Up to Holmenkollen
Take the metro up to the famous ski jump, with a ski museum and a viewing platform at the top. Carry on to Frognerseteren for hiking or skiing in the Nordmarka forest.
See tours and pricesThe capital on the fjord · Norway
Oslo
Your guide to Oslo
New architecture, old masters and forest and fjord on the doorstep.
Oslo lies at the head of the Oslo Fjord, surrounded by forested hills. The city was founded in the 11th century, rebuilt by the Danish king Christian IV after a fire in 1624 and called Christiania until 1925. Today Oslo is one of Europe's fastest-growing capitals, yet still compact enough that you can reach most places on foot.
In recent years the water has once again become a central part of city life. Along the quays of Bjørvika stand the Opera House, whose roof you can walk up onto, the MUNCH museum and new residential quarters. At Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen, the restaurants' outdoor seating fills right out onto the piers. From here, ferries also run to small islands in the fjord, where you can swim and hike.
Art has a prominent place in Oslo. Vigeland Park holds hundreds of sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, and Edvard Munch's works, including several versions of The Scream, are shown at both MUNCH and the National Museum. On the Bygdøy peninsula, museums tell of stave churches, polar expeditions and Norwegian folk life.
Nature is never far away. In half an hour the metro takes you to Holmenkollen and the Nordmarka forests, with hiking trails in summer and ski tracks in winter. Oslo is expensive, but much of the best is free: the parks, the opera roof, the islands and the viewpoints.
Things to do
A walk along Akerselva
The river runs through the city past waterfalls, old factories and green paths. Follow it upstream from Grünerløkka and Mathallen for a peaceful walk in the middle of town.
See tours and prices
A swim at Sørenga
The seawater pool at Sørenga in Bjørvika has a pool, piers and a sandy beach right in town, and it's free. In several places around the harbour you can also rent a floating sauna.
See tours and pricesPack right
Best May–September
−4–22 °CCold, often snowy winters with short days, and summers around 20 °C with long light evenings. Winter draws people with skiing in the forests above the city.
Current currency
kr
Norwegian krone
1 NOK to SEKThe rate is updated every hour. Always check the current rate before you travel.
Find places to stay in Oslo
Compare hotels and apartments on the map, with current prices.
The map loads from Stay22 only when you click. Stay22 may then set cookies and collect information about your browser. Privacy
Plan your trip
Getting to Oslo
Oslo Airport Gardermoen (OSL) lies about 50 kilometres north of the centre and has direct flights from Stockholm, Gothenburg and many European cities. The Flytoget airport express takes you to Oslo Central Station in around 20 minutes, and ordinary regional trains are cheaper but a little slower. Some low-cost flights land at Torp (TRF) near Sandefjord, a couple of hours away by bus.
Trains and buses run directly to Oslo from Gothenburg and Stockholm. Ferries sail to Oslo from Copenhagen, Kiel and Frederikshavn.
Check current departures and prices before you travel.
Where to stay
The centre around Oslo Central Station and Karl Johans gate is practical, close to trains, museums and the harbour. Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen have elegant waterside hotels, and Bjørvika is close to the Opera House and MUNCH.
Grünerløkka, with parks, cafés and bars around Olaf Ryes plass, suits you if you'd rather stay in a neighbourhood, and Frogner and Majorstuen are calm areas near Vigeland Park. Oslo is expensive, so compare prices and book well ahead of big events and summer weekends.
The big and the small
Selected sights
Akershus Fortress
The medieval castle by the harbour was built around 1300 and turned into a Renaissance palace by Christian IV. Walking on the ramparts is free, and the views over the fjord and Aker Brygge are lovely. Inside the grounds is Norway's Resistance Museum, about the resistance movement during the Second World War.
MUNCH
The tall museum on the waterfront in Bjørvika opened in 2021 and has the world's largest collection of Edvard Munch's work, with paintings, prints and drawings. The versions of The Scream are shown in rotation to protect them. The upper floors have views over the fjord and the Opera House.
Oslo City Hall
The red-brick City Hall by the harbour was inaugurated in 1950. The Nobel Peace Prize is awarded here every year on 10 December. Inside, the great halls are covered in murals of Norwegian history and everyday life, and entry is free.
