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Oslo
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Why Go?
Surrounded by mountains and the sea, this compact, cultured, caring and fun city is Europe's fastest-growing capital, with a palpable sense of reinvention. Oslo is also home to world-class museums and galleries to rival anywhere else on the European art trail.
But even here Mother Nature has managed to make her mark, and Oslo is fringed with forests, hills and lakes awash with opportunities for hiking, cycling, skiing and boating. Add to this mix a thriving cafe and bar culture, top-notch restaurants, nightlife options ranging from opera to indie rock, and a large and visible immigrant community who add their own colourful touch to the city, and the result is a thoroughly intoxicating place in which to forget about the fjords for a while.
When to Go
- Apr–May Spring flowers fill the parks, and National Day brings crowds.
- June The days are long and there's a packed cultural calendar.
- Dec The first snow falls and Christmas markets and concerts bring seasonal magic.
Best Places to Stay
Oslo Highlights
1 Oslo Opera House Dreaming of operatic perfection while admiring Oslo Opera House.
2 Astrup Fearnley Museet Checking out the arresting artwork at this daring contemporary art museum.
3 Tim Wendelboe Going to the source of Norway's coffee obsession.
4 Vikingskipshuset Returning to the glorious Viking age at this remarkably intact longship museum.
5 Blå Getting to the heart of Oslo's pulsating nightlife.
6 Nasjonalgalleriet Screaming with delight at The Scream by Edvard Munch.
7 Ekebergparken Wandering through forested parkland with contemporary sculptures at every turn.
History
There's no doubt that viking ships once filled the Oslofjord, but the city of Oslo's history begins firmly in the country's Christian era, with the founding of a cathedral and a fortress in the first century of the last millennium. While today it might be one of the world's most calm and ordered metropolises, its history is one of wildly shifting fortunes, destruction, obscurity and conquest, but also of rebuilding, reinvention and rapid transformation.
The city was founded in 1049 by King Harald Hardråde (Harald Hard-Ruler), whose son Olav Kyrre (Olav the Peaceful) set up a cathedral and a corresponding bishopric here. This first town was sited on the east side of the Bjørvika inlet, although in the late 13th century, when there were around 3000 residents, King Håkon V built the Akershus Fortress (Akershus Festning) on its strategic point to the west.
The Bubonic plague came to Oslo in 1349, and, as it did around the country, wiped out half the population. This great suffering engendered a period of great economic and social transformation, with a shift in power away from the Church to the flourishing merchants of the Hanseatic League. As a counter to the rise and rise of this German trading organisation, the Scandinavian countries formed the Kalmar Union in 1397, and in 1536 Norway entered a more formal coalition with Denmark. Oslo became but a symbolic capital, with all politics and defence matters handled from Copenhagen. Then, in 1624, it burned to the ground.
It was the Danish King Christian IV who was responsible for the Oslo we know today. Christian chose to rebuild the city below the Akershus Fortress so it could be more easily defended, and, in the spirit of (late) Renaissance order, it was to form a rectangular grid. This town planning (and some of the exquisite 17th-century streetscapes) can still be seen today in the area known as Kvadraturen (the quad) between the Akershus Fortress and Oslo Cathedral, Øvre Vollgate and Skippergata. The king, in an early act of Danish brand management, renamed the new modern city Christiania.
Christiania boomed in the late 18th century, due to a thriving tree-milling industry, shipbuilding activities, trade and the export of wooden planks. Its official status as the capital of Norway was finally returned after the Napoleonic Wars in 1814. King Karl Johan initiated the building of the Royal Palace in 1825, although the seat of power remained in Stockholm. From this time on, many of the city’s state institutions, such as its grandiose parliament building and the Bank of Norway, were constructed.
This newfound political stability and the country’s industrialisation saw a stratospheric growth in population in the city, from around 10,000 souls in 1814 to 230,000 at the turn of the century. A building boom transformed the city centre and the surrounding neighbourhoods, and the banks of the Akerselva became lined with various industries. Much of this riverside industrial architecture still exists, though today it has been transformed into university campuses, creative industry workplaces and entertainment zones. While the economic boom collapsed in 1899, Norway’s cultural and political blossoming continued apace, with Oslo residents Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Munch, and lesser-known figures such as Sigrid Undset, not only pushing the boundaries of their respective art forms but also exploring what it meant to be Norwegian.
Finally, in 1905, the Swedish king, Oskar II, was forced to recognise Norwegian sovereignty, abdicate and reinstate a Norwegian constitutional monarchy, with Haakon VII on the throne and taking up residence in the Royal Palace (his descendants still live there today). Christiania was declared the national capital of the Kingdom of Norway and, in 1925, the city was renamed its original Oslo.
In April 1940 German ships entered the Oslofjord, under the guise of protecting the then still neutral Norway from the British. Their subsequent advance took the Norwegians by surprise but both the entire Norwegian parliament and the royal family managed to flee north. Acting on behalf of the government, King Håkon VII made the decision to maintain hostilities in the face of certain defeat, and to go into exile. The Germans established a puppet government under the fascist leader Vidkun Quisling, whose name thereafter entered the lexicon as a byword for those collaborators who betray their country. During the war the University of Oslo was a particularly rich site of resistance, with both a key intelligence-collecting operation conducted by a group of its students and notable acts of civil disobedience, such as the wearing of paper clips to signify solidarity against the Nazi occupiers.
Oslo’s postwar absorption of surrounding towns and the creation of suburbs give us the sprawling, forested city we see today. Despite this growth it remained, for many, a poor, hard-scrabble town. The discovery of the Ekofisk oilfield on Norway's Continental shelf, in the North Sea southwest of Stavanger in 1969, changed this for good. The economy boomed, transforming Norway from one of Europe's poorest countries to one of its richest, and Oslo’s transformation into one of the world’s wealthiest cities began.
1Sights
Whether you're artistic or literary, a peacenik or a history enthusiast, an explorer or an athlete, the chances are there is a museum in Oslo tailor-made for you. Most are clustered around the city centre, but there a number of museums to be found on the Bygdøy peninsula, and there are other important sights in Frogner and in Sofienberg too. The collections housed in the city often represent the best that the country has to offer, although they are joined by some amazing private art collections and fascinating and intimate house museums.
Central Oslo
oOslo Opera HouseARCHITECTURE
(Den Norske Opera & Ballett;
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GOOGLE MAP
; 
%21 42 21 21; www.operaen.no; Kirsten Flagstads plass 1; foyer free; 
hfoyer 10am-9pm Mon-Fri, 11am-9pm Sat, noon-9pm Sun; 
YSentralstasjonen)
The centrepiece of the city's rapidly developing waterfront is the magnificent Opera House, considered one of the most iconic modern buildings of Scandinavia. Designed by Oslo-based architectural firm Snøhetta and costing around €500 million to build, the Opera House opened in 2008, and resembles a glacier floating in the waters of the Oslofjord. Its design is a thoughtful meditation on the notion of monumentality, the dignity of cultural production, Norway's unique place in the world and the conversation between public life and personal experience.
It's worth spending some time here, but if you only have a short amount of time, make sure you tackle the roof, a broad luminous 'carpet' of marble patchwork, for one of those architectural experiences that are far more than the sum of their parts, not to mention wonderful views of the city.
