By air
Oslo Gardermoen (OSL), ~50 km; ~20 min by express train
Europe · Norway
Oslo, Norway
A fjord capital of museums and saunas
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — long days
Don't miss
The Opera House
The Vigeland Park
The Munch Museum
The Akershus Fortress
Things to do
Walking on the Opera House roof
The Vigeland Park
The Viking and Fram museums
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Orjanarvola · CC BY-SA 4.0
What to pack
Layers
A quieter corner
A floating sauna in the harbour
Questions travellers ask
How do I get from Oslo Gardermoen into the city?
The airport is about 50 km out, but the express train does it in about 20 min.
When is Oslo at its best?
May to September, for the long days. Pack layers.
What should be on my Oslo list?
Walk on the Opera House roof, then visit the Vigeland Park, the Munch Museum and the Akershus Fortress. The Viking and Fram museums are worth a stop too.
What is a very Oslo thing to do?
Try a floating sauna in the harbour, then fresh prawns and a cinnamon bun.
About Oslo
- Coastal
Where it is
Oslo is the capital of Norway, at the northern end of the Oslofjord in the south-east of the country, with the forests and lakes of Nordmarka rising around its northern edge.
History
Oslo was founded around 1040, and around 1300 King Haakon V made it his permanent residence and began building Akershus Fortress. After a great fire in 1624, King Christian IV of Denmark-Norway rebuilt the city beside the fortress and named it Christiania; it took back the name Oslo in 1925.
People
Oslo's people speak Norwegian, and the city is home to people from all over the world. Skiing in the forests of Nordmarka and swimming in the fjord are part of everyday life, and the Holmenkollen Ski Festival is one of the great events of the winter.
Known for
- The Opera House and its walkable roof
- Vigeland's sculptures in Frogner Park
- The Munch Museum and The Scream
- The Fram polar ship and Viking Age treasures
- Floating saunas in the harbour
Did you know?
The Nobel Peace Prize is presented in Oslo City Hall every December, while the other Nobel prizes are awarded in Stockholm.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.