The Most Beautiful City on Earth

I spent one semester studying in Bergen, Norway. I have always loved to travel, but when I was in Bergen something changed inside of me - I had found the place I was looking for! Bergen is not for everyone - it's expensive and rainy - but it's paradise to me.

(Note: All photos I uploaded were taken in the city of Bergen, all within hiking or easy/cheap public transportation distance from my accommodations)

Adventures Every Day

In Norway, there is something called "Everyman's Right" that allows you to hike and camp wherever you want, for free! So you can explore this amazing country, from the fjords to the mountains, with a lot of freedom.

The primary thing that drew me to Norway was the mountains - and Bergen is surrounded by 9 - none of which are too difficult to hike up, but all of which offer breathtaking views. When I arrived by airplane into Bergen for the first time, I started crying because the view was so beautiful. I couldn't believe I would be spending six months there.

Almost every day, I would walk out of my front door and up onto Mt. Ulriken, Mt. Fløyen, Mt. Sandviken, Mt. Løvstakken, or one of Bergen's other beautiful mountains. I never got used to the amazing views and the little adventures on the way - finding the ruins of old farmhouses, a waffle hut in a little valley, and little mountain lakes that open up here and there and, in good weather, beg you to swim in them!

Don't forget to breathe lots of the cool mountain air and drink the water from the streams :)

You can also join the University's BSI-FRILUFT club and go with them on adventures around Norway, skiing and hiking and more. I went with them to their remote ski cabin, where I slept in a reindeer skin in a landscape of pure white - an experience for a lifetime.

I was in the best shape of my life when I left Bergen and felt like I could do anything.

The City and People are great, too!

I wasn't exactly worried about making friends in Bergen, but I didn't imagine that I would have more fun there than in Spain or Germany as well! I lived in the dorm called Alrek, and had such great roommates, who always told me so much about Norway. In the basement of Alrek was a club where we would have great parties that lasted until the wee hours of the morning, speaking English, Norwegian, whatever. There is a great international community but I was also amazed by the friendliness of Norwegian students. I am still in touch with so many of my Bergen friends and miss them every day.

Downtown, there is also a lot of fun to be had (although it gets expensive quickly; )). I really like the student-run club, Kvarteret, and the club-in-a-cave, Hulen. I also went to the Irish pub sometimes. There are many cute cafes and other fun things to do -- but unfortunately this is where price comes into the equation so that's why I was very grateful for all the student-run places and activities.

There are also some fun events in the city, like festivals and markets and concerts, and of course the big Syttende Mai celebration and parade. Also make sure to visit the famous waterfront, Bryggen (in the winter, you can really explore all the nooks and crannies before the crazy louds of cruise tourists arrive! ), the old castle, the viking-style Fantoft Stavkirke, the King's Palace at Gamle Haugen, and a preserved section of town called Old Bergen. There are a few old neighborhoods that are just great for walking through.

The islands just off-shore are great for a day of swimming in the summer, and there are also some cool things to see just south of town, such as a nice open air museum with a viking festival and the ruins of an old monastery.

Outside of Bergen

Bergen is called the Gateway to the Fjords for a reason - there are many tours departing to the Sognefjord and the Hardangerfjord, both gorgeous (or you can rent a car and go yourself). The Norway in a Nutshell tour can be made a bit more affordable if you stretch it into two or three days and camp along the way, and you'll get to see unreal landscapes with thousand-meter cliffs rising straight up from the sea. I recommend May and June, because summer is starting but it's still snowy up high, making for a really dramatic living landscape. Sognefjord is more dramatic, and Hardangerfjord feels more cozy and idyllic because of the many farms and towns.

You can also make a reasonably priced day trip to Rosendal, a cute town on the fjord. There are also glaciers, waterfalls, alpine ski-centers, etc, which are not too far from Bergen.

Stavanger also makes an unforgettable weekend trip - the town is really adorable and has some nice museums, and it's also the gateway to the famous Kjeragbolten (that rock that's between two mountains! ) and Preikestolen (that huge flat rock sticking out over the fjord! ) hikes, where you definitely want your next profile picture to be taken.

Also highly recommended is a trip to Arctic Norway, especially in winter. It's a long way and not cheap, but the chance to be way above the arctic circle, experience the Northern Lights, maybe dogsledding, etc., was the highlight of my stay.

Not So Great

The downsides of Bergen are price, food, and weather.

Norway is super-expensive and it will eat through your savings and alter your behavior. Luckily, the 'best things' in Norway, like hiking, are free. But if you like hotels and restaurants, you are not going to be okay on a student budget. Even hostels and fast-food will really push it. Try camping and groceries instead (even then, it's not the cheapest place to do this! ). Even with groceries, eat as the Norwegians do and you won't go broke - sometimes this is a plus (I love the 'cheap' and delicious Norwegian shrimp and salmon! ) and sometimes it will make you cry (Norwegian cheese has no flavor, and imported cheese is unbelievably expensive).

Get the student price of the monthly bus pass and use it a lot so that it's worth it. They don't advertise this, but via a somewhat difficult and roundabout route, you can take the local bus (free with pass) to the airport -- much better than a taxi or airport bus ticket. Norway-in-a-Nutshell (in the Fjords) and the Tromsø-Skjervøy-Tromsø Hurtigruten special (in Arctic Norway) were both tours that were pretty decently priced for the amazing landscapes you got to see.

So, there are ways to have fun and survive the high prices.

As for the weather - if you really hate rain and cold, don't go. Seriously, you won't have a good time. But also, remember there are still beautiful days. In my experience, it was gross 2/3s of the time, and beautiful 1/3 of the time. Sometimes this came in waves, but I was lucky that the rainy time was mid-semester and the sunniest time was the three weeks I'd left myself at the end. Honestly, the weather never bothered me. I had waterproof everything (boots, pants, coat - there is a Norwegian saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing) and you get so used to the wet that it doesn't bother you anymore. Then, when the sun comes out - wow! Skip class then if you can; ) Everyone will understand.

Honestly, most of the things I rated down have to do with money. If you are really rich, everything could be 5 stars. The transportation is great if you want to pay through the nose. There is good food to be had for the right price, as well - both imported stuff and some high-class Norwegian food. Same goes for entertainment, etc, etc, etc.

But if you are stuck with cheap food, the only good stuff you will get is cooking salmon and shrimp at home, waffles, and maybe having the occasional hot dog at a kiosk. Otherwise I mostly ate cornflakes, spaghetti, frozen pizza, whatever was on sale. I didn't dwell on this too much, but it is really sad compared to the culinary delights of, say, Spain. So foodies might not have Bergen as their first pick. :)

It's been two years since I got home from Bergen. I still dream of it weekly.

Go and have the adventure of a lifetime!

(Note: All photos I uploaded were taken in the city of Bergen, all within hiking or easy/cheap public transportation distance from my accommodations)