Oslo is the capital of Norway and also the largest city in the country. The various sights in Oslo certainly make the city suitable for a fun citytrip for a few days but also a perfect start of your round trip in Norway.
The city is easy to explore on foot or by public transport. Many sights in Oslo are within walking distance of each other.
Tip: Public transport in Oslo is well arranged. You can buy a single ticket that is valid for an hour, or the Oslo Pass available in different variants (24 hours, 48 hours or 72 hours) that gives free admission to 30 museums and provides discounts on various activities. For more information, visit visitoslo.com.
7 things to do in Oslo
1. Hovedøya Island
Near the port of Oslo there’re several islands that you can visit by ferry, including Hovedøya, Gressholmen and Langøyene. The ferries to the islands leave from Rådhusbrygge. We only visited Hovedøya which is a 5 minute boat ride from the harbor of Oslo. It’s about 0.5 square km and you’ll find a lot of greenery, several beaches and a monastery. We had plenty of time to walk around the island before the ferry returned. Keep an eye on the departure times, because the ferries do not sail very often.
2. Oslo Opera
Our hotel was opposite the Oslo Opera House. This abstract building is very striking in the environment. The roof is free to enter and from the highest point you have a beautiful view of the dock of the large cruise ships and a number of islands. We haven’t visited the opera house itself.
3. Vigeland park
Vigeland park is perhaps one of the most famous sights in Oslo. The park is definitely recommended if you like sculptures. This park is full of special images by the artist Gustav Vigeland. The park is freely accessible. You have to pay for the museum. In the center of the park is a giant pillar consisting of gracefully shaped bodies. Very special! There were also some statues in the park that I think are quite comical. A must see!
4. Oslo Royal Palace
From Vigeland park it’s not far to the Royal Palace of Oslo, the home of the Norwegian queen. The palace is surrounded by a nice park. The changing of the guard takes place several times a day. You can also take a picture with the soldiers standing in front of the palace. Fortunately, they don’t have to follow too strict rules, because they like to take a picture with you smiling. Be careful not to step inside the circle in which they are located.
5. Karl Johans Gate
If you like shopping, you can indulge at the Karl Johans Gate. This long shopping street runs from the Royal Palace to the station. There are terraces and beautiful buildings.
6. Bygdøy Peninsula
If you like museums, definitely visit the Bygdøy Peninsula. It can be reached by ferry from Rådhusbrygge. Here are the following museums: Kon-Tiki museum (About Thor Heyerdahls and his travels), Norwegian folk museum, Viking ship museum (including two large restored Viking ships), Norwegian Maritime Museum and the Fram museum (About the famous Arctic ship which Roald Amundsen used to sail to the South Pole).
The peninsula has now become an important residential area with quite beautiful, large houses. When you walk from museum to museum, it is quite fun to admire them and perhaps fantasize about your future dream house!
7. Ski jump Holmenkollen
With metro line 1 you’ll reach the Ski Resort of Oslo in about 40 minutes. With this line you can also visit the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. It has been used for several world championships. Even if it’s not winter, it’s still recommended to take this metro to the higher part of Oslo. During the trip you have some beautiful views.
We got off at the Voksenkollen stop and went for a walk. To our surprise, we encountered many young people in all the same clothes who seemed to have a huge hangover. They also all drove the same red vans. Eventually we ended up at a festival site that was just being demolished. Apparently the “Tryvann festival” had just ended. We did not expect such a scene at an unknown stop on the mountain!
The nightlife in Oslo starts quite early btw. Around 6 o’clock, when it is still light, there are already long lines in front of the cafes. I heard this is because the bouncers only let a limited number of people in so that there is a line and the tent seems a lot more popular. Sounds logical…
Continue traveling from Oslo
After Oslo we traveled on to the small village of Vatnahalsen and then to Bergen. With one train station, a number of houses and only one hotel, Vatnahalsen is a special village to visit. Bergen, on the other hand, is a large, lively city with various sights. Read more about all the sights in Bergen.
