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Sport
Due to its spectacular aquatic and mountain setting, Bergen is ideal for watersports, boating, mountaineering and hiking. Other less strenuous sports, such as angling, bowling, riding and skating, are also popular. The Tourist Information Office (see Tourist Information) can provide a full list of activities on offer.
From a spectator’s point of view, Brann, Bergen’s local football team, is one of Norway’s better-supported clubs and plays its home games in the Brann Stadion (tel: 5559 8500; fax: 5559 8525; website: www.brann.no). Top players produced by the club include the striker Tore Andr Flo who nows plays in England’s Premier League for Sunderland. The Norwegian football season runs from April to October.
Norway’s central ticket bureau for all events is Billettservice (tel: 8153 3133; website: www.billettservice.no). Tickets for most events can also be purchased at local post offices.
Fishing: Information and fishing permits can be obtained from Bergen Sportfiskere (Bergen Sport Fishing Association) at 37 Fosswinckelsgate (tel: 5532 1164; fax: 5532 2825; e-mail: bs@bits.no). The office is open 0900-1600 Monday-Friday.
Golf: There is a nine-hole course at Ervikveien 125, stveit (tel: 5519 4401), which is 15 minutes north of Bergen by bus. The green fees are NOK150. The 18-hole, par-73 Meland Golf Course, Flksand (tel: 5617 4600 or 4610), is 36km (22 miles), a 30-minute drive, from Bergen city centre. The setting, close to Herdlafjord among forests, lakes and mountains, is stunning. Visitors are offered a package (costing NOK350 on weekdays and NOK380 at weekends) that includes green fee, equipment hire and a meal.
Leisure centres: Vannkanten (tel: 5550 7777; e-mail: post@vannkanten.no; website: www.vannkanten.no) is the newest leisure and recreational facility in Bergen, located about 10 minutes’ drive from the city centre at Loddefjord. As well as swimming pools, health studios and a gymnasium, it offers other recreational facilities. The Bergen Racket Senter, Fjellsdalen 9, Bnes (tel: 5512 3230), has five indoor tennis courts, as well as four squash and several badminton courts, a health studio, sauna, aerobics, handball, football and sunbeds. It is open throughout the year, Monday to Friday 0800-2200, Saturday 1000-1800 and Sunday 1000-2200.
Swimming: There is an outdoor heated pool at Nordnes Sjbad, close to Bergen Aquarium. It is reached by either a 20-minute walk from the city centre, a ride on bus 4, or on the ferry that departs from Torget every 15 minutes between May and September. There is an indoor pool at Sentralbadet, Teatergaten 37. The entrance fee is NOK35 (concessions available). Indoor facilities are also available at Vannkanten, Loddefjord (see Leisure centres above).
There are also several beaches lying between ten minutes and one hour by bus from the city. Popular – if often chilly – bathing places include Austrevgen, Mjlkevika and Os to the south and Helleneset, Vganeset and Vollana to the north. There is a naturist beach at Rishamn Korsnes.
Walking: The mountains around Bergen offer a wide range of trails in rugged and wooded terrain. Bergen Turlag (Bergen Touring Club), Tverrgaten 4-6 (tel: 5532 2230), arranges guided tours at weekends and sells maps.
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Sport