Local tourism and travel information for Norway - South

Seven Things To Do In Oslo In A Day

Set between mountains and a fjord, Oslo, Norway's capital, is a year-round destination with an intriguing set of sightseeing attractions that deserve to be explored. The city has an efficient public transportation network and English is widely spoken, so you are unlikely to get lost when exploring the city on your own. Here are seven things you can do if you only have one day in Oslo.

 

1. The Viking Ships and an Open-Air Museum

 

Start the day with a visit to two of the most famous museums in Oslo. Pier 3 in front of the City Hall is the departure spot for public ferries to the Bygdoy peninsula, home to the Viking Ships Museum and the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History.

It takes only ten minutes to get there by ferry that leaves every 30 minutes from 8.45 a.m. to 8.45 pm in the summer months. Once there, you can see the world's two best preserved Viking ships from the 9th century in a museum built around them, and an open-air exhibition of traditional Norwegian wooden buildings and stave churches.

 

2. The Nobel Peace Center

 

After spending a couple of hours on Bygdoy, take the ferry back to the City Hall. Far from elegant, it is however one of Oslo's most famous landmarks.

 

Here, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year on December 10th.

A stone's throw away from the City Hall and to the left of the ferry pier is the Nobel Peace Center.

This unique exhibition presents the work and life of Alfred Nobel and the Peace Prize laureates. Among the highlights of the Peace Center are the world's only interactive digital wallpaper, movement-controlled screens and topical exhibitions.

 

3. Akershus Fortress

 

Akershus Fortress across the harbor from the Peace Center is an imposing stone and brick construction from the 14th century that withstood many a siege. It is now a partly military structure, used as a concert venue, museum and a Royal mausoleum, among other things.

 

The entrance to the fortress grounds is free. Witness changing of the Royal Guards at 1.30 p.m.daily.  

 

4. A Meal With a View

 

For either lunch or dinner, take tram number 19 to Ekeberg Restaurant. As you get off at Sjomannskolen, walk up the hill to the left of the tram line as you get off and head for the restaurant, a white functionalist style architectural gem from 1929 with its distinctive flat roof, cubic form and large areas of glass.

This short detour is worth it. When you get to the restaurant terrace, the view of the city and the islands of the Oslo fjord is truly spectacular.

 

5. Vigeland Sculpture Park - Oslo's Most Visited Attraction

 

Vigeland park covers an area of 80 acres and features over 200 nude sculptures in bronze and granite depicting human conditions in various stages of life. Gustav Vigeland, a sculptor originally trained as a wood carver, created this statuary between 1907 and 1943. He also designed the geometrically landscaped grounds, filled with the fragrance of thousands of roses.

 

The Monolith, a 46-foot-high column carved from one single block of granite, rises in the distance. The carving of more than a hundred intertwined human bodies climbing towards heaven took 14 years to accomplish. To get to this monument, strategically positioned in the highest point in the park, the visitor has to walk over a bridge that features some remarkable bronze figures on either side.

 

The nude statues represent people of all ages. The Little Angry Boy, depicted while stomping his feet, is the favorite of tourists who queue up for a photo with him.

The park is easily reached by tram number 12.

 

6. The New Opera

 

The capital's newest landmark, the Opera House, was built in 2008. It was awarded a prize for Best Cultural Building at World Architecture festival in Barcelona that same year.

It is an iceberg-like structure that seemingly melts into the fjord. White and angular from the outside, the inside features smooth-edged timber decor.

Admission is free from 10 am to 11 pm. Guided tours, which require reservations, are also available.

To get to the Opera, go over the pedestrian bridge from the Airport Express Train exit of Central Station, Jernbanetorget. 

 

7. An Informal Night Out

 

As the evening approaches, enjoy another side of Oslo with its many dining and entertainment options. For a taste of informal and bohemian life, go to vibrant Grünerløkka, a formerly run-down working class area that is now popular with the young and creative. Reach it by trams numbers 11, 12 or 13 from the center, getting off at Olav Ryes Plass.

 

Relax with a snack or a glass of wine or beer at a variety of bars and cafés running from inexpensive to overpriced. The bars and cafés are small, the restaurants lively and unpretentious.

 

Nightlife is vibrant on Grünerløkka. Generally, most bars and nightclubs are open until 3 am. These are often the same places that serve as ordinary bars and cafés during the day, but will impose age restrictions and often cover charges from 11 pm.

A good choice is Cafe Kaos, a rock bar in the evenings and a disco on Friday and Saturday nights. It's open to 3.30 am, no cover charge, on Thorvald Meyers gate 56.

If you like jazz, check out Blå Jazzclubb, which has live performances several times a week.

 

Public transport stops at about 1 am. If out late and not sure which way your hotel is, the safest bet is to get a taxi, even though they tend to be outrageously expensive.

While Oslo is generally safe, it is best not to wander unfamiliar streets at night.

 

If you go:

 

The Tourist Office near the City Hall sells the Oslo Pass that provides free transportation and free entrance to most museums.

Maps and other material on Oslo are gratis.

 

 

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