My Experience in Bergen, Norway - by Pedro

What's it like living in Bergen?

Bergen is a city which seems less impressive than it is. I'd recommend it above all other Norwegian cities because of its student life, its geographic location, the lifestyle on offer there, the nature that surrounds it...

The city centre isn't very big and it's easy to explore the whole city and get to know it within a year so that you can enjoy it to the max.

What's the student life like in Bergen?

The student atmosphere is very good, and the university is very conveniently located: the faculties are spread out all over the city (in my case, the Mathematics Faculty was very close to the Yonkis Park). The students are really friendly, helpful and chilled out. All Norwegians are like this though. My first day of classes was very disorientating, and a Norwegian who saw me looking confused told me that on the first day the students decide on the timetable for classes so that they fit everyone's schedule. Very strange.

How expensive is living in Bergen?

The only downside of living in a place like Bergen are the prices. Everything is expensive, apart from mobile phone contracts, which can be very good value for money. Calls between numbers on the same network are (usually) free. Food, accommodation and public transport are very expensive (for example, a few bus trips here are as expensive as buying a day ticket which would get you all around Madrid). It's pretty much obligatory that you live in a student hall of residence.

In terms of food, it's good to shop around and find the best price for everything you want to buy. Eating out is verrrry complicated. You should try the fishmarket and reindeer sausages, but these are also expensive.

Did you find it hard to find somewhere to live in Bergen? Do you have any advice for flat-hunting?

It wasn't hard at all as I just accepted the offer of accommodation they made to me. I recommend Fantotf residence 100%. It's a kind of island where all the international students live together. It's also the cheapest hall of residence there. There's a gym, a bar/club for nights where you don't fancy going out into the city (the residence is three or four kilometres away from the city centre), the Viking Church is next door, the castle-like house where the Norwegian royal family sometimes come to stay is fifteen to twenty minutes walk away, and there's also a 'mini beach' on the fjord, which is lovely when the weather is nice.

The supermarket at the entrance to the residence is expensive, so only use it in emergencies!

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What's the food like in Norway? What are your favourite dishes?

The main food in Norway is salmon. Very tasty. They marinate it, and there are thousands of different kinds. Like eating out, it's very expensive to buy, so use the time you are there to learn recipes and cook for yourself in the residence.

Some untypical Norwegian dishes are whale, and stuffed reindeer.

What are the best places to visit in Bergen?

Bergen is corner after corner. The most typical places to visit are Floyen, Ulriken, Lofstaken at sunrise (three of the seven mountains surrounding the city), the Fishmarket and Bryggen are always packed full of people, the Viking Church, the red church (I don't know what it's proper name is, but you'll know which one I mean when you see it), the royal castle near Fantoft...Places you may not have heard of and that I recommend: the lookout point behind the aquarium (amazing at daybreak! ), the beach behind the castle, the streets leading to the aquarium, the house where they host grand events a bit further than Bryggen, which looks really lovely in the afternoon sun, the former home of Edward Grieg (on the outskirts, reachable by bus or tram), a composer who was a native of the city and whose statue stands next to the bluestone. The city's auditorium is also called the Grieghallen. You can also go to Floyen and see the small lake nearby.

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What about eating out in Bergen? What are your favourite places?

As I've said before, eating out in Bergen is very expensive. Where you'd like to go depends on how much money you are happy with spending. McDonald's is good here (decent hamburgers for 20 krona, so 3 euros; the normal menu was 12 euros), you should also try the fish at the Fishmarket, and on the way to Floybanen (a cable car which takes you to Bryggen) there's a hot dog stand on the last street on the right which sells typical Norwegian and international sausages. There's also a kebab shop on the way to the red church, on the last street with cars on the left, which sells kebabs for four euros and extremely good pizzas for 12 euros each. In terms of more upmarket places, it depends on how much money you have to spend.

What are the best places for partying in Bergen?

Bergen has loads of places for going partying, but as you can imagine, most of them are expensive. You have to pay to get into clubs, apart from the Scotchman (where they play ghetto and gaga music in two separate rooms), and the Garage (rock music, really cool). There's also the Tiger Tiger, where the beers are more affordable. The Studenter is also pretty good. The Metro is the poshest place, and you could have problems getting in, plus the entrance fee is the highest out of all the clubs. Huellen is in a cave, and I think I remember getting water on my head sometimes. There are live concerts on there, which make it a really different place to go. All the clubs I've mentioned play the same kind of music (so guetta, gaga, madonna), they're very into this kind. On the outskirts of the city (near the aquarium) there's another club which plays techno music, but I can't remember its name. There are far more in the city centre, and they're all good ones. There's one where they host jam sessions on Mondays.

Less than a pint of beer costs 8 euros in all of these clubs, however. A mixed drink (like vodka and coke, but the vodka is very diluted) with lots of ice costs 12 euros.

My recommendation is to predrink before you go out, and try not to buy anything in the clubs. Before midnight, everywhere is really empty, and the clubs close at 02. 30am. Look for alternatives!

Do you have any advice for future students coming to Bergen?

Save up as much money as possible to go travelling in Norway (or anywhere else you want to go). The country is there for you to explore. It's obligatory!

Go to the polar circle to see the aurora borealis, and the midnight sun. You don't have to pay anything for this experience, and you'll not forget it as long as you live.

Visit Preikestolen (the platform). It's amazing, and the walk up is beautiful.

Cities I visited and liked were Tromso, Alesund and Rosos. I'm sure I missed a few better ones though, so visit everywhere and use your time wisely.

Visit Sognefjord (the fjord of your dreams).

Try and say yes to everything - you'll have time to sleep when you come home from Erasmus.

Take an umbrella with you, because it rains a fair bit in Bergen.

Stay for as long as you can, as you'll really miss the place later. If you're just going for one semester and get the opportunity to extend your stay, I would go for it. If you're already going to spend a year there, look for a summer job so you can stay on afterwards.

Above all, do whatever you feel like doing, since this year is for enjoying in whatever way you want to!