Oslo Surrounds
3
Day Itinerary •
Norway
Three days in Oslo and its surrounds give you the full sweep of one of the most extraordinary capital cities in Scandinavia, where the Oslofjord cuts deep into the city and the forested hills of the Nordmarka rise directly behind. From the extraordinary Opera House rising from the fjord to Vigeland's monumental sculpture park, the Viking Ship Museum and the extraordinary island villages of the Oslofjord, Oslo is compact, walkable and endlessly surprising. This route covers the essential Oslo. The extraordinary Opera House and the Aker Brygge waterfront, the Akershus fortress and the medieval old town, the Vigeland Sculpture Park with 212 bronze and granite works, the extraordinary Viking Ship Museum at Bygdoy with the finest preserved Viking ships in the world, and the extraordinary island archipelago of the Oslofjord accessible by ferry from the city.
Best Time To Visit
May to September
Getting There
Direct flights from most European cities to Oslo Gardermoen
Getting Around
Oslo Pass covers all public transport, ferries and most museums
Budget Per Day
Approx 150 to 250 NOK per person per day (meals extra)
Difficulity
Easy, walking and public transport
DAY 1
OSLO OLD TOWN
MORNING
THE OSLO OPERA HOUSE AND BJORVIKA
The Oslo Opera House, completed in 2008 by Snohetta, is the most extraordinary piece of contemporary architecture in Norway, its white marble and granite surfaces rising from the Oslofjord like an iceberg, the sloping roof entirely accessible to the public as a promenade giving extraordinary views over the fjord and the city. The new Munch Museum beside it, opened in 2021, contains the largest collection of Edvard Munch's work in the world. Opera House roof free. Munch Museum entry approx 160 NOK. Travel: 20 min walk
MIDDAY
AKERSHUS FORTRESS AND THE MEDIEVAL QUARTER
The Akershus Fortress on its promontory above the Oslofjord is the most extraordinary medieval building in Oslo, built around 1300 and expanded through the Renaissance. The extraordinary views from the fortress walls over the fjord and the city are the finest in Oslo. The Norwegian Resistance Museum within tells the extraordinary story of the Nazi occupation with remarkable objects. The medieval streets of the Christiania quarter below are the finest historic area in the city. Fortress free. Museum approx 100 NOK. Travel: 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
AKER BRYGGE AND THE OSLOFJORD
The Aker Brygge waterfront is the finest urban promenade in Oslo, its extraordinary transformation from a shipyard to a vibrant restaurant and gallery quarter giving the most extraordinary fjord views in the city. The Nobel Peace Center in the former West Station tells the story of every Nobel Peace Prize winner with extraordinary exhibitions. The extraordinary Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art on the waterfront by Renzo Piano is the finest contemporary art museum in Norway. Museum entry approx 150 NOK.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Kvadraturen quarter between Akershus and the central station is the most extraordinary hidden neighbourhood in Oslo, its extraordinary grid of 17th-century streets laid out by Christian IV in 1624 after the original city burned. The remarkable Christiania Torv square with its extraordinary Christian IV statue and the surrounding lanes are the finest medieval urban remains in Oslo. Entirely free to walk.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Kaffebrenneriet, Oslo Outstanding Oslo coffee chain. The finest flat white in Norway and excellent pastries. | Lunch: Fiskeriet, Youngstorget Outstanding fish market and restaurant. Fresh shrimp, salmon and local seafood at market prices. | Dinner: Maaemo, Oslo Three Michelin stars, the finest restaurant in Norway. Book months ahead. Norwegian ingredients extraordinary.
DAY 2
VIGELAND AND BYGDOY
MORNING
THE VIGELAND SCULPTURE PARK
The Vigeland Sculpture Park in Frogner Park is the most extraordinary public sculpture ensemble in the world, 212 bronze, granite and cast iron sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland between 1907 and 1942, all given to Oslo in exchange for a studio and lifetime stipend. The extraordinary Monolith, a 14-metre granite column of 121 interwoven human figures, is the centrepiece. The Bridge of 58 bronze figures, the Fountain and the extraordinary Wheel of Life are all outstanding. Entirely free. Travel: 20 min bus to Bygdoy
MIDDAY
THE VIKING SHIP MUSEUM AT BYGDOY
The Viking Ship Museum at Bygdoy contains the finest preserved Viking ships in the world, three extraordinary oak vessels recovered from royal burial mounds in the Oslofjord dating from the 9th century. The Oseberg ship of 834 AD is the most extraordinary, its extraordinary carved wooden prow a masterpiece of Viking woodcarving. The extraordinary collection of sledges, beds and everyday objects buried with the dead gives the finest insight into Viking life anywhere. Entry approx 200 NOK. Travel: 15 min walk
AFTERNOON
THE KON-TIKI AND FRAM MUSEUMS
The Fram Museum at Bygdoy contains the extraordinary polar exploration vessel Fram, the strongest wooden ship ever built, which made three extraordinary voyages to the Arctic and Antarctic between 1893 and 1912. The Kon-Tiki Museum beside it contains the extraordinary balsa wood raft on which Thor Heyerdahl sailed 8,000km from Peru to Polynesia in 1947. Both museums tell stories of extraordinary Norwegian polar and maritime exploration. Entry approx 150 NOK each.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Bogstad Manor north of Oslo is the most extraordinary undiscovered country house in Norway, a late 18th-century manor house with an extraordinary collection of European decorative arts set in the finest English landscape garden in Scandinavia. Entry approx 120 NOK. The manor is used as the prime minister's summer residence and is largely unknown to visitors.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Cafe at Frogner Park Coffee before the park opens fully. The Vigeland sculptures at 8am are extraordinary. | Lunch: Lanternen, Bygdoy Outstanding seasonal restaurant on the Bygdoy shore. Local shrimp and Norwegian white wine. | Dinner: Territoriet, Oslo Outstanding natural wine bar and restaurant in the city centre. Local Norwegian small plates.
