Bergen, Norway

There’s a country that matched not just my travel dreams, but my way of life—and it’s Norway.

Saved the best for last with this trip! I’ve never been somewhere where the lifestyle felt exactly like the one I live and dream of. Norway’s beauty and diverse scenery are simply unmatched.

A couple of years ago, I stumbled across Norwegian travel content on TikTok and fell completely in love. It quickly became my #1 dream destination. Going into the semester, I wasn’t sure I’d make it there—Norway is expensive, and I didn’t know who would want to go with me—so I accepted it more as a future bucketlist destination.

Ironically, I ended up meeting and becoming friends with a Norwegian girl, named Ingvill. We met early on in Mannheim through the International Winter Academy. It all started when my friend and I didn’t have PayPal for one of the events, and she generously offered to pay for both of us so we could pay her back later. As we got to talking, I found out she was in a German class one level below mine, but was hoping to move up to my level. I helped her out, and we ended up in the same class for the last 3–4 weeks of the program.

As the semester went on, we got really close—running at 6:10 a.m. three times a week, sharing the same Marketing course, and even going on a backpacking trip together around Germany and the Czech Republic over spring break. Long story short, we clicked. And when she offered to give me a hometown tour of Bergen, the second-largest city in Norway, I gladly said yes. It was such a sweet and unforgettable time!

Why did I fall in love with Norway?

There are so many reasons why I fell in love with Norway. First of all—the people. Ingvill is the kindest soul: always smiling, welcoming, motivated, and grounded. She made the entire experience that much more special. It was so sweet to see her love for her country—both when she talked about her hometown while we were still in Germany, and even more so once we were actually there. Her family was incredibly genuine and close-knit. We ended up spending about two hours each night talking over dinner, where I got to learn more about Norwegian culture, share about life in America, and so much more. We had so much fun translating words between Norwegian and English whenever language became a little bit of a barrier.

Second, the diverse scenery. I’ve never experienced a place that has all four: ocean, mountains, city, and countryside. I was in awe that I could travel—or even live—in a place that offered it all. You always hear people ask, “ocean or mountains?” or “city or country?” I’ve never been able to choose just one, and being in Norway made me realize I don’t have to. I genuinely value and appreciate the lifestyle that comes with each.

Sums up Bergen perfectly: ocean, mountains, city, and countryside

Third, the food. I’ve definitely become more of a foodie this semester—paying attention to what I eat while traveling and really wanting to try local dishes. Like many European countries, Norway eats a lot of bread, which I wasn’t mad about at all. Most of our meals included some kind of bread or gluten product. In fact, Ingvill’s dad even made us homemade sourdough bread that we got to enjoy for breakfast and lunch on our first day, and again for breakfast the next morning.

Fourth, the culture. Culture is obviously a huge part of what makes a country unique, and I loved Norway’s. I loved the slower pace of life, hearing and reading the language (which reminded me of German), and learning about things like their close-knit school system and the Christian values kids grow up with. I also loved the adventurous spirit people had when it came to the outdoors—especially hiking and just being in nature.

Things I did:

• Visited a local farm with strawberries, flowers, chickens, and more

• Took a gondola ride up to Ulriken, the highest mountain in Bergen

• Hiked from Ulriken to Fløyen (about 6 hours—absolutely breathtaking!)

• Pet free-range goats on the mountainside at Fløyen

• Used public transportation with Ingvill to and from her house in the city

• Enjoyed a backyard sauna while watching the sunset

• Took a 3–4 hour Fjord boat ride from Bergen to Modalen (stunning views!)

  

  Fjord Ride!

• Explored Bryggen and the local shops

  

  Bryggen

• Picked up two postcard souvenirs

• Visited the fish market

• Baked homemade Skolebrød

  

  Homemade Skolebrød

• Walked around Ingvill’s neighborhood—saw horses and a local beekeeper’s honey stand

Food I tried:

• Homemade sourdough bread

• Brunost (Norwegian brown cheese)

• Fresh local strawberries

• Kaviar on a Norwegian cracker

• A traditional dinner: meatballs, potatoes, carrots, peas, sauerkraut, and cranberry sauce

• Homemade cinnamon rolls

• Saft (a Norwegian juice/syrup drink)

• Reindeer sausage with bread, onion flakes, cranberry sauce, and mustard

• Cod fish cake from the fish market

• Classic Norwegian pancake dinner—rolled with sugar, jam, and bacon (like a burrito!)

• Homemade Skolebrød

• Mango cottage cheese

• Lefsegodt (a soft cinnamon sandwich snack)

Food I didn’t get to try (but heard was classic):

• Porridge

• Stews

This trip was like a deep breath of fresh air—every bit of it. Norway just felt like home in the best way. I know I’ll be back someday, hopefully for a road trip up north to catch the Northern Lights and take in even more of that amazing nature.