Date travelled: 10-11 October 2009
Formally known as Christiana, the city of Oslo is Norway's largest and is also the oldest city in Scandinavia, dating from the 11th century.
Oslo is served by several airports, so check which one you are arriving into to plan your route into the city centre. I flew into Torp airport which offers the Torp – Ekspress, with bus services departing from the airport roughly 30 minutes after each flight has landed. Tickets 300 Norwegian Kroner (about £33) return and the journey into the centre of Oslo takes about 90 minutes, depending on traffic. Be warned there are no printed timetables available at the airport as they are only available online (due to flight times changing on a regular basis). Be sure to check the bus times there first. I stayed at the Thon Hotel Astoria, which is situated right in the heart of Oslo.
Thankfully, Oslo is quite a compact city, with most of the highlights within comfortable walking distance. This will mean you'll be able to save your precious Kroners!
The first highlight of Oslo I will cover is Karl Johans gate, named after a former Swedish King. Today the street is the main shopping street of Oslo, and is mostly pedestrianised apart from the far end that is used for special Royal occasions.
Karl Johans gate
Karl Johans gate links together the major tourist attractions of Oslo. The first is Domkirke (Oslo cathedral). Currently under renovations, the cathedral was consecrated in 1697.
Domkirke (Oslo cathedral)
Continuing west, the next attraction you will see is Stortinget (Norwegian parliament building). The parliament was built whilst Norway was still part of Sweden, and has been the centre of power in Norway since 1866.
Stortinget (Norwegian parliament building)
Opposite the parliament building, separated by a large fountain in the centre of the square, is the National Theatre, opened in 1899 and state funded since 1927.
Oslo National Theater
At the far end of Karl Johans gate, near to the university building, is the Royal Palace (Der Kongelige Slott), built between 1825 and 1848 and was used by the Swedish monarchy during the union (which ended in 1905). Today, the palace is the official residence of the Norwegian monarchy, with the current King Harald V.
Royal Palace (Der Kongelige Slott)
South of the Royal Palace is the Nobel Peace Center, which opened in 2005. The museum is dedicated to the history of the Nobel peace prize and its past winners. Only recently US President Barack Obama was awarded the Nobel peace prize by a panel nominated by the Norwegian government.
Nobel Peace Centre, Oslo
Close to the Nobel Peace Centre is Oslo's city hall (Rådhus). The city hall was opened in 1950 and is the seat of Oslo's city council. It is also used for other special events. The building takes the shape of building blocks placed together.
Oslo city hall (Rådhus)
Oslo's city hall overlooks the harbour, where in warmer weather; several maritime events can be seen from dry land. Continuing around the harbour, and indeed overlooking most of Oslo, is Akershus Fortress & Castle. The castle is Oslo's most popular historical building, and is believed to have opened in 1319. Today, parts of the fort are still used by the Norwegian military.
Akershus Fortress & Castle
The fort does offer lovely views of not only Oslo, but the harbour side and the surrounding Fjords.
View of Oslofjord from Akershus Fortress & Castle
Oslo's newest attraction is towards the east of the city. The Opera House (Operahuset), built in 2008, rivals the Sydney opera house for architectural beauty. Visitors are (weather permitting) able to walk on the roof of the building!
Oslo Opera House (Operahuset)
If you are looking for a bit of peaceful green space during your visit to Oslo, head to Frogner park, which is popular with locals for its tranquillity and impressive sculptures carved out of granite. Oslo's city museum is also within the grounds of the park. It is particularly nice here on a sunny afternoon, as the colour palate of the leaves on the trees changing colour is splendid. The park is situated to the north-west of the city, and you can use the metro system (stop Majorstuen) to get there (single ticket 25 Norwegian Kroner – about £2.75).
Frogner Park
If you are looking for a pleasant evening stroll whilst in Oslo, head to the harbour side. You will be able to see the city hall beautifully lit up. The walk is also a good way to walk off a nice dinner or to do some last minute shopping.
Oslo City Hall (Rådhus) at Night
Be warned, eating out in Oslo can be extremely expensive. A three course meal in the majority of city centre restaurants will cost over 300 Norwegian Kroner (about £33) per person. If you want to cut down your costs, you could visit the fast food or one of the many Narvessen/7eleven stores for pizza slices, hot dogs and sandwiches to keep you going. In terms of beer, this is also very expensive in Oslo. The local pilsner beer is called Ringnes (4.5%) with its strong yet refreshing taste. In an Oslo bar, expect to pay between 60 and 80 Norwegian Kroner (between £6.60 and £8.80) for one 500ml drink!
Oslo may be a very expensive city to visit, but thanks to its compact size and thanks to it only being 90 minutes away by plane from London; it makes for a perfect weekend break.
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