DAY 3
OSLOFJORD ISLANDS
MORNING
THE OSLOFJORD ISLANDS BY FERRY
The Oslofjord island archipelago is the most extraordinary natural escape from a European capital, over 40 islands accessible by public ferry from Pier 3 in just 10 minutes, the closest lying closer to the city centre than most Oslo suburbs. Hovedoya has extraordinary 12th-century monastery ruins, a secluded beach and a cafe. Gressholmen has the finest wild swimming in the archipelago. Langoyene has the largest beach. All ferries covered by the Oslo Pass. Running every 30 minutes in summer. Travel: 30 min ferry back to Oslo
MIDDAY
NAKHOLMEN AND ISLAND SWIMMING
Nakholmen is the most extraordinary inhabited island in the Oslofjord, its extraordinary collection of tiny summer cabins occupied since the 1920s and its extraordinary rocky shore giving the finest swimming in the archipelago. The island has no cars and no hotels, just extraordinary Norwegian summer life at its most authentic. The ferry from Langoyene or directly from Pier 3 takes 15 minutes. The rocks above the western shore give extraordinary views back over Oslo. Travel: 30 min ferry to Pier 3
AFTERNOON
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM AND KARL JOHANS GATE
The National Museum of Norway, opened in 2022, is the largest art museum in Scandinavia, its extraordinary collection including The Scream and The Madonna by Edvard Munch, extraordinary Viking age objects and the finest collection of Norwegian fine and decorative arts. The extraordinary new building by Kleihues and Schuwerk gives views over the fjord from the upper floors. Book timed entry tickets in advance. The Karl Johans Gate promenade outside is the finest in Oslo. Entry approx 200 NOK.
💎 HIDDEN GEM
The Akerselva river walking path from Grunerlokka to Akerbrygge is the most extraordinary urban walk in Oslo, following the extraordinary river through the city's former industrial district past waterfalls, old mills and the finest street art in Norway. The walk takes approximately 2 hours and is entirely free. The Mathallen food hall at Vulkan on the route is outstanding.
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Breakfast: Java Kaffeebar, Oslo Outstanding Oslo specialty coffee. The finest neighbourhood cafe in the city centre. | Lunch: Picnic on the islands Buy from Mathallen food hall the previous day. Fresh shrimp, bread and Norwegian cheese on the rocks. | Dinner: Arakataka, Oslo Outstanding modern Norwegian cuisine. Local fish, game and the finest Scandinavian wine list.
DAY 4
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
DAY 5
MORNING
MIDDAY
AFTERNOON
💎 HIDDEN GEM
🍽 WHERE TO EAT
Where To Stay
Oslo City Centre Thon Hotel Opera or Grand Hotel. Walking distance to everything. Approx 1,200 to 2,500 NOK. Budget Option Anker Hotel or Oslo Hostel. Good transport links, more affordable. Approx 600 to 1,200 NOK per night.
Top Tips
1. The Oslo Pass is the finest value in Norway. Buy the 48-hour pass on arrival at the airport or central station.
2. Walk on the Opera House roof at sunset. The white marble roof is public and free, giving extraordinary fjord views.
3. The Vigeland Park is open 24 hours. Visit at dawn when the extraordinary sculptures have no other visitors.
4. The Oslofjord island ferries run from Pier
3. Hovedoya has monastery ruins and a beach. Bring a picnic.
5. Norway is expensive. Buy groceries from Rema 1000 or Kiwi for picnics. The best value is always the fish market.
6. The National Museum opened in 2022 and contains The Scream by Munch. Book timed entry tickets online.
Total Budget
1,100 to 2,400 NOK/day