To fully appreciate the building's interior, join one of the guided tours.
While wandering around the building, it can be easy to forget that it's not just there to serve as eye candy for tourists, and that its prime role is to act as a showcase for top-notch opera and ballet performances. Upcoming performances are listed on the website and ticket prices vary from 100kr to 745kr.
oAstrup Fearnley MuseetGALLERY
(Astrup Fearnley Museum;
MAP
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; %22 93 60 60; www.afmuseet.no; Strandpromenaden 2; adult/child 120kr/free; hnoon-5pm Tue, Wed & Fri, to 7pm Thu, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun; 
jAker brygge)
Designed by Renzo Piano, this private contemporary art museum is housed in a wonderful building of silvered wood, with a sail-like glass roof that feels both maritime and at one with the Oslofjord landscape. While the museum's original collecting brief was conceptual American work from the '80s (with artists of the ilk of Jeff Koons, Tom Sachs, Cindy Sherman and Richard Prince well represented), it has in recent times broadened beyond that, with, for example, a room dedicated to Sigmar Polke and Anselm Kiefer.
Its most famous piece remains, however, the gilded ceramic sculpture Michael Jackson and Bubbles, by Koons, and there are also large works by Damien Hirst. The temporary shows range from the monographic, say Matthew Barney or young Norwegian artist Matias Faldbakken, to thematically tight curated surveys such as New Norwegian Abstraction or Chinese conceptual work. There are tours at 2pm each Sunday (50kr).
Tjuvholmen Sculpture ParkSCULPTURE
(
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; http://afmuseet.no/en/om-museet/skulpturparken; Tjuvholmen; h24hr; jAker brygge)
F
Like the Astrup Fearnley Museet that it surrounds, this sculpture park was designed by Renzo Piano and is also dedicated to international contemporary art. Don't miss Louise Bourgeois' magnificent and rather cheeky Eyes (1997), Ugo Rondinone's totemic and enchanting Moonrise east. november (2006) and Franz West's bright and tactile Spalt (2003). There are also works by Antony Gormley, Anish Kapoor, Ellsworth Kelly, and Peter Fischli and David Weiss. Along with the artwork there are canals and a small child-pleasing pebble beach.
oIbsen MuseetMUSEUM
(Ibsen Museum;
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; %40 02 36 30; www.ibsenmuseet.no; Henrik Ibsens Gate 26; adult/child 115/30kr; h11am-6pm May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr, guided tours hourly; jSlottsparken)
While downstairs houses a small and rather idiosyncratic museum, it's Ibsen's former apartment, which you'll need to join a tour to see, that is unmissable. This was the playwright's last residence and his study remains exactly as he left it, as does the bedroom where he uttered his famously enigmatic last words, 'Tvert imot!' ('To the contrary!'), before dying on 23 May 1906.
Rooms have been restored and refurnished but the place feels totally and genuinely of its era. The guides are excellent, beautifully conjuring both Ibsen and wife Suzannah's daily life as well as the Oslo of the era.
oNasjonalgallerietGALLERY
(National Gallery;
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; %21 98 20 00; www.nasjonalmuseet.no; Universitetsgata 13; adult/child 100kr/free, Thu free; h10am-6pm Tue, Wed & Fri, to 7pm Thu, 11am-5pm Sat & Sun; jTullinløkka)
The gallery houses the nation's largest collection of traditional and modern art and many of Edvard Munch's best-known creations are on permanent display, including his most renowned work, The Scream. There's also an impressive collection of European art, with works by Gauguin, Claudel, Picasso and El Greco, plus Impressionists such as Manet, Degas, Renoir, Matisse, Cézanne and Monet. Nineteenth-century Norwegian artists have a strong showing too, including key figures such as JC Dahl and Christian Krohg.
The gallery is set to relocate in 2020.
Royal PalacePALACE
(Det Kongelige Slott;
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; %81 53 31 33; www.royalcourt.no; Slottsparken 1; palace tours adult/child 135/105kr, with Queen Sonja Art Stable 200kr; hguided tours in English noon, 2pm, 2.20pm & 4pm Jun–mid-Aug; jSlottsparken)
The Norwegian royal family's seat of residence emerges from the wood-like Slottsparken (
MAP
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; Slottsparken; h24hr; jSlottsparken), a relatively modest, pale buttercup neoclassical pile. Built for the Swedish (in fact, French) king Karl Johan, the palace was never continuously occupied before King Haakon VII and Queen Maud were installed in 1905.
Construction of the 173-room palace originally began in 1825 but wasn't completed until 1849, five years after Karl Johan's death. His son, Oscar I, and daughter-in-law, Josephine, became the first royals to move in. The palace has been greatly modernised under the current monarch, King Harald V.
What's remarkable about this palace, and the royal family in general, is how approachable it is: children play and tourists pose for photos just metres from the main entrance door – quite a contrast to some other European royal seats.
In summer, one-hour guided tours of the interior are available. Tours visit a dozen rooms including the Cabinet Cloakroom, Mirror Room, Banqueting Hall and the Palace Chapel. Tickets can be bought at the gate (at the rear of the palace), but it's wise to pre-purchase by phone, at 7-Eleven stores or from www.ticketmaster.no as only limited spaces are available on the day.
Museet for SamtidskunstGALLERY
(National Museum of Contemporary Art; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.nasjonalmuseet.no)
The highly regarded National Museum of Contemporary Art is keeper of the National Gallery's collections of post-WWII Scandinavian and international art. The gallery is also known for its cutting-edge temporary exhibitions. At time of writing it had closed its doors at Bankplassen in preparation for reopening in the new National Museum complex in 2020.
DamstredetAREA
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g54)
The quirky 18th-century wooden homes of the Damstredet district and the nearby Telthusbakken are a nice change of pace from the modern architecture of the city centre. Once an impoverished shanty town, Damstredet has become a popular residential neighbourhood for artists. To get there, walk north on Akersgata and turn right on Damstredet gate. Telthusbakken is a little further up Akersgata, also on the right.
Don't miss Vår Frelsers (Æreslunden;
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; Akersbakken 32; h24hr; g37), the graveyard where Ibsen, Munch and author Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson are buried.
Historisk MuseumMUSEUM
(
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; %22 85 19 00; www.khm.uio.no; Frederiks gate 2, University of Oslo; adult/child 50kr/free, includes entrance to Vikingskipmuseet; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun; jTullinløkka)
The Historical Museum is actually three museums under one roof. Most interesting is the ground-floor National Antiquities Collection (Oldsaksamlingen), which has displays of Viking-era coins, jewellery and ornaments, and includes the only complete Viking helmet ever found. Look out for the 9th-century Hoen treasure (2.5kg), the largest such find in Scandinavia. A section on medieval religious art includes the doors and richly painted ceiling of the Ål stave church (built around 1300).
The 2nd level has an Arctic exhibit and the Myntkabinettet, a collection of the earliest Norwegian coins from as far back as AD 995. Also on the 2nd level, and continuing on the top floor, is the Ethnographic Museum, with changing exhibits on Asia, Africa and the Americas.
