A Weekend in Oslo, Norway
We spent three days in Oslo and enjoyed every bit of it! We fell in love with Norway and can’t wait to visit more areas of this beautiful country. We visited in the fall at the beginning of November and the leaves were amazing. Here are the top things you need to see and do in Oslo!
Tips for Norway
Norway uses the Norwegian Krone for currency. Public transportation is easy to use and you can purchase tickets at the Visitor Center or use the Ruter App. Oslo has a City Pass that can be purchased in 24, 48, or 72 Hour times. It is a good idea to add up everything you wish to do and then see if the Oslo Pass is worth it for your family. The Oslo Pass also includes free public transportation.
Find out more info on transportation, click HERE.
For more info on the Oslo Pass, click HERE.
Norsk Folkemuseum
This was our favorite museum that we visited in Oslo. The Norsk museum is a living museum where you can see how people in Norway lived from 1200 to the 1900s. You can find live demonstrations and story times, as well as two exhibits with artifacts and artwork. This is where the famous Norwegian Stave Church is (pictured below) that dates back to 1200.
For more info and to purchase tickets, view the website HERE.
Munch Museum
The Munch museum is a newer museum dedicated to Edvard Munch. It contains three versions of the famous painting “The Scream”. The three actually alternate being on display due to light exposure. They change which painting is on display every thirty minutes. There are also lots of other works by Munch and other artists in the museum.
For more info on the Munch Museum, click HERE.
Damstredet & Telthusbakken
Damstredet & Telthusbakken has the oldest houses still standing in Oslo. This picturesque street has quaint homes from the 1700-1800s.
Read more info HERE.
Oslo City Hall
Inside Oslo City Hall is where the famous Nobel Peace Prize is presented every January. You can visit for free! Some famous Nobel Peace Prize recipients include Martin Luther King Jr, Mother Teresa, and Barack Obama.
For more info on City Hall, click HERE.
Akershus Fortress
The Akershus Fortress is a Medieval Castle in the city center near the water. Walking the grounds are free but you can also go inside the castle seasonally. The view from the top of the fortress of the water is phenomenal!
Fore more info on the fortress, click HERE.
Oslo Fjord Cruise
This was our favorite activity in Oslo! We did a sightseeing cruise on the Oslo Fjord. It takes you around the coast of Oslo past the Opera house and by the neighboring islands. It will stop at the Bydog peninsula (if you want to get off to go to any of the museums) and then continue back to Oslo. Food and drinks are available onboard and they gave us some commentary on the journey. If you visit when it’s cold try the Glugg! It is a non alcoholic hot drink and it tasted amazing. There are multiple boat companies that offer fjord cruises, I’ve linked the one we did below.
For more info on fjord cruises, click HERE.
Fram Museum
While you’re on the Bydog peninsula, pay a visit to the Fram Museum. This building was built to hold the Fram ship, one of the first ships to lead an expedition to the Arctic. It has a big simulator that makes you feel as though you are actually on the ship sailing to the arctic.
View more info on the Fram museum HERE.
Vigeland Park & Museum
Vigeland was a famous sculptor from Norway and you can visit his museum OR visit Vigeland Park that contains many of his pieces for free. Just a word to consider, some of the statues may be a bit much for small children. We personally did not visit the park so I don’t know about that but inside the museum there were a few provocative sculptures.
View more info on the Vigeland Museum HERE.
View more info on Vigeland Park HERE.
Opera House
Sitting on the water is Oslo’s coolest building, the Opera house! You can get a great view of the water, and you can actually walk on the roof. There is also a beautiful spot where you can see the swans up close beside the water. Across from the opera house you can see a few odd looking floating homes, those are actually saunas! We didn’t try them out but they definitely looked nice and obviously had a great view.
For more info on the Opera house, click HERE.
Royal Palace & Karl Johan’s Gate
The Royal Palace sits near the center of town and this is where the current Norwegian monarchs live. The building is beautiful (you cannot go inside) and it has a pretty view of the city looking onward. From here, the street is really pretty and runs into Karl Johans Gate, a really picturesque view of the city. You can also see the Royal Guards on duty.
View more info on the Royal Palace HERE.
View more info on Karl Johan’s gate HERE.
VĂKINGR Exhibit at Historisk Museum
Since the Viking Ship Museum was closed during our visit we still wanted to see some Viking relics so we headed over to the Historisk Museum. They have an exhibit called “Vikingr” that is filled with relics from 750 to 1050 AD.
Read more about the Historisk museum HERE.
Holmenkollen Olympic Ski Jump
Last but not least, pay a visit to one of the world’s tallest ski jumps! The Holmenkollen ski jump was used in the 1952 Winter Olympics. You can go up to the top for an amazing view of Oslo, visit the ski museum here, or even zipline off the top! We did do the zip line and it was fun, but in my honest opinion we did not think it was worth the amount of money it cost.
View more info on the ski jump HERE.
Restaurant Recommendations
The food was incredible everywhere we ate in Oslo! Just a warning, be prepared for how expensive the food is. As a family of three we didn’t spend less than $100 each meal. If you feel adventurous try some Norwegian delicacies like smoked whale or reindeer. I would also suggest to make a reservation everywhere you can, otherwise they will most likely be booked up. These are some restaurants we visited and had fabulous food:
Den Glade Gris
Kaffistova
Mathallen Oslo Food Hall
Finding the fun everywhere life takes us!
Love, Olivia Michelle
