stores, shops, and hotels, making it a popular spot for locals and tourists alike to relax and shop. Beyond the square, the surrounding Bergen city center offers a charming streetscape, so be sure to set aside time to explore it. Torgallmenningen is arguably the heart of Bergen. This tree-lined boulevard is lined with buildings of a uniform, uniform style, and neatly arranged.

In the center of the square stands the famous Sailor's Monument (Sjøfartsmonumentet), commemorating the centuries-old Norwegian sailors who plied the North Sea. Torgallmenningen is Bergen's main shopping street and a prime destination for tourists seeking a relaxing stroll and some shopping. In the middle of the square is a pedestrian zone that combines a road and a park, and on both sides are department stores, high-end hotels, clothing boutiques and restaurants; especially the two largest department stores: Galleriet Shopping Mall and SUNDT motehus are located here, which is very lively.

Sailors' Monument (Sjøfartsmonumentet)

Lille Lungegårdsvannet, an octagonal artificial lake. At the center of City Park lies an octagonal artificial lake, elongated from east to west and narrower from north to south, with a fountain in its center. From City Park, one can overlook Mount Uriken, on the eastern outskirts of Bergen. City Park (Julemarked Byparken) is a spacious green space in the heart of Bergen, a popular destination for locals seeking a tranquil retreat amidst the bustling port city. City Park is also the first park in modern Bergen, established in 1865 from the ruins of the May 1855 fire that devastated Bergen. The vast park encompasses attractions such as Lille Lungegårdsvann, Festplassen Square, and the Ole Bul Fountain. The park is filled with an intellectual and artistic atmosphere and is surrounded by some of Bergen's most important buildings, such as the Telegraph House, Bergen Public Library, Bergen National Stage, Musikkpaviljongen, West Norway Museum of Decorative Art, Bergen Kunsthall, Munch Museum and Grieghallen.

Christian Michelson Statue

The most prominent landmark in City Square is the towering Christian Michelsen Statue. Christian Michelsen was a Norwegian shipping businessman and politician who served as Prime Minister of Norway from 1905 to 1907.

The National Stage, Bergen

The National Stage in Bergen is the largest theatre in Bergen and one of the resident theatres of the Norwegian National Theatre. The National Theatre was founded in 1850 at the initiative of the renowned violinist Ole Bull and moved into its current building, designed by Einar Oscar Schou, in 1909. During World War II, the theatre's foyer and other parts of the structure were damaged, requiring restoration to achieve its present appearance.

Grieg Hall (Norwegian: Grieghallen) is a 1,500-seat concert hall located on Edvard Griegs Square in Bergen, Norway. Grieghallen is named in honor of the Bergen-born composer Edvard Grieg, who served as music director of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra from 1880 to 1882. It is the home of the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. Designed by Danish architect Knud Munk in the modernist style, the building began in 1967 and was completed in May 1978. Bergen is the hometown of the renowned Norwegian musician Edvard Grieg, and his legacy can be seen throughout this charming city. Even the front of the Bergen Starbucks mug features his portrait, a testament to its importance.

To understand Edvard Grieg, you must listen to… "Peer Gynt" Suite Nos. 1 and 2.

Composer Edvard Grieg (1843-1907) was born in Bergen, Norway's second-largest city. His ancestors were Scottish immigrants. His father was a well-read man, and his mother had studied vocal music in Hamburg. As a child, Grieg often heard his mother play the music of Mozart, Beethoven, and Chopin. At the age of 15, Grieg accepted the advice of Norwegian violinist O. Bull and enrolled at the Leipzig Conservatory of Music. Dissatisfied with the academy's teachings, he instead studied Beethoven's Piano Concerto under pianist Moscheles, laying the foundation for his later Piano Concerto in A minor. He was only 25 when he wrote this refreshing and timeless concerto. In 1863, Grieg began traveling to Copenhagen, Denmark, where he composed his only symphony (in C minor). As mentioned above, this suite can be said to be Grieg's signature work. The two suites were completed in 1888 and 1891 respectively, each containing four unrelated pieces (taken from the music for "Pirkin"), but all have titles. Among them, "Morning" (the first piece of the first suite), which is the 16th overture, begins with the sunrise played by the flute, and is one of the most beloved melodies in classical music.

Mark and his wife are from Texas, USA. We had such a special connection. They were also participating in Miniature Norway, and we met on the train from day one, sitting behind us. We met because we helped with our luggage. We bumped into each other all the way from train to boat to bus, and we wondered if we'd run into each other in Bergen, but the chances were slim. Sure enough, they showed up when we visited the concert hall. Even if we planned, we wouldn't have run into each other. It was such a coincidence that we took a photo together. (They are devout Catholics and came specifically to attend Mass.)

Edvard Griegs statue

St. Paul kirke is a Roman Catholic church in Bergen, Norway

The 2024 European Football Cup will start in June, and people in Bergen have also set up tents in front of the Octagonal Park for people to watch.

It seemed like a religious activity, with children parading with crosses. I wonder if it had anything to do with our old neighbor Mark attending mass.

It takes about 1 hour to get to the airport via Light Rail No. 1

I heard that Bergen is the rainy city (it rains 20 days a month), and we did encounter it. The weather was sunny from morning to afternoon, but it changed suddenly. The sky was covered with dark clouds and it started to rain heavily. We could only hide under the eaves and wait for the rain to stop. That was the end of our trip to the rainy city.

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