Oslo CathedralCATHEDRAL
(Domkirke;
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; Stortorvet 1; h24hr; jStortorvet)F
The highlights of a visit to Oslo Cathedral, which dates from 1697, are the elaborate stained-glass windows by Emanuel Vigeland (brother of Gustav) and the painted ceiling, completed between 1936 and 1950. The exceptional altarpiece, a 1748 model of The Last Supper and the Crucifixion by Michael Rasch, was an original feature of the church (from 1700), but it was moved all over the country before being returned from Prestnes church in Majorstue in 1950.
The bazaar halls, around the back of the church, date from 1858 and are currently used by summer handicraft sales outlets and cafes.
RådhusARCHITECTURE
(
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; Fridtjof Nansens plass; h9am-6pm, guided tours 10am, noon & 2pm Jun–mid-Jul; jKontraskjæret)F
This twin-towered town hall, completed in 1950 to commemorate Oslo's 900th anniversary, houses the city's political administration and is filled with mid-century tributes to Norwegian cultural and working life. Something of an Oslo landmark, the bombast of its red-brick functionalist exterior is polarising, if unmissable. It's here that the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded on 10 December each year.
Nobels FredssenterMUSEUM
(Nobel Peace Center;
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; %48 30 10 00; www.nobelpeacecenter.org; Rådhusplassen 1; adult/student 100/65kr; h10am-6pm; jAker brygge)
Norwegians take pride in their role as international peacemakers, and the Nobel Peace Prize is their gift to the men and women judged to have done the most to promote world peace over the course of the previous year. This state-of-the-art museum celebrates the lives and achievements of the winners with an array of digital displays that offer as much or as little information as you feel like taking in.
The changing exhibitions focus on vastly different aspects of the prize and its winners each year. Don't miss the Nobel Book on the 2nd floor, the theatre streaming films on the history of the prize and its winners, and the shop selling merchandise that manages to be both respectful and amusing.
Parliament BuildingNOTABLE BUILDING
(Stortinget;
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; %23 31 33 33; www.stortinget.no; Karl Johans gate 22; hguided tours in English 10am & 1pm Jul & Aug, Sat rest of year; jØvre Slottsgate)F
Built in 1866, Norway's yellow-brick parliament building is one of Europe's more charming parliaments. If you find yourself really hooked on Norwegian political debate, you can tune into the live action through the Stortinget website.
vi, viiGALLERY
(
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; %906 75 993; www.vivii.no; Tordenskiolds gate 12; h1-5pm Thu & Fri, noon-4pm Sat; jKontraskjæret)
An independent gallery with a good reputation for interesting shows from up-and-coming artists, housed in an interesting 1930s building.
Queen Sonja Art StableGALLERY
(Queen Sonja KunstStall;
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; www.royalcourt.no; adult 100kr; h11am-5pm Thu-Sun; jSlottsparken)
The former palace stables, used for half a century as storage, were reopened as a public gallery space by Queen Sonja on her 80th birthday. The charming 19th-century building hosts yearly exhibitions as well as a permanent collection of fascinating photographs both by and collected by the late Queen Maud (1869–1938).
SentralenNOTABLE BUILDING
(
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; %22 33 33 22; www.sentralen.no; Øvre Slottsgate 3; jØvre Slottsgate)
If you're not here for the restaurant, the cafe, the bars or the live-music venues, it's still worth popping in for a poke around both the spectacular mash of contemporary and traditional architecture, along with installations by six Norwegian artists, including some surprising interventions by Hanne Friis and Vanessa Baird.
Kunsthall OsloGALLERY
(
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; %21 69 69 39; www.kunsthalloslo.no; Rostockgata 2-4; h11am-5pm Wed-Fri, from noon Sat & Sun; YJernbanetorget)
This nonprofit art space presents a very interesting program of both international and Norwegian contemporary artists, including special commissions. It's also hosting various Munch on the Move shows while the Munch Museum undergoes its move to its new home in 2020.
Nobel InstituteNOTABLE BUILDING, LIBRARY
(
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; %22 12 93 00; www.nobelpeaceprize.org; Henrik Ibsens gate 51; h8am-3pm Mon-Fri; jSolli)F
It is unclear why Alfred Nobel chose Norway to administer the Peace Prize, but whatever the reason, it is a committee of five Norwegians, appointed for six-year terms by the Norwegian Storting (parliament), that chooses the winner each year, and their meetings are held here behind closed doors. You can, however, visit the library, which contains some 200,000 volumes on international history and politics, peace studies and economics.
OSLO IN...
Two Days...
Start your day at the Nasjonalgalleriet for a representative dose of artwork by Edvard Munch. Afterwards, try an alfresco, pier-side seafood lunch at one of the new restaurant developments at Aker Brygge in Central Oslo. Take a ferry from here to Bygdøy Peninsula, and spend your afternoon learning about the exploits of Norway’s greatest explorers at the Polarship Fram Museum or Vikingskipshuset. On day two head to the breathtaking Oslo Opera House, timing your visit to coincide with one of the guided tours. Afterwards, explore the medieval Akershus Festning & Slott and then take a look at all that’s cool and modern at the amazing new Astrup Fearnley Museet. Finally, if time allows, learn how to make the world a better place at the Nobels Fredssenter.
Four Days...
If you have a couple of extra days, wander among the bold, earthy statues at Vigelandsanlegget and consider launching yourself off the enormous Holmenkollen Ski Jump, although it’s probably better to content yourself with a virtual attempt in the nearby simulator. The energetic might also spend a day walking, skiing or biking in the Nordmarka; otherwise simply make a lazy day trip to pretty Fredrikstad.
Akershus Festning & Slott
oAkershus FestningFORTRESS
(Akershus Fortress;
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; h6am-9pm; jChristiania Square)F
When Oslo was named capital of Norway in 1299, King Håkon V ordered the construction of Akershus, strategically located on the eastern side of the harbour, to protect the city from external threats. It has, over the centuries, been extended, modified and had its defences beefed up a number of times. Still dominating the Oslo harbourfront, the sprawling complex consists of a medieval castle, Akershus Slott, a fortress and assorted other buildings, including still-active military installations.
Entry is through a gate at the end of Akersgata or over a drawbridge spanning Kongens gate at the southern end of Kirkegata. After 6pm in winter, use the Kirkegata entrance.
The Akershus Fortress Information Centre (
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 09 39 17; Akershus Slott; guided tours adult/child 60/30kr; h11am-5pm Jul & Aug, 11-4pm Mon-Fri, noon-5pm Sat & Sun Sep-Jun; jChristiania Square), inside the main gate, has permanent exhibits recounting the history of the complex, as well as temporary exhibits highlighting aspects of Oslo's history. Staff can organise guided tours. At 1.30pm you can watch the changing of the guard at the fortress.
Akershus SlottCASTLE
(Akershus Castle;
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; %22 41 25 21; www.nasjonalefestningsverk.no; Kongens gate; adult/child 60/30kr, with Oslo Pass free; h11am-4pm Mon-Sat, noon-5pm Sun; jChristiania Square)
In the 17th century Christian IV renovated Akershus Castle into a Renaissance palace, although the front remains decidedly medieval. In its dungeons you'll find dark cubbyholes where outcast nobles were kept under lock and key, while the upper floors contained sharply contrasting lavish banquet halls and staterooms.
