Bergen Tour: A Stroll through its University District

Nygård, once a farming area, is a lively part of Bergen filled with university buildings, interesting museums and beautiful parks.

This walking tour starts at Rainbow Square (Regnbueplassen) close to the city’s largest church, Saint John’s Church. From there, you’ll wind your way to the University of Bergen and the statue of Wilhelm Christie who defended the Norwegian consitution. Along the way, you’ll come across a life-size Edvarg Grieg statue, you’ll hear about the artist and see Grieghallen, the impressive piano shaped concert house which hosted the 1986 Eurovision song contest.

You’ll also pass the Bergen Maritime Museum and enter the University garden where I’ll tell you about one of Norwary’s most famous doctors, Armauer Hansen. You’ll stroll through Nygård Park where you’ll hear about how students celebrate Norwegian Constitution Day before making your way to Marineholmen sandstrand, a local hangout and beach. By the time the tour ends, you’ll have seen the VilVite Bergen Science Centre, the famous Fish and Chips building and Store Lungegårdsvannet bay with a view of Ulriken, the tallest of the famous Seven Mountains of Bergen.

Along the way, you’ll:

• Meet His Majesty the Hedgehog, the patron of Bergen’s student community
• Find out where in Bergen did the Viking kings build a royal estate
• Discover who protects Bergen’s students
• Hear about Fadder Week and what it mean for students
• Gulp down the cheapest beer in the city
• See Saint Paul's Church, the first Roman Catholic church built in Bergen after the Reformation

By the end of this 75-minute tour of Bergen, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the city, its rich culture and lesser-known stories. I’ll show you some nice spots to stop along the way but it’s worth being prepared for all seasons so you can take your time to appreciate the modern and quickly developing Nygård residential area.