The fisketorget or fish-market is, as far as tourism is concerned, the heart of the Norwegian city of Bergen. The city grew in importance thanks to the fishing industry and you will see reminders of this all over Bergen.
These days the fish-market is something of a tourist trap. I have heard many people say that the people of Bergen do not buy their fish and seafood here as it more expensive than at other outlets. That said, if the locals don't buy it, who does? You can't cook it in your hotel and you're not really supposed to take it home on the plane. Fortunately a few items can be bought in vacuum packs which I believe can be carried in the hold.
The actual fish market is much smaller than in the past. Now the fish sellers share their market with other traders selling jams and sauces made with Scandinavian berries, traditional knitwear and other souvenirs.
As the market is across the road from the Tourist Information Office and close to the Bryggen - the colourful row of rebuilt Hanseatic merchant houses - you will probably visit the market at some point during a stay in Bergen.
Even if you don't particularly like fish or seafood (what's wrong with you,
you fussy article!) the fish-market is a striking sight and a great place for a photo opportunity. Stalls are laden with giant pink king crabs, mountains of prawns and bags of blue-black shelled mussels. Some stall holders offer free samples which you should make the most of because (as well as Norway being expensive in comparison to British prices) the seafood here is over-priced. It is said that there are two tariffs in operation depending on whether you are a local or a tourist (though locals are still over-charged).
If shellfish isn't your thing then how about some tasty salmon gravadlax (in Bergen they add crushed dried chilli peppers to the curing mixture) or even dried whale meat which is very dark and has a slightly nutty taste - an acquired taste to be honest but worth trying. Several stalls sell caviar but you will pay much less for this in the shops.
If you really don't like fish (and I'm still perplexed at this!) you can try reindeer or elk meat. I didn't try reindeer here, my first taste was in Finland, but it is delicious! What's more you can sample it with sauce made from cloudberries or lingonberries, both are wild berries used extensively in Scandinavian cooking. You can also buy syrups and jams and even liqueurs (cloudberry liqueur is very sweet with a sharp kick) made from them. You will find several stalls selling these products as well as locally made honey which has an unusual and distinctive flavour of fragrant herbs.
There are several restaurants on the pier beside the market but something about the waterside setting makes you want to eat al fresco and there are several opportunities to do that. You can buy open sandwiches of various kinds of seafood which, I have to say do look very attractive all lined up on the stall with the prawns spilling over the edge of the bread. However, these are really expensive for what you get, though I suppose you are paying a premium for eating at the fish-market which is part of the whole Bergen experience.
We opted for fish and chips and ate them sitting at a table by the market. They were delicious though we had to put the hefty price tag (£20 for two portions of fish and chips) out of our minds as we ate. Besides we were too busy keeping an eye out for ferocious seagulls that might swoop down on our battered cod at any time.
Moving away from the fish (it's not easy but let's try), we turn our attention to the other things on sale at the market. One of the main things for sale is traditional Norwegian knitwear - as worn by red-faced fishermen (those who did not take to sea wearing that well-known moisturiser supposedly developed for such people) - namely sweaters, hats and cardigans. At first glance they look jolly nice hanging up from the roof of the stall but on closer inspection you'll see that the quality is not so good. If you look further afield then you will find better quality for less money.
Then there are reindeer skins and even antlers - though what you would do with the antlers once you got them home is anyone's guess - possibly mount them on the wall of your traditional English manor house?
Novelty items abound - humorous fabric antler headgear or Viking helmet anyone? This market has its share of tacky souvenirs at high prices. If you do want to buy any of this stuff and you are thinking of using the nearby funicular, buy your souvenirs at the shop at the summit because it is much cheaper than the market. We buy a flag from each new country we visit and we bought one at the shop for a fraction of the price. I can see why some people pay the higher prices. If you have come to Bergen on one of the ferry services from the UK - perhaps DFDS from North Shields - you will only have a couple of hours in Bergen, not really enough time to shop around.
If you want to see how the fish-market and the fishing industry are at the heart of the development of Bergen, pop over the road to the Tourist Information Office which is housed in the Fresco Hall. The hall was built in the mid 19th century and the frescos were painted by Axel Revold in the 1920s. The first is the "North Country Wall" depicting the fish being caught in northern Norway, then dried and then shipped south to Bergen.
The "Bergen Wall" consists of four beautifully painted panels that show the boats arriving at Bergen, then the fish being transferred to larger boats to be transported all over the world, the trade with other parts of the world for cereal crops, and the building of ships at Bergen. The third wall is the "World Wall" and it shows how, in spite of the "machine age", man is still important. It shows small scale agriculture and how abundant nature is. Elsewhere you need only look on the walls of restaurants and pubs to see some splendid old black and white photographs showing the harbour and fish-market in its heyday. Many hotels display such photographs too, I have been told.
If you like seafood then a visit to the fish-market is a must, if only to see the variety of foods on sale. The wares are so beautifully presented it's almost like an abstract work of art. It's also worth a visit to sample some other Norwegian delicacies and if you area ferry passenger this may be your only chance to buy souvenirs.
As a sight that's special to Bergen it's unmissable, but do think before splashing out your hard earned cash.
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When I went there, I was surprised to see that everybody who worked there seemed to be international students. I thought that was quite disappointing. But I bought the most expensive/tasty sandwich!
torr 08.03.2009 16:24
I think I'll stick to Whitstable, where the price of beer is more bearable too. Isn't there rather a good Fish Market in Newcastle too, or has it changed since my day?
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