Things to do in Bergen for free
Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world, which is certainly not the best news for the student budget. But don’t let that get you too worried; with nature on your doorstep and plenty of free activities in and around Bergen, the most difficult thing will be deciding what to do first!
1. Det Akademiske Kvarter
Det Akademiske Kvarter (The Academic Quarter in English), or Kvarteret, is a student culture house with several bars and rooms! They host a range of free events every week, including quiz nights, poetry nights, and board game nights. Ticketed events, such as concerts, and drinks at the bar are offered at student rates.
2. Hike the 7 mountains of Bergen
Known as the city between the seven mountains, hiking the seven mountains is an absolute must! So next time the sun is shining, put on your walking shoes, and hike up to some of the most spectacular views Bergen has to offer.
3. Go Canoeing at the top of Fløyen
During the Summer you can go canoeing at Lake Skomakerdiket (Just a short walk from the top of Fløyen). Canoe rental is completely free and is open every day from the 27th of June until the 14th of August from 11:00-16:00. There’s no need to book in advance, just rock up to the lake and find one of the Fløyen staff and you’ll soon be on your way!
3. Visit one of the many museums and galleries in Bergen
Bergen is home to many wonderful museums, which is especially good when you're looking to escape the Bergen rain for a few hours! The UiB Natural History museum is free to UiB students, KODE is free to students of KMD, KIB, BAS, and Art History at UiB, and most of the other museums and galleries around Bergen offer a student discount!
4. Check out the Bergen street art
If you like art there is also lots of street art all around the city. Take a walk and see what treasures you can find!
5. Join a Student Organisation
With over 200 student organisations in Bergen, there really is something for everyone! Many student organisations are completely free to join, and the rest are discounted for students. Joining an organisation is a great way to make new friends and to get the most out of your time in Bergen!
6. Go Swimming
There are lots of beautiful spots to stop for a swim in Bergen!
7. Visit one of the outdoor training spots!
If you like working out, there are a number of training parks (Tufteparke in Norwegian) located around the city. Some of them even have trampolines!
8. Play Discgolf
Okay, so you’ll have to buy a frisbee or two for this one. (Or maybe you can ask some friends to see if anyone has any you can loan). But once you’ve got your hands on a frisbee there are many disc golf courses located all around Bergen, and they are completely free!
Download the Udisc app to find courses, follow the map around the course that you choose, and track whether you're above or below par!
9. Visit the Fantoft Stave Church
Norway is home to many medieval wooden churches, called Stave Churches. The Stave Church in Bergen was originally built in 1170 in Sogn, and then moved to Fantoft in 1883.
In 1992 the church was destroyed in a fire, and just a few years later an exact replica was built. The church offers a student discount on admission and is open during the Summer months, however you can also go and admire the outside of the building for free any time of year!
10. Check out one of the free festivals!
Bergen has many free festivals every year, for example Open House Bergen, the Christmas Markets, and Bergen Art Book Fair just to name a few! Or if you’re looking for a way to visit some of the bigger festivals, without the hefty ticket price, you could check out volunteering opportunities! Volunteering at festivals is a great way to get involved in the Bergen art scene, as well as make new friends!
Student discounts in Bergen
Get the full overview of hairdressers, hotels, museums and restaurants with student discounts.
11. Listen to a talk at the library
Often only in Norwegian – the bergen library hosts a number of fantastic speakers which are open for free to the public. Check out the library calendar online to see what’s on!
12. Litteraturhuset
Litteraturhuset hosts many free events, panel discussions and talks about politics, academia, literature and culture, both in English and Norwegian.
13. Organise a board game night!
Did you know that you can borrow games at the Bergen Public Library? Also, you can borrow tickets for Bergen local top flight football team, Brann.
14. Språkkafe
Learning Norwegian or another language? The libraries in and around Bergen host weekly language exchange events called språkkafe (language café in English). These events are completely free and are a great opportunity to practice your language skills!
15. Visit the University Botanical Gardens (Universitetshagene)
Located south of Bergen, you will find the beautiful University Botanical Gardens. Be sure to check out their facebook page for updates on organised summer hikes and mushroom foraging events with the Bergen Mushroom Foraging Association!