The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History
The open-air museum on Bygdøy has more than 150 buildings from all over Norway, from log farmhouses to a whole town quarter. The highlight is the Gol stave church from around 1200. In summer, staff in period dress demonstrate crafts and folk dancing. Bygdøy is reached by bus or, in summer, by boat from Rådhusbrygga.
The Fram Museum
The museum on Bygdøy is built around the polar ship Fram, which carried Fridtjof Nansen towards the North Pole and Roald Amundsen to Antarctica. You can go on board and see the cabins where the crew lived for years. The Kon-Tiki Museum, with Thor Heyerdahl's balsa raft, is right next door.
A walk on the Opera House roof
The Opera House in Bjørvika opened in 2008 and is built so that its sloping roof of white stone runs all the way down into the water. The roof is open to everyone, around the clock and for free, and from the top you look out over the fjord, the islands and the city's new skyline. Inside you can take a guided tour or see opera and ballet.
Vigeland Park
Frogner Park holds more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and wrought iron by Gustav Vigeland, depicting human life from birth to death. At the centre is the Monolith, a column of 121 figures carved from a single block of granite. The park is free and always open, and early in the morning you'll have it almost to yourself.
The islands of the Oslo Fjord
Ferries run from Aker Brygge to the islands of the inner fjord, and they're included in Ruter's ordinary tickets. Hovedøya has the ruins of a 12th-century monastery, meadows and swimming spots, and on Lindøya and Gressholmen small colourful summer cabins stand close together. Bring a picnic and a swimsuit on a sunny day.
Worth knowing
Neighbourhoods
The centre gathers around Karl Johans gate, which runs from Oslo Central Station past the Parliament up to the Royal Palace. Bjørvika on the waterfront is the newest part of the city, with the Opera House, MUNCH, the Deichman main library and the Barcode row of high-rises. Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen are former shipyards with restaurants and the Astrup Fearnley art museum. Grünerløkka, along the Akerselva river, is a former working-class district with cafés, vintage shops and bars. Frogner is elegant, with Vigeland Park, and the Bygdøy peninsula has museums, villas and beaches.
Food & drink
Mathallen by the Akerselva river gathers stalls with Norwegian produce, cheese, fish and small restaurants under one roof. Try brown cheese, brunost, on a waffle or a sandwich, smoked salmon and fresh shrimp, and pølse med lompe, a sausage in potato flatbread, from a street kiosk. Skolebrød, a bun with vanilla custard and coconut, is a classic with coffee. Oslo has several restaurants with Michelin stars, but eating out is expensive, so lunch is often the best value. Alcohol is expensive, and wine and spirits are only sold at Vinmonopolet.
Getting around
Central Oslo is easy to explore on foot. The metro, trams, buses and the island ferries in the fjord all use the same Ruter tickets. Buy your ticket in the Ruter app or from a machine before boarding, and consider a 24-hour ticket if you'll be travelling a lot. Metro line 1 runs up to Holmenkollen and Frognerseteren. Oslo Bysykkel has rental bikes at stations around the centre.
Apps
The Ruter app sells tickets and shows departures for the metro, trams, buses and boats in Oslo. With the Vy app you buy train tickets, for example from the airport or further into Norway. The Oslo Bysykkel app unlocks the rental bikes, and Bolt and Uber are available if you need a taxi. Yr, the Norwegian weather service, is handy before trips to the forest or the fjord.
Essentials
Norway has its own currency, the Norwegian krone, and cards or mobile payment work almost everywhere. Oslo is one of Europe's most expensive cities, so expect high prices for food, drink and transport. Norway is in the EEA, so EU roaming rules apply to most plans. Wine and spirits are sold at Vinmonopolet, and supermarkets only sell beer until 8 pm on weekdays and 6 pm on Saturdays. The tap water is excellent, and tipping isn't required.
Extra tips and advice
Many of Oslo's best experiences are free, such as the opera roof, Vigeland Park, Akershus Fortress and the City Hall. Take an island ferry from Aker Brygge, included in an ordinary ticket, for a cheap trip on the fjord. Buy food at a supermarket and have a picnic in a park or on an island. Take the metro up to Holmenkollen on a clear day, and walk up Ekeberg at sunset for the view that inspired Munch.