The castle chapel is still used for army events, and the crypts of King Håkon VII and Olav V lie beneath it. The guided tours are led by university students in period dress and, while not compulsory, they do offer an entertaining anecdotal history of the place that you won't get by wandering around on your own. Ask at the ticket office for tour information. Hours are extended in July and August.
Norwegian Resistance MuseumMUSEUM
(Norges Hjemmefront Museet;
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; %23 09 31 38; www.forsvaretsmuseer.no; adult/child 60/30kr; h10am-5pm Mon-Sat, from 11am Sun Jun-Aug, 10am-4pm Mon-Fri, from 11am Sat & Sun Sep-May; jChristiania Square)
Within the Akershus Fortress complex the Norwegian Resistance Museum stands adjacent to a memorial for resistance fighters executed on this spot during WWII. The small but worthwhile museum covers the dark years of German occupation, as well as the jubilant day of 9 May 1945 when peace was declared. Artefacts include underground newspapers, numerous maps and photographs, and, most intriguingly, a set of dentures that belonged to a Norwegian prisoner of war in Poland that were wired to receive radio broadcasts.
Frognerparken & Vigeland Park
oVigelandsanleggetPARK
(Vigeland Sculpture Park;
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; www.vigeland.museum.no/no/vigelandsparken; Nobels gate 32; hTue-Sun noon-4pm; YBorgen)
The centrepiece of Frognerparken is an extraordinary open-air showcase of work by Norway's best-loved sculptor, Gustav Vigeland. Statistically one of the top tourist attractions in Norway, Vigeland Park is brimming with 212 granite and bronze Vigeland works. His highly charged oeuvre includes entwined lovers, tranquil elderly couples, bawling babies and contempt-ridden beggars. Speaking of bawling babies, his most famous work here, Sinataggen (Little Hot-Head), portrays a child in a mood of particular ill humour.
FrognerparkenPARK
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; YBorgen)
Frognerparken attracts westside locals with its broad lawns, ponds, stream and rows of shady trees for picnics, strolling or lounging on the grass. It also contains Vigelandsanlegget, a sprawling sculpture-park-within-a-park. To get here, take tram 12 to Vigelandsparken from the city centre.
Vigeland MuseumGALLERY
(
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; www.vigeland.museum.no; Nobelsgata 32; adult/child 60/30kr, with Oslo Pass free; h10am-5pm Tue-Sun May-Aug, noon-4pm Tue-Sun rest of year; g20, j12, gN12, YBorgen)
For a more in-depth look at Gustav Vigeland's work, this museum is just opposite the southern entrance to Frognerparken. It was built by the city in the 1920s as a home and studio for the sculptor in exchange for the donation of a significant proportion of his life's work. It contains his early collection of statuary and monuments to public figures, as well as plaster moulds, woodblock prints and sketches.
When he died in 1943, Vigeland's ashes were deposited in the tower and the museum was opened to the public four years later. Guided tours are available (in English), with prior notice, from 1000kr per group; sketching (pencil only) is encouraged and you can borrow sketching boards and folding chairs. In addition to the works of Vigeland, the museum also has a very good program of seasonal contemporary shows.
Oslo City MuseumMUSEUM
(Oslo Bymuseet;
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; %23 28 41 70; www.oslomuseum.no; Frognerveien 67; h11am-4pm Tue-Sun; jSolli)F
Near the southern entrance to Vigeland Park, this charming museum is housed in the 18th-century Frogner Manor, built on the site of a Viking-era great house. It's a lovely snapshot of traditional bourgeois Norwegian life of the era and there are other exhibitions about Oslo's urban history.
OSLO PASS
Oslo Pass (www.visitoslo.com/en/activities-and-attractions/oslo-pass; 1/2/3days adult 395/595/745kr, child 210/295/370kr), sold at the tourist office, is a good way of cutting transport and ticket costs around the city. The majority of the city's museums are free with the pass, as is public transport within the city limits (barring late-night buses). Other perks include restaurant and tour discounts.
If you're planning to visit just the city-centre museums and galleries, it's worth checking which on your list are free before buying a pass.
Bygdøy Peninsula
VikingskipshusetMUSEUM
(Viking Ship Museum;
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; %22 13 52 80; www.khm.uio.no; Huk Aveny 35; adult/child 80kr/free; h9am-6pm May-Sep, 10am-4pm Oct-Apr; 
f91)
Around 1100 years ago, Vikings dragged up two longships from the shoreline and used them as the centrepiece for grand ceremonial burials, most likely for important chieftains or nobles. Along with the ships, they buried many items for the afterlife: food, drink, jewellery, furniture, carriages, weapons, and even a few dogs and servants for companionship. Discovered in Oslofjord in the late 19th century, the ships are beautifully restored and offer an evocative, emotive insight into the world of the Vikings.
There are three ships in total, all named after their places of discovery: Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune. The most impressive and ostentatious of the three is the Oseberg, plus the burial chamber beneath it held the largest collection of Viking-age artefacts ever uncovered in Scandinavia, though it had been looted of its jewellery. As daunting as the ship appears, it was probably only ever intended as a royal pleasure craft. The sturdier 24m-long Gokstad, built around 890, is the finest remaining example of a Viking longship, but when it was unearthed its corresponding burial chamber had also been looted and few artefacts were uncovered. There is also the third, smaller, boat, the Tune, which is fragmentary but what remains is incredibly well preserved.
Polarship Fram MuseumMUSEUM
(Frammuseet;
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; %23 28 29 50; www.frammuseum.no; Bygdøynesveien 36; adult/child 100/40kr, with Oslo Pass free; h9am-6pm Jun-Aug, 10am-5pm May & Sep, to 4pm Oct-May; f91)
This museum is dedicated to one of the most enduring symbols of early polar exploration, the 39m schooner Fram (meaning ‘Forward’). You can wander the decks, peek inside the cramped bunk rooms and imagine life at sea and among the polar ice. There are detailed exhibits complete with maps, pictures and artefacts of various expeditions, from Nansen's attempt to ski across the North Pole to Amundsen's discovery of the Northwest Passage.
Launched in 1892, the polar ship Fram, at the time the strongest ship ever built, spent much of its life trapped in the polar ice. From 1893 to 1896 Fridtjof Nansen's North Pole expedition took the schooner to Russia's New Siberian Islands, passing within a few degrees of the North Pole on their return trip to Norway.
In 1910 Roald Amundsen set sail in the Fram, intending to be the first explorer to reach the North Pole, only to discover en route that Robert Peary had beaten him to it. Not to be outdone, Amundsen turned the Fram around and, racing Robert Falcon Scott all the way, became the first man to reach the South Pole. Otto Sverdrup also sailed the schooner around southern Greenland to Canada's Ellesmere Island between 1898 and 1902, travelling over 18,000km.
In addition to the Fram, the museum also houses the Gjøa, the first ship to successfully navigate the Northwest Passage.
Kon-Tiki MuseumMUSEUM
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MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 08 67 67; www.kon-tiki.no; Bygdøynesveien 36; adult/child 100/40kr, with Oslo Pass free; h9.30am-6pm Jun-Aug, 10am-5pm Mar-May, Sep & Oct, 10am-4pm Nov-Feb; f91)
A favourite among children, this worthwhile museum is dedicated to the balsa raft Kon-Tiki, which Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl sailed from Peru to Polynesia in 1947. The museum also displays the totora-reed boat Ra II, built by Aymara people on the Bolivian island of Suriqui in Lake Titicaca. Heyerdahl used it to cross the Atlantic in 1970.
