Why Greater Bergen?

Greater Bergen offers both scenic nature and a vibrant city life. You also have access to a whole other world beyond. This provides an excellent base for a good work-life balance. 

With about 460,000 inhabitants, the region offers exciting job opportunities, great educational facilities, diverse nature and a rich culture scene.

Bergen’s urban centres include a number of parks and family-friendly locations

Norway – a great place to live

Norway is a modern, politically stable and highly developed country. The Norwegian economy is strong, open and mixed, with a combination of private and public ownership.

Norway is, and has been for many years, ranked as “the best country in the world to live in” by the United Nations’ Human Development Index. This is due to the country’s high literacy rate, great educational system and material wealth. Norway also has one of the lowest crime rates and best welfare systems in the world.

Overall, Norway is one of the safest, most stable, best functioning and transparent democratic societies in the world.

Working in Norway

People working in Norway are generally paid well, which is in proportion to Norway’s cost of living. They typically enjoy favourable work conditions with excellent benefits and are entitled to 21 workdays of vacation annually. 

Compared to most European countries, Norway has a relatively low unemployment rate. While working hours may vary, 8-hour workdays/40-hour workweeks are typical. This contributes to a stable work-life balance for the labour force. 

It also has one of the world’s best gender-related equal opportunity records and is organised to accommodate dual-career families.

People who live and work in Norway are afforded medical care, health insurance, pensions and maternity leave for up to one year after birth. In addition, fathers are also entitled to paternity leave.  

Norway’s has an excellent education system for all students. Photo: Hordaland County Council
/Morten Wanvik

Education

All children in Norway have the right to attend kindergarten. Financed by the state, municipalities and the parents, these kindergartens offer both full-time and part-time options.

Norway also has an excellent education system for students 6-16 years old, with a number of schools that provide outstanding education. Bergen also offers an international curriculum through the International School of Bergen.

Among other things, Bergen is also popular among university students. Every year, tens of thousands of students from all over the world come to Bergen to study here. In total, there are more than 30,000 students in Bergen. 

Life in Bergen

The Bergen Region has a great culture scene that offers a broad variety of events throughout the year. This combination of nature and urban living makes Greater Bergen a unique place, packed with plenty of opportunities for your leisure time. 

Sjømannsmonumentet (“the sailor’s monument”) is a well-known faucet of Bergen’s city centre

Nature and fjords

The municipalities surrounding the city offers beautiful fjords, fantastic landscapes, great residential areas close to commercial districts and more. Greater Bergen is proud of its fjords and mountains, and for good reason. 

Known as “the city between 7 mountains”, Bergen offers opportunities for amazing hikes up these mountains and breath-taking views of the city below. More experienced and adventurous hikers can test their endurance on the 3-, 4- or 7-mountains hike. The Bergen and Hordaland Trekking Association organises this annual event where thousands hike up and across most or all of these mountains. 

Trolltunga is Norway’s most famous rock formation. Every year, tourists and locals alike travel to the region to hike up this awe-inspiring mountain. 

The region is also great for those interested in biking, golfing, swimming, watersports, climbing, skiing and a variety of extreme sports. To learn more, check out Bergen Base Camp. The region even hosts its own Extreme Sport Week every June.

Bergen is nestled between seven peaks, offering plenty of hiking opportunities. Photo: Gjertrud Coutinho
/Visit Bergen

Music

Bergen has a great concert scene, and attracts many international performers. There are plenty of good concert venues, both in- and outdoors, which have hosted artists like The Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Coldplay and Rihanna. Bergen also hosts several music festivals, not only in the city centre but also in the neighbouring municipalities.

Visit Bergen Live for details. 

The theatre and art scene

Bergen offers a rich theatre and art scene across different venues all year round. Amongst them are:

• Den Nationale Scene – Norway’s oldest theatre
• Carte Blanche – A professional ballet ensemble
• Bergen International Festival – The largest festival of its kind in the Nordic countries, offering art in all shapes and forms, i.e. music, theater, dance, opera and visual art
• Bergen International Film Festival – A film festival held every autumn

Sports

Whether you’re an athlete or a sports enthusist, Greater Bergen always has something to get your heart rate up. The city has numerous gyms, sports clubs and hobby groups.  

If you are more of a spectator than an athlete, Bergen also hosts many different sporting events. The most famous sports team in the region is our local football club SK Brann, but one can also enjoy other sports like handball, basketball, volleyball and swimming, to name a few.

Do you want to know more about what the city has to offer? The Bergen city council offers comprehensive information for newcomers to Bergen.