Oslo, Norway
Oslo is the capital of Norway, a Scandinavian country of about 5.5 million people in the north of Europe. It is quiet, and not as populous as most other industrialized and modern countries because of the rough terrain, cold, and distance from other population centers.
Oslo is a quiet place. You will notice as soon as you arrive in the city the lack of vehicle noise in particular. The residents of Oslo and Norway as a whole have been purchasing many more EVs than combustion engine vehicles in the past few years, and one of the results is less noisome public areas. The city is certainly walkable, meaning less access to the city center by vehicular roads or highways, combined with the quieter cars, makes for a very different auditory experience than you may expect.
Where to Go and What to Do
The prolific painter Edvard Munch was the Norwegian artist responsible for the ubiquitously known “The Scream“, and various other melting faces. He is buried in Oslo and has a museum in the city named after him, simply called MUNCH, that holds many of his works and personal effects. If you interested in this artist’s work or his unique style, the museum is a must see, and offers an interesting glimpse into the sometimes emotionally harried life of a complicated man.
If you’d like to pay your respects to Edvard Munch, or to take a stroll through the memories of Oslo generations past, the great painter is laid to rest in Our Savior's Cemetery, not too far from Oslo Central.
The small peninsula named Bygdøy at the northern peak of the fjord is home to many of the attractive activities in the city. Nearly 4,000 people call this area home, with room left over for a royal estate, multiple museums, beaches, and woods and walking paths for recreation.
Oslo has a panoply of museums in close quarters, and the Oslo Pass gives entry at no charge into many of those. Be aware that in the winter many of the museums will have shorter open hours than in the summer. Most museums are also closed on Mondays.
The Viking Ship Museum has been closed for some time now, but will be a treat to visit when it reopens, which is planned for 2027.
The Fram Museum, named after a ship which now resides there, celebrates Norwegian polar exploration and three of the most famous Norwegian explorers specifically.
Kon-Tiki is the name of a type of raft, and the museum of the same name is devoted to the 1947 expedition of Thor Heyerdahl, who sailed from Peru to Polynesia.
The Norwegian Maritime Museum is located next to the Fram and Kon-Tiki museums on the Bygdøy peninsula and is responsible for preserving and sharing the seafaring traditions of Norway. In addition to both the indoor and outdoor exhibitions, it is possible to book trips on original and replica ships maintained by the NMM.
The Oslo Opera House is front and center just outside Oslo Central Station and is truly an architectural achievement of startling utility. The building is evocative of the snow and ice of the Norwegian winter. It holds operatic and other performances. But what makes it singular is the roof, which is walkable and open to the public.
Slanted, open walkways double as the roof for the opera house allowing people to utilize the building as a gathering place or a kind of public park. It is a great concept and fun to try out.
As you exit Oslo Central train station your eyes take in a square, roads, the opera house, and the fjord beyond it. Conspicuous in the waters of the fjord is a sculpture that resembles an iceberg, specifically one in a painting by German artist Caspar David Friedrich. She Lies, by Monica Bonvicini, is a wonderful, 3D interpretation of an iceberg that somehow ends up in Oslo. A permanent sculpture, the piece moves with the tide and wind.
Akershus Fortress is a large complex first built in 1290 to protect the city and provide a place for the royal family to reside.
The Royal Palace in Oslo was completed in 1849 and has since then been the home of the monarchs of Norway. It is located within easy walking distance of Oslo Central train station, straight west on Karl Johans Gate.
It is surrounded by the Palace Park, one of the largest parks in the capital.
The Frognerparken is the largest sculpture park in the world made by a single artist, that artist being Gustav Vigeland. The Frogner Park is the largest park in Oslo and most popular tourist attraction in Norway to boot.
Food
Norwegian food is a sleeper for quality, and we couldn’t believe our taste buds. No one can argue the classic tastiness of the waffle, and there are some surprise tastes like lingonberries and reindeer, which are now favorites. Even Norwegian sauerkraut is great, and that is a divisive food if ever there was one.
Brunost is a whey cheese, or as we like to say, it is cheese adjacent. Another name for it is mysost, but whatever you call it it is an iconic Norwegian food. Made from simply boiling down whey, the firm and brown spread has a sweet and unique taste, much like a soft cheese but altogether its own. It can be bought at any grocery store.
We highly suggest Schrøder Restaurant for an authentic taste of Norwegian cuisine, and at an affordable price as well.
How to Get Around
If you are arriving in Norway by air, the airport for Oslo is north of the city and it will take 20 minutes by train to reach Oslo Central Station. The airport offers a high speed train option that takes… 20 minutes. For twice the price. It runs every ten minutes during the day however, as the regional train runs every twenty minutes. Apparently there is enough demand to keep this route operating under its current pricing structure.
You can take a taxi from the airport as well, and this will cost several times more, up to 900 Norwegian Kroner. There are also buses available, for less than half the amount of a taxi. The bus does take about twice as long as the train, so although it costs more, at least you get some time for your money. We suggest you take the train and save both time and money, despite riding with other people. The seats are comfortable and there is WiFi available on the regional trains. Make sure you buy a ticket, as they will check en route and ensure everyone has paid.
The public transportation system in Oslo is called Ruter, which runs everything within the 5 Zones of Oslo except the ferry to Bygdøy.
Oslo Pass
As with many other cities the world over, Oslo offers a city card which is called the Oslo Pass. It comes in Adult, Child, Senior, and Student versions, as well as 24 hour, 48 hour, and 72 hour options, with the price varying for each. You purchase the card ahead of time or when you arrive, validate or activate it, then use it until your time limit is up.
The Oslo Pass offers free entry into most of the most popular museums in the city, as well as free public transportation of all kinds within Zones 1 and 2. Check the website to see the current museum offerings, discounts, and any exceptions to the transportation offering, as well as the current price. All of these are subject to change at the discretion of the overseeing agencies so we will not list them here. As with any other city card, weigh the price and convenience of your planned visits and transportation against the individual purchases of tickets to see if it is worth it to you on your trip.
In Oslo the Norwegian Krone (NOK) is used. There are 100 øre in 1 krone, and there are no coins smaller than 50 øre. Norway is pretty tech savvy, so cards are accepted everywhere.
Oslo Airport to Oslo Central Station
Bus 1h10m 240 NOK
Train 20 minutes 120 NOK
Taxi 40 minutes 1,000 NOK