Norwegian Maritime MuseumMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.marmuseum.no; Bygdøynesveien 37; adult/child 100/30kr, with Oslo Pass free; h10am-5pm mid-May–Aug, to 4pm rest of year; f91)
Author Roald Dahl once said that in Norway everyone seems to have a boat, and the theory seems like quite a good one at the Norsk Maritime Museum. The museum depicts Norway's relationship with the sea, including the fishing and whaling industries, the seismic fleet (which searches for oil and gas), shipbuilding, wreck salvaging and pleasure craft.
Norsk FolkemuseumMUSEUM
(Norwegian Folk Museum;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 12 37 00; www.norskfolkemuseum.no; Museumsveien 10; adult/child 130/40kr, with Oslo Pass free; h10am-6pm mid-May–mid-Sep, 11am-3pm Mon-Fri, 11am-4pm Sat & Sun mid-Sep–mid-May; f91)
This folk museum is Norway's largest open-air museum and one of Oslo's most popular attractions. The museum includes more than 140 buildings, mostly from the 17th and 18th centuries, gathered from around the country, rebuilt and organised according to region of origin. Paths wind past old barns, elevated stabbur (raised storehouses) and rough-timbered farmhouses with sod roofs sprouting wildflowers. Little people will be entertained by the numerous farm animals, horse and cart rides, and other activities.
Frogner & Western Oslo
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
5Eating
Frogner & Western Oslo
Oslo ContemporaryGALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 27 06 76; www.oslcontemporary.com; Haxthausens gate 3; hnoon-5pm Tue-Fri, to 4pm Sat; jNiels Juels gate)
The westside's best commercial gallery. Set in a former garage, it represents an interesting line-up of emerging and established conceptual artists, mostly from Norway.
NasjonalbiblioteketLIBRARY
(National Library;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 27 60 11; www.nb.no; Henrik Ibsens gate 110; h9am-6pm Jun-Sep, 8.30am-3.30pm Mon-Fri Oct-May; jSolli)F
A thoroughly modern library where you can view important documents of Norway's cultural heritage, from 13th-century manuscripts to magazines, films and Norwegian musical scores. There are also temporary exhibitions highlighting various aspects of the collection.
Grünerløkka & Vulkan
MunchmuseetGALLERY
(Munch Museum;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 49 35 00; www.munchmuseet.no; Tøyengata 53; adult/child 100kr/free; h10am-4pm, to 5pm mid-Jun–late Sep; YTøyen)
A monographic museum dedicated to Norway's greatest artist Edvard Munch (1863–1944), and housing the largest collection of his work in the world: 28,000 items including 1100 paintings and 4500 watercolours, many of which were gifted to the city by Munch himself (although his best-known pieces, including The Scream, are held in the Nasjonalgalleriet).
To get here, take a bus or the T-bane to Tøyen, followed by a 300m signposted walk.
Seasonal exhibitions explore Munch's work in context with other artists and movements, with some surprise guest curators such as the novelist Karl Ove Knausgård.
The museum is expected to relocate to Bjørvika in 2020 (or so), to a purpose-built site called Lambda.
oRod BiancoGALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %997 87 475; http://rodbianco.com; Waldemar Thranes gate 84c; hnoon-5pm Tue-Fri, to 4pm Sat; g30)
Rod Bianco's white cube space, hidden behind an unmarked black door in a courtyard occupied by auto workshops and warehouses, has always-boundary-pushing work from both Norwegian and international contemporary artists. Oslo's own NYC-based bad boy artist Bjarne Melgaard regularly shows here.
Galleri 69GALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 38 00 28; http://lufthavna.no/galleri-69/; Toftes gate 69; jSchous plass)
Part of the Grünerløkka Lufthavn artists' studio and rehearsal space complex, this artist-run gallery has a monthly calendar of shows, with site-specific work produced exclusively for it. Check the website for opening hours.
StandardGALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 60 13 10; http://standardoslo.no; Waldemar Thranes gate 86; hnoon-5pm Tue-Fri, to 4pm Sat; g30)
A decade-plus player in Oslo's contemporary art scene, Standard has two exhibition spaces in an industrial block. It shows a range of Norwegian and northern European artists, including current Oslo darling Matias Faldbakken.
Akerselva RiverRIVER
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; g54)
Running from Maridalsvannet to the Oslofjord, this fast-flowing river was once the centre of Oslo's industry and then, until the late 20th century, abandoned and unloved. Today it's one of the city's favourite places to relax, an 8km swath of forested rapids, waterfalls, running tracks, picnic grounds, swimming holes and fishing spots. The crashing falls at Beier Bridge are an inner-urban wonder.
Studio Schaeffers Gate 5GALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %452 18 078; www.schaeffersgate5.no; Schaeffers Gate 5; h4-7pm Thu & Fri, from 1pm Sat & Sun; jSchous plass)
An independent artist-run space that hosts regular shows as well as events and performances. Check the website for details of seasonal shows.
Eastern Oslo
2Activities, Courses & Tours
Sofienberg, Grønland & Tøyen
1857GALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 17 60 50; http://1857.no; Tøyenbekken 12; hnoon-5pm Wed-Fri, to 4pm Sat & Sun; YGrønland)
Stian Eide Kluge and Steffen Håndlykken began this artist-run space in a former timberyard in 2010 and it's one of the city's most respected and enduring. They are especially known for their collaborative curatorial efforts between young Norwegian artists and those from Europe and beyond. Openings are also some of the city's most fun.
nyMusikkGALLERY
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %21 99 68 00; http://nymusikk.no/; Platous gate 18; hoffice 10am-3pm; YGrønland)
Part gallery, part office, part library and part performance space, nyMusikk hosts a program of sound-focused art shows, performances and festivals. Even if there's nothing on, staff are happy for you to come in and browse the music magazines and literature and to chat about what's going on in the city.
KampenAREA
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; g60, YTøyen)
This once-working-class neighbourhood retains a unique village-like atmosphere with pretty painted wooden buildings. It's a lovely place for a stroll, with a top view back down to the city from its central hill.
Botanical GardenGARDENS
(Botanisk Hage;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Sars gate 1; h7am-9pm mid-Mar–Sep, to 5pm rest of year; YTøyen)F
Oslo's 6.5-hectare Botanical Garden – the oldest in Norway – has a beautiful woody arboretum, a sublime scent garden, a mini-mountain landscape and a collection of rare specimens from the Oslo fjords, including four that are almost extinct in nature. Look out also for the woven sculptures by British artist Tom Hare or just come for a walk, loll under a tree or grab a coffee from Handwerk cafe.
Natural History MuseumMUSEUM
(Naturhistorisk Museum;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.nhm.uio.no; Sars gate 1; adult/child 50/25kr; h11am-4pm Tue-Sun; YTøyen)
Under the trees of Oslo's Botanical Garden, the university's serious-looking Natural History Museum comprises two different collections: the Zoological Museum, which, as you might guess, is stuffed full of stuffed (excuse the pun) native wildlife; and the geological-palaeontological collection, which is closed for renovation until 2020. The admission fee also allows you to get green-fingered with the tropical plants inside the greenhouses.
