Nordnes

Nordnes is the leafy peninsula reaching west from central Bergen, hemmed by water on three sides where Vågen, Byfjorden and Puddefjorden meet. Locals call it the Republic of Nordnes for the fierce affection residents feel for their patch, and it is easy to understand why: narrow lanes of weather-boarded wooden houses, surprising bursts of modern architecture, and a pace of life that feels a world away from the tourist bustle of Bryggen just across the harbour. Families with young children, students and long-settled locals give the peninsula a real, lived-in community feel. At the very tip lies Nordnesparken, a park laid out between 1888 and 1898 with sweeping views over Byfjorden, home to the much-loved Bergen Aquarium and a ten-metre totem pole gifted by the city of Seattle. Just below, the Nordnes sjøbad sea-bathing facility lets residents swim in the fjord or a heated pool through the long northern summer. The University of Bergen, the Fish Market and the city's main shopping streets are all within a short, flat walk. For buyers, Nordnes offers something special: a calm, residential, sea-facing address in the very centre of one of Norway's most beautiful cities, where homes rarely come up and rarely stay long.

Nordnes in Bergen, Vestland, Norway