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Oslo Point of Interest: The Best Things To Do in Oslo, Norway

We have chosen our favorite point of interest in Oslo and made a complete walking travel guide for you to download. Oslo, the capital of Norway, is known for its popular green spaces and museums. It is also located on a Fjord with many breathtaking natural views. One thing not to miss is the artifacts from ancient Viking cultures! As a short, but long city, you can visit all the tourist spots with just 10 kilometers of walking.

Travel Guide: Oslo in the winter

Oslo, Norway Travel Video

We arrived to the beautiful city of Oslo, Norway to the international airport. The quickest way to get to downtown is with the train to Oslo Central Station. The regular train takes 23 minutes and costs 92NOK.  If you are student, there is a discount for the express train, which only takes 17 minutes for 90NOK! Either way the train tickets are half the cost of a bus ticket.

When taking the train from the airport, there is also the option to get off at the National Theater stop, which might be closer to your hotel.

Outside of Central Station is Lilletorget square with many shops and a massive sculpture titled Neve og rose (Fist and Rose).

➳ Find all: Hotels in Oslo

10Km Walking Travel Guide to Oslo, Norway

Walking Map

https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/embed?mid=1L7hOPvUS3x4oCSrGMi3362tG28U

Oslo Cathedral

Oslo Cathedral it is on the way to see the Royal Palace. We pass through the Oslo Central Station. Last time we went there, it was decorated  the walls outside the station with “book pages”, now it seems it is not the case. Also, there is a beautiful sculpture of scuba divers coming from the sky outside the station near the park.

Norwegian Opera House

Norwegian Opera House

The Norwegian Opera house is beautiful on the outside and in the inside. You get a view of the harbor from the top, but it is not that great. However you get a great view the iceberg shaped She Lies monumental sculpture built out of stainless steel and glass panels.

Akershus fortress

Akershus fortress oslo
View of the Akershus fortress from Aker Brygge

The Akershus fortress or castle is in front of the Nobel Peace Center. It is a great place to enjoy the sunset and take pictures of the whole city. The fortress is free although to go inside the castle might cost 7 euros if you are a student. The castle is at the end of the fortress.  The resistance museum is inside the fortress but it is closed.

Nobel Peace Center

In the same neighborhood next to the waterfront is the Nobel Peace Center. It is 7 euros for student. We did not go in. It is in the same area as the Oslo City Hall and a big plaza where you can buy souvenirs.

Aker Brygge

Aker brygge is a neighborhood with a waterfront in Oslo. It is nice to walk around the waterfront. There are many shops, restaurants and bars where you can grab a beer or a quick snack and enjoy the sun.

National Theatre

We then walked to the National Theatre located at the edge of the busy walking Karl Johans gate street. It makes for a great picture or Norwegian show.

Storting Building

Storting building oslo

At the base of the street and adjacent park is the Storting Building, which is the home to parliament. You can take a free guided tour around the back of the building. The tour only takes place on Saturday’s at 10:00 and 11:30AM.

Norwegian National Gallery

Norwegian National Gallery is located at the base of the Palace. It houses Norway’s largest public collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures. The museum is open daily, except Mondays. Tickets cost 100NOK and include entrance to the The Museum of Decorative Arts and Design, The Museum of Contemporary Art, and The National Museum – Architecture.

Historical Museum

Our next stop was the Historical Museum. It houses the largest collection of items from pre-historic times and the Middle Ages found in Norway. Tickets are 80NOK/person. The museum is open daily from 11AM to 4PM and closed on Mondays.

Near the museum there is a fantastic looking CityTree, a structure that inserts biologically engineered moss into urban benches.

The Royal Palace

Royal Palace Oslo

The Royal Palace is located on the top of the hill, from there you can see down the whole commercial street. it is definitely worth going up the hill, even if you do not wish to tour the palace. There are hour-long guided tours of the palace available daily at noon, 2PM, 2:20PM and 4PM for 95NOK.

Next to the palace there is a garden that you can walk straight to the Historical Museum. it is 10 euros for students.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

Vigeland Sculpture Park Oslo

Vigeland Sculpture park is the world’s largest sculpture park made by a single artist, Gustav Vigeland, and located within Frogner Park. The entrance is free and it is really beautiful, with over 200 human or human-like sculptures. It is also a beautiful spot during sunset. It is the furthest tourist attraction in Oslo from our hotel.

Oslo Jewish Museum

We then began to walk back in the direction of our hotel to the Oslo Jewish Museum. It is really interesting because it is a mix of a Jewish museum and a Shoah memorial. It is different than other Shoah memorials you find in Europe because this one shows you pictures and objects of owners who died in the holocaust and describe the Norwegian Jewish family history.

Tickets cost 60NOK/adults and 40NOK/students. Unfortunately it is only open three days a week, with the following schedule:

  • Tuesday: 10AM to 3PM
  • Thursday: 2PM to 7PM
  • Sunday: 11PM to 4PM

Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DOGA)

If you like architecture the DogA is the museum for you. We did not go as we are not interested in architecture, but it is one of the best museums of its kind in the world! If you are not intrigued, it is not worth the time.

University Botanical Garden

University Botanical garden Oslo

The University Botanical Garden is not to be missed. If you like flowers it is a must to visit in the spring or fall. It is absolutely worth going, even if the flowers are not in bloom, to enjoy the many sculptures around the park. Right now there is an exhibition of Willow Sculptures. You can walk around the park for free.

If you would like to go into the Natural History Museum it is open Tuesday to Sunday from 11AM to 4PM and costs 50NOK for adults.

Munch Museum

The Munch Museum is next to the botanic garden and really close where we were staying. Unfortunately, every time we made it to the museum it was already closed, so we were only able to see the outside.

Hovedøya abbey

Hovedøya abbey is located in the Island of Hovedoya right across from Oslo.  It is the beautiful ruins of a medieval Norwegian Cistercian monastery. To go there you need to go either by ferry or buy a tour.

Accommodations

Oslo Hotel Apartments

The Oslo Hotel Apartments are the best valued hotel in all of Oslo. It is located just south of the Botanical Garden and Munch Museum.

We stayed in a private room in shared apartment, with a shared bathroom and kitchenette. Not only was it half the price, but we saved bundles on being able to cook our own food, as Oslo has some of the most expensive food prices we have encountered.

The only downside of the hotel is it is located 2km away from most of what Oslo has to offer. Yet, its price is best in the city, by far.

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Things to do in Oslo, Norway

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Trees Rotteveel

Friday 10th of March 2017

Great info!

Alanna

Saturday 7th of May 2016

Great tip on the hotel!

Hollie

Friday 6th of May 2016

That is really interesting and unique. I quite enjoyed that you mapped it out too for anyone. When I lived overseas, I had two friends that moved to Norway so this brings out some familiar memories.

Bernadette

Wednesday 4th of May 2016

Those mushrooms are so fun! I love all these buildings. I have never been to Norway but have friends that go there often, they love it and always share the most amazing pics.

Sonnie

Tuesday 3rd of May 2016

10k walk to enjoy Oslo is a fun way to burn calories and exercise the heart :)

If given a chance, I would love to check the Jewish Museum, the Botanical Garden and the Sculpture Park.