St Olafs Plass, Bislett & St Hanshaugen
St Hanshaugen ParkVIEWPOINT
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Geitmyrsveien 31; g37)
This huge park is a locals' favourite and, from its top, a very pleasant place to get a view of the city. The neighbourhood's name – a reference to 'midsummer hill' – comes from the park, not the other way around, as it was a popular spot for midsummer bonfires.
Gamle Aker KirkeCHURCH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Akersbakken 26; hnoon-2pm Mon-Sat; g37)
This medieval stone church, located north of the centre on Akersbakken, dates from 1080 and is Oslo's oldest building. Take bus 37 from Jernbanetorget to Akersbakken, then walk up past the churchyard.
North of Oslo
1Sights
2Activities, Courses & Tours
4Sleeping
5Eating
Greater Oslo
oEkebergparkenPARK
(Ekeberg Sculpture Park;
GOOGLE MAP
; %21 42 19 19; https://ekebergparken.com; Kongsveien 23; h24hr; jEkebergparken)F
Opened to much controversy in 2013, Ekebergparken cemented Oslo's reputation as a contemporary-art capital and, in particular, one devoted to sculpture. A vast forested public park overlooking the city and the Oslofjord is dotted with work from the collection of property developer and art collector Christian Ringnes, with artists represented including Louise Bourgeois, Marina Abramovíc, Jenny Holzer, Tony Oursler, Sarah Lucas, Tony Cragg and Jake and Dinos Chapman, and a few traditional works from Rodin, Maillol and Vigeland.
You'll need at least half a day to explore properly, and expect your visit to unfold more as a treasure hunt than a usual museum experience. While seeking out the various installations, make sure you visit the Ekeberg Stairs, a historic as well as breathtaking viewpoint, and the Munch Spot, the view that inspired The Scream (as well as a 2013 Abramovíc work). There are children's activities held in the Swiss-chalet-style Lund's House, where you'll also find a museum exploring the geological and natural world of the park, as well as an art and design shop.
Holmenkollen Ski JumpMOUNTAIN
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %916 71 947; www.holmenkollen.com; adult/child 130/65kr, with Oslo Pass free; h9am-8pm Jun-Aug, 10am-5pm May & Sep, 10am-4pm rest of year; YHolmen)
The Holmenkollen Ski Jump, perched on a hilltop overlooking Oslo, offers a panoramic view of the city and doubles as a concert venue. During Oslo's annual ski festival, held in March, it draws the world's best ski jumpers. Even if you're not a dare-devil ski jumper, the complex is well worth a visit thanks to its ski museum and a couple of other attractions.
Admission also includes entrance to the ski museum and the ski-jump tower. Part of the route to the top of the tower is served by a lift, but you're on your own for the final 114 steep steps. To get to the museum, take T-bane line 1 to Holmenkollen and follow the signs uphill.
NordmarkaFOREST
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; YHolmen)
Oslo's beloved woodland sits to the north of the Holmenkollen Ski Jump and is a prime destination for hiking, mountain biking, sledding and skiing. In the summer, the Tryvannstårnet observation tower is a good place to start a hike or a bike trip; or head to the Oslo Vinterpark for skiing in winter. From the Holmenkollen T-bane station, take the scenic ride to the end of the line at Frognerseteren and look for the signposted walking route.
It's also the geographical centre of the city, which must make Oslo, quite appropriately, about the only capital in the world to have a wild forest at its heart. Make sure you take a container for picking blueberries in summer.
Henie-Onstad Art CentreMUSEUM
(Henie-Onstad Kunstsenter;
GOOGLE MAP
; %67 84 48 80; www.hok.no; Høvikodden; adult/child 100kr/free; h11am-5pm Tue-Sun; 
dBlommenholm)
This private art museum contains works by Joan Miró and Pablo Picasso, as well as assorted impressionist, abstract, expressionist and contemporary Norwegian works. It hosts big-name temporary contemporary shows too, as well as housing the largest collection of Kurt Schwitters’ work outside of Germany, including much of the work he made while living in Norway during WWII. It's a 15-minute drive from the centre or you can take bus 160 to Høvikodden, from the Oslo Bus Terminal.
Emanuel Vigeland MuseumMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 14 57 88; www.emanuelvigeland.museum.no; Grimelundsveien 8; adult/child 50kr/free; hnoon-5pm Sun May-Sep, to 4pm Oct-Apr; YSmestad)
Emanual Vigeland, brother to the more famous Gustav, began construction on this large, vaulted space in 1926, with plans to make it a museum. The dimly lit space is today covered in a figurative work that depicts the cycle of life and the libidinous urge that is at its centre. Vigeland's work is in turns highly erotic, moving and disturbing; the 20-year fresco project was intended as his own tomb (his ashes indeed do rest here, in a characteristically symbolic egg-shaped urn).
TusenFrydAMUSEMENT PARK
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %64 97 64 97; www.tusenfryd.no; Vinterbro; adult/child/family 409/339/1799kr; h10.30am-7pm mid-Jun–Aug, shorter hours rest of year; g500)
TusenFryd, an amusement park 10km south of the city, is enormously popular with kids from all over the Oslo region. The park offers carousels, a fantasy farm and an excellent wooden roller coaster, which creates zero gravity 12 times each circuit. You'll find it just off the E6. The TusenFryd bus (bus 546) departs from the corner of Fred Olsens gate and Prinsens gate roughly hourly between 10am and 4pm.
Ski MuseumMUSEUM
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Kongeveien 5; incl Holmenkollen Ski Jump adult/child 130/65kr, with Oslo Pass free; h9am-8pm Jun-Aug, 10am-5pm May & Sep, 10am-4pm rest of year; YHolmen)
The Ski Museum, part of the Holmenkollen Ski Jump complex, leads you through the 4000-year history of nordic and downhill skiing in Norway. There are exhibits featuring the Antarctic expeditions of Amundsen and Scott, as well as Fridtjof Nansen's slog across the Greenland icecap (you'll see the boat he constructed from his sled and canvas tent to row the final 100km to Nuuk).
Norwegian Science & Technology MuseumMUSEUM
(Norsk Teknisk Museum & Telemuseum;
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 79 60 00; www.tekniskmuseum.no; Kjelsåsveien 143; adult/child 150/100kr, with Oslo Pass free; h11am-6pm daily late Jun-late Aug, 9am-4pm Mon-Fri, 11am-6pm Sat & Sun rest of year; jKjelsås)
A popular rainy-day distraction near Lake Maridal, Norwegian Science & Technology Museum has Norway's first car and tram, water wheels, clocks and enough gadgetry to keep the whole family busy for hours.
2Activities
Avid skiers, hikers and sailors, Oslo residents will do just about anything to get outside. That's not too hard given that there are more than 240 sq km of woodland, 40 islands and 343 lakes within the city limits. And you can jump on a train with your skis and be on the slopes in less than 30 minutes.
Climbing
The best local climbing is on the pre-bolted faces of Kolsåstoppen, which is accessible on T-bane line 3 to Kolsås.
