Fish Market, Bergen

Fish marked in Bergen once was a busy place for locals. Now locals avoid it. Quality is poor and prices extremely high. If you want ie smoked salmon you get it for half the price just across the street.

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The Fish Market is one of the emblems of the city as fishing is an important industry for the area. Until a year ago, the market was located classically, on open air with stalls. An year ago, they built a new building just next to the place of the market (at the harbor) that gathers now many fish merchants.

Bergen’s prime tourist destination must be the fish market. Much to anybody’s amazement not only the customers but the sellers are outsiders too. There are permanent structures but most of the stalls are covered with tents. Some of them are so flimsy or inadequately installed that they fly when sudden gust of Nordic wind rushes in. Watch your plate and mind your head! As for the menu it offers the traditional local fare of fishes plus something that might not be available in many other places – whale meat. If this indeed is a whale steak as advertised, it surely does not taste fishy; not that the whales are fish but still quite the surprise since the oceans seem to permeate every living creature with its specific aroma. The chunks of meat have more “beefy” texture and taste but are completely deprived of fat; maybe the fat deposits (the famous blabber) are separated completely. Or simply the cut on offer is of supreme quality which is hard to believe. In short, whale saviors and other faint-hearted individuals should skip this place of gruesome display of indiscriminate slaughter all together and move on to the museums where the sea creatures have been mummified long time ago.

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Bergen remains tied to the sea, and this is obvious in the stalls of the fish market. Walk about and check out the vendor's products, some of which can be sample. It is an easy stroll from the Bryggen warehouse area, so the two can be combined easily into one outing. Note that there is an artisan market adjacent to the fish market where you can shop for local items.

This is a must see if you are in Bergen, the fish market on the Torget. And remember, from here it is just a short walk to the Bryggen and the wooden houses dating back to the times of the Hanseatic League.

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When in Bergen down by the Bryggen..stop by the fish market on the wharf square there...really nice fish and chips for a quick meal or a lovely fish dinner with all sorts of seafood..reasonably priced for Norwegian prices...

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Bergen is just a little GEM of a city. These 20th C. mini mansions on the hill with terraced gardens and views of the port would be my ultimate nest of a dream home!

Try the free seafood tasters at the market from the cute young vendors...then buy.
The Hensiatic Quarter is probably the oldest area situated amongst the horseshoe shaped little port. If you are there in late Aug. go to a summer concert! Hear Grieg and others- shop the antique, & lovely silver and secret, local shops. They also have antique jewelry- my Mom and I hunted for a Bizmarck golden necklace linked chain, and found real deals. They're really indigenous to Scandinavian countries. Another really romantic place where I found myself --once again alone, but not necessarily unhappy...just wanted someone to appreciate the views, the decadent hotels on the water and what other fun things and shops that discovered alone. the connected islands outskirts of town also were of the most interesting terrain. This area is where their amazingly productive natural Gas offshore plant is. They make zillions of Kroner for Norway's future...there will be no debt for norway coming up in the next few decades....

Fresh fish every day! We found the most amazing looking fish on this market and if you feel like a little snack try one of the many rolls filled with the best tasting fish arround! And you have to try some frech shrimp. They eat them like french fries out of a bag on the streets.

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A very special and lively place. I have never seen such a large variety of fish and other seafood products than sold here. And so good and fresh. The salespersons gave small bites to taste with no obligation to buy.

Location was also best possible: in the harbour and passenger harbour, city centre.

Speciality: the place is famous for sales people who speak several and also "unusual" languages. I heard one young guy talking perfect Spanish to some Spanish customers.

Great area to spend some time walking around or drinking a cup of coffee in on of the area's cafeterias - or why not to try one of the fish products!

Nice athmosphere - people on good mood.

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The fish market in Bergen Harbor is lovely... with pretty flowers on sale, as well as the fish. The fish is all beautifully presented and it's interesting to look at the range on offer.

However, if you visit when it's been raining in winter, be very careful as sheet ice forms on the pavement and it's VERY slippery!