Vulkan Climbing CentreCLIMBING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 11 28 90; www.kolsaas.no; Maridalsveien 17; adult/child from 80/65kr; h10am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 9pm Fri, to 8pm Sat & Sun; g54)
Indoor climbing centre with challenges for all skill levels. The centre has climbing walls and bouldering walls. Open afternoons only during the week from June to August.
Cycling
Mountain bikers will find plenty of trails on which to keep themselves occupied in the Oslo hinterland. The tourist office has free cycling maps, with Sykkelkart Oslo tracing the bicycle lanes and paths throughout the city, and Idrett og friluftsliv i Oslo covering the Oslo hinterland. It also has a pamphlet called Opplevelsesturer i Marka, which contains six possible cycling and/or hiking itineraries within reach of Oslo.
Two especially nice rides within the city, which are also suitable to do on an Oslo City Bike, are along the Akerselva up to Lake Maridal (Maridalsvannet; 11km), and in the woods around Bygdøy. The trip to Maridal passes several waterfalls and a number of converted factories at the edge of Grünerløkka and crosses several of Oslo's more unique bridges, including the Anker, or eventyr (fairy-tale), bridge. Cyclists should be sure to stop for coffee and a waffle at Hønse-Louisas Hus. This can also be done on foot by taking the T-bane to Kjesås and following the path back into the city. Cycling, or walking, around Bygdøy is far more pastoral and provides ample opportunity for swimming breaks. There is a bike rack in front of the Norwegian Folk Museum. For more serious cycling, take T-bane line 1 to Frognerseteren and head into the Nordmarka.
Syklistenes LandsforeningCYCLING
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 47 30 30; www.slf.no; Østensjøveien 29; h10am-5pm Mon-Fri; YBrynseng)
The main contact point for Norway's cycling clubs is useful for information on long-distance cycling routes and tunnels. It also sells Sykkelruter i Norge (120kr); it's only available in Norwegian, but the English-text Sykkelguide series of booklets with maps are available for 125kr each and include Lofoten, Rallarvegen, the North Sea Cycleway from the Swedish border at Svinesund to Bergen, and other routes.
Hiking
A network of 1200km of trails leads into Nordmarka from Frognerseteren (at the end of T-bane line 1), including a good trail down to Sognsvann lake, 6km northwest of the centre at the end of T-bane line 5. If you're walking in August, be sure to take a container for blueberries, and a swimsuit to cool off in the lake (bathing is allowed in all the woodland lakes around Oslo except Maridalsvannet and Skjersjøen lakes, which are drinking reservoirs). The pleasant walk around Sognsvann itself takes around an hour, or for a more extended trip, try hiking to the cabin at Ullevålseter, a pleasant old farmhouse that serves waffles and coffee. The return trip (about 11km) takes around three hours.
The Ekeberg woods to the southeast of the city centre is another nice place for a stroll. During summer weekends it's a popular spot for riding competitions and cricket matches, and there's an Iron Age heritage path through the woods. To get to the woods, take bus 34 or 46 from Jernbanetorget to Ekeberg Camping. For a piece of architectural history, don't miss the Ekeberg Restaurant, one of the earliest examples of functionalism. On the way down, stop at the Valhall Curve to see the view that inspired Edvard Munch to paint The Scream.
The DNT office, which maintains several mountain huts in the Nordmarka region, can provide information and maps covering longer-distance hiking routes throughout Norway.
Oslo PromenadeWALKING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 42 70 20; www.guideservice.no; adult/child 200kr/free, with Oslo Pass free; hend May-Sep; jRådhusplassen)
Oslo Guide Service conducts a 1½-hour evening city walk starting from in front of the Rådhus (town hall) at 5.30pm; no booking required. The guides are knowledgeable and entertaining, making this a good option for getting an insider's view of Oslo. They also offer personalised city tours for groups of 10 or more, which have to be booked in advance.
Ice Skating
There are several ice-skating rinks in and around the city, including the outdoor winter-only one at Frogner (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %910 05 955; www.frognerstadion.no; Middelthunsgate 26; adult/child 40/15kr; h11am-10pm Mon-Thu, to 9pm Fri, to 6pm Sat & Sun Dec-Mar; YBorgen).
Spikersuppa Outdoor Ice RinkICE SKATING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Karl Johans gate; jØvre Slottsgate)F
The most central, and romantic, ice skating in Oslo can be found at the Spikersuppa outdoor ice rink, where you can skate for free whenever it's cold enough to freeze over (around November to March). The rink often closes at around 3pm to allow for ice preparation. Skates can be hired from the ice rink for 100kr.
Skiing
Oslo's ski season runs roughly from December to March. There are more than 2400km of prepared nordic tracks (1000km in Nordmarka alone), many of them floodlit, as well as a ski resort within the city limits. Easy-access tracks begin at the end of T-bane lines 1 and 5. The Skiservice Centre (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 13 95 00; www.skiservice.no; Tryvannsveien 2; h10am-8pm; YHolmen), at Voksenkollen station, one T-bane stop before Frognerseteren, hires out snowboards and nordic skis. The downhill slopes at Oslo Vinterpark (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %404 62 700; www.oslovinterpark.no; h10am-10pm Mon-Fri, to 5pm Sat & Sun Dec–mid-Apr; YHolmen) are open in the ski season. Check out www.holmenkollen.com for more ski-related info.
Holmenkollen Ski Jump SimulatorSKIING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %900 12 046; www.skisimulator.no; adult/child 95/55kr; h9am-8pm Jun-Aug, 10am-5pm May & Sep, 10am-4pm rest of year; YHolmen)
With its use of aeronautical flight simulator technology, you can hurtle down 130km of slopes. It's a fast and furious, if totally safe, experience and perhaps best avoided if you have a weak stomach.
KorketrekkerenSNOW SPORTS
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; www.akeforeningen.no; Holmenkollen; adult/child hire per day 150/80kr; h9am-9pm Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm Sun winter; YHolmen)
In the winter, try sledding down the 'legendary' Korketrekkeren (corkscrew) toboggan run. The 2km-long track drops 255m and began its life as a bobsledding run for the 1952 Olympics. Sleds can be rented at the Akerforeningen, next to the Frognerseteren restaurant. To get here, take the T-bane to Frognerseteren and follow the signs downhill.
Swimming
Oslo has two rather charming outdoor municipal swimming pools, the Tøyenbadet (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 30 44 70; Helgesens gata 90; adult/child 98/48kr; h9am-7pm; YTøyen) near the Munchmuseet, and the Frognerbadet (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 27 54 50; Middelthuns gate 28; adult/child 98/48kr; h7am-7.30pm Mon-Thu, to 8pm Fri-Sun Jun–mid-Aug; YBorgen) in the Frognerparken. There are also several fjord and river swimming spots, including spots up along the Akerselva past the art school, and the Sørenga Seapool (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Sørengkaia 69; jBjørvika) on the Bjørvika inlet.
Islands & Beaches
When (or perhaps, if) the weather heats up, there are a few reasonable beaches within striking distance of central Oslo. Ferries to half a dozen islands in the Oslofjord region leave from Vippetangen Quay, southeast of Akershus Fortress. Boats to Hovedøya and Langøyene are relatively frequent in summer (running at least hourly), while other islands are served less often. The last ferry leaves Vippetangen at 6.45pm in winter and 9.05pm in summer.
The southwestern shore of otherwise rocky Hovedøya, the nearest island to the mainland, is popular with sunbathers. The island is ringed with walking paths to old cannon emplacements and the 12th-century Cistercian monastery ruins.
South of Hovedøya lies the undeveloped island of Langøyene, which has superb swimming from rocky or sandy beaches (one on the southeastern shore is designated for nude bathing). Boat 94 will get you there, but it only runs during the summer.
The Bygdøy peninsula has two popular beaches, Huk and Paradisbukta, which can be reached on bus 30 from Jernbanetorget to its last stop. While there are some sandy patches, most of Huk comprises grassy lawns and large smooth rocks ideal for sunbathing. Separated into two beaches by a small cove, the beach on the northwestern side is open to nude bathing. If Huk seems too crowded, a 10-minute walk through the woods north of the bus stop leads to the more secluded Paradisbukta.
Finally, just in front of the Astrup Fearnley Museum and bang in the heart of Oslo, there's a tiny, man-made pebble beach with very safe swimming that's popular with local families.
The waters around Oslo can get surprisingly warm – up to 22°C isn't unusual. So pack your swimming costume!
Tjuvholmen City BeachBEACH
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; Tjuvholmen; jAker brygge)
Backed by a sprawling, lush and sculpture-dotted lawn, this tiny beach is often crowded with little Osloites splashing like there's no tomorrow, but it's still a delight.
TTours
Oslo has the usual range of guided tours that can offer greater cultural and historical insight into what is an easy-to-explore and super-well-organised destination, but one with a back story that's not as well known as major world capitals. Along with these there are boat trips that include various sights along the waterfront and on the Bygdøy peninsula as well as specialist tours for those interested in architecture, Norwegian crime fiction or the work of Henrik Ibsen or Edvard Munch. The Oslo Visitor Centre has details of them all, both online and in the office.
Oslo Opera House English Guided ToursTOUR
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %21 42 21 21; Kirsten Flagstads plass 1; adult/child 100/60kr; h11am, noon & 1pm daily Jul-early Aug, 11am, noon & 1pm Mon-Fri, noon & 1pm Sat, 1pm Sun early Aug-31 Aug, 1pm Sun-Fri, noon Sat rest of year; YJernbanetorget)
In both English and Norwegian, these tours take you into some of the building's 1100 rooms. The guide will explain much of the spacial symbolism of the building, and reveal something of life behind the scenes at the Opera House. In high season it's a good idea to book in advance.
Viking BikingCYCLING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %412 66 496; www.vikingbikingoslo.com; Nedre Slottsgate 4; 3hr tour adult/child 350/200kr; h9.30am-6pm; jØvre Slottsgate)
This excellent outfit is a great place to head if you want to explore Oslo on two wheels. It runs a range of guided bike tours, including a three-hour 'City Highlights' route through some of Oslo's parks and backstreets, plus a 'River Tour' along the path beside the Akerselva River, both designed to avoid traffic wherever possible.
Båtservice SightseeingBOATING
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 35 68 90; www.boatsightseeing.com; Pier 3, Rådhusbrygge; per person 215-650kr; jAker brygge)
For a watery view of Oslo and the Oslofjord, Båtservice Sightseeing offers a whole array of tours aboard either a traditional wooden schooner or a more up-to-date motorboat. There's a hop-on, hop-off service from May to September (24-hour ticket 215kr).
Norway in a NutshellTOURS
(Fjord Tours; %81 56 82 22; www.norwaynutshell.com)
For maximum sights in minimal time. From Oslo, the typical route includes a train across Hardangervidda to Myrdal, descent along the dramatic Flåmbanen, cruise along Nærøyfjorden to Gudvangen, bus to Voss, connecting train to Bergen for a short visit, then an overnight return rail trip to Oslo (including a sleeper compartment); the return tour costs 2790kr.
You can also do one-way tours to Bergen (1890kr). Book at tourist offices or train stations.
zFestivals & Events
Holmenkollen Ski FestivalSPORTS
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %22 92 32 00; http://skifest.no/; Kongeveien 5; hearly Mar)
One of the world's most revered ski festivals. Its penultimate day is so loved by locals it's dubbed 'second National Day'.
Inferno Metal FestivalMUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.infernofestival.net; hEaster)
This festival, held over Easter, lets the dark lords of heavy metal loose on the good people of Oslo.
OverOsloMUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.overoslo.no; Grefsenkollveien 100; hJun)
A three-day event with a broad range of acts set in a stunning natural amphitheatre with views all the way down to the Oslofjord.
Norwegian Wood FestivalMUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.norwegianwood.no; hJun)
Oslo plays host to dozens of music festivals, but this is one of the most highly regarded and always includes a good selection of Norwegian acts as well as international headliners.
Øya FestivalMUSIC
(
GOOGLE MAP
; www.oyafestivalen.com; Tøyenparken; day passes 950kr; hearly Aug; YTøyen)
S
Øya Festival, the largest rock and indie music festival in Norway, is a green example. The four festival stages are powered through renewable energy, all rubbish is recycled, and – maybe most impressively – the sewage generated by the 16,000 festival-goers is converted into bio-fuel to fuel the buses taking people between central Oslo and the festival grounds.
The Øya Festival attracts some of the biggest names in the rock and indie scene, with performers at the 2017 festival including the Pixies, Lana del Ray, Feist, Mac de Marco, Roy Ayers and Young MA, as well as many others. In addition, there are all the normal festival sideshows.
Oslo International Jazz FestivalMUSIC
(www.oslojazz.no; hmid-Aug)
Jazz and Oslo's long summer evenings go well together, and the festival brings big names to venues across the city.
Oslo Opera FestivalPERFORMING ARTS
(www.operafestival.no; hOct)
Live opera fills the concert halls – and even the streets – of Oslo.
4Sleeping
Oslo has plenty of accommodation, including a growing number of small B&Bs and private rentals that offer more character than the chain hotels. Hotels are usually well run and comfortable, but tend towards the bland, and – yes, you guessed it – you'll pay a lot more for what you get compared with other countries. Most hotels have wi-fi access.
Central Oslo
oSaga Poshtel OsloHOSTEL$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %23 10 08 00; www.sagahoteloslocentral.no; Kongens gate 7; dm/d 520/1100; 
W; jØvre Slottsgate)
A crossover hostel-hotel (posh-tel, if you didn't already get it), smartly designed and very central, with a big social lounge with decent wi-fi. Rooms are basic but spotless; there are lots of doubles, plus four- and six-bunk-bed dorms, all with en suites.
Citybox OsloHOTEL$$
(
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %21 42 04 80; www.citybox.no/oslo; Prinsens gate 6; s/d 920/1045kr; W; jDronningens Gate)
This functional city chain comes to Oslo with its trademark brand of no-frills, bare-bones rooms at bargain prices (well, at least for Norway). But don't expect prison-block chic – it's surprisingly smart, with plain all-white rooms, Scandi-style furniture, free wi-fi and an on-site cafe, as well as a great downtown location. Plush: no; practical: very.