Get ready to dive into the beautiful city of Oslo, Norway, where modernity and centuries-old charm intertwine. Located on the shores of Oslo fjord, Norway’s capital is a vibrant metropolitan city that offers history, art, and Nordic traditions. In this Oslo travel guide, I share delicious city eats, must-see landmarks, best things to do, hotels for all budgets, and more!
The best time to visit Oslo will depend on what activities you are looking to do and if you are visiting any other cities on your trip. We came to Oslo in August for a music festival and had the most beautiful weather. The days were sunny and warm with temperatures reaching about 25 degree C / 75 degrees F. At night it would cool down, but still comfortable weather with a light jacket. This made for our days of sightseeing and exploring the city much more enjoyable.
You don’t need a whole lot of time in Oslo to get a feel for the entire city. Of course, this will depend on how much you want to do while visiting, and what those specific activities are. If you plan to visit a lot of Oslo’s museums, this will take up more of your time. I found that 2-3 full days in Oslo was the perfect amount of time to get a feel for the city, explore, sightsee, visit the famous landmarks at a leisurely pace.
Here are my recommendations for Oslo hotels & Airbnbs based on location, price, and reviews!
Oslo Opera House: The Opera House is one of the most iconic buildings in Oslo and sits right on the water. It is located in the Bjørvika neighborhood in central Oslo. It is home to the Norwegian national opera and ballet. If you are interested in seeing a show, tickets can be purchased here. Even if you opt out of seeing a show, it is still worth seeing the Opera House from the outside, and even walking on the rooftop- yes you can actually walk on the rooftop!
Munch Museum: The Munch Museum is just one of many amazing museums in Oslo, but one of the most popular. Here you will find the famous “Scream” painting by Edvard Munch. Tickets can be purchased here ahead of time.
Akershus Fortress: Completed in the 1300s, this medieval castle was built to protect and provide a royal residence for the city. The Fortress is free to enter, and in the summer they offer guided tours to the public.
Wander around Akers Brygge: Akers Brygge is a neighborhood located in Oslo that sits along the harbor, offering a ton of restaurants, bars, stores and more. It is definitely worth taking the time to come here, stroll through the streets, and grab some food! This was personally my favorite neighborhood we visited!
Walk across Ankerbrua Bridge: Also known as the Fairytale Bridge, the bridge has four beautiful bronze sculptures on it that were inspired by well-known Norwegian fairy tales. The bridge crosses over the Akerselva River and ties together the city center and the neighborhood of Grünerløkka.
Wander along Karl Johans Gate: Karl Johans Gate is the main street and Oslo and leads up to the Royal Palace. In this area, you will find plenty of shops and restaurants.
Visit Det Kongelige Hoff (Norwegian Royal Palace): The Royal Palace is one of Oslo’s most important buildings. It is situated past Karl Johans Gate. Here is where the daily work of the monarchy takes place and home to the king and queen. The palace is open to the public, but only during summer months. Be sure to check the hours during your time of visit if you are interested in venturing inside. You can also check out the changing of the guards every day at 1:30. The whole process takes 15-20 minutes.
The Stortinget Building (Parliament Building): Located in the city center along Karl Johans Gate, the Parliament building is easily one of the most beautiful buildings to see while visiting!
Vigeland Park: A beautiful outdoor greenspace full of over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The sculptures themselves are eye-catching and intricate. I highly recommend stopping here during your visit. This was one of our favorite things we saw during our time in Oslo. For even more sculptures and art, you can visit the Vigeland Museum.
Sauna and cold plunge: When in Norway, do as the Norwegians do! This was one of our favorite activities we did while visiting, and something that is unique to its country. You will find plenty of saunas throughout the city, but we personally went to “Salt.” We loved this location because it was a large venue that offers saunas, cold plunges, food, and even music events on certain days! You can purchase your ticket online ahead of time, and you’ll be given 2.5 hours to enjoy to their amenities.
Holmenkollbakken Ski Jump: This is Oslo’s large ski jump hill and offers some of the best panoramic views of the city. It is large enough to hold 70,000 spectators and home to the Holmenkollen Ski Festival every year.
Findings Festival: A music festival that takes place in Oslo every August. Our trip to Oslo was actually planned around this festival and we had the absolute best time! Huge artists from around the world come to play here every year. If you’re into DJs, EDM, and big household artists- I cannot recommend this festival enough!
Apent Bakery: We ate here a couple of times because it was super close to our Airbnb and the food was delicious. It is the coziest little coffee shop, the staff is super friendly, and the food was great. A perfect spot to grab breakfast before starting your day!
United Bakeries: Another great little coffee shop and breakfast spot that is centrally located along Karl Johans Gate.
Den Glade Gris: One of the most popular restaurants in Oslo. This gastropub offers traditional Scandinavian / Norwegian cuisine. Make reservations ahead of time, as it gets very busy!
Piazza Italia: If you’re in the mood for Italian food while in Oslo, this is the place to go! They have everything from pizza, pasta, salads, meat dishes and more.
Der Peppern Gror Rådhusplassen: Another popular place to dine in Oslo is Der Peppern Gror Radhusplassen. They offer Indian / Asian cuisine that is street food style dishes.
Street Food at Torggata Bad: A super trendy food court that is perfect for lunch, or if you’re looking for a quick bite to eat. They have 16 food vendors to choose from and a wide range of cuisines. I highly recommend this spot if you can’t decide where to eat!
Mathallen: Another option for a very cool food court, with several options!
HIMKOK: Meaning “Moonshine.” This very trendy cocktail bar is a great spot to grab a drink before or after dinner.
Eight Rooftop: This rooftop bar is located on top of the Grand Hotel. It has everything you could want in a bar- trendy, beautiful, delicious cocktails and a view!
Beer Palace: Located in the neighborhood of Akers Brygge, this is a fun bar / pub with a great atmosphere, drinks, and games.
Like most other places, I always recommend seeing as much of the city as you can on foot. It is the best way to really get a feel for the different neighborhoods and stumble upon things you might not have overwise. When needed, we also used public transportation several times throughout our trip and found them to be very clean and easy to navigate. Oslo also has electric scooters scattered throughout the city and they were a convenient option to have when we wanted a break from walking.
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The Scandinavian countries have been on my bucket list for a long time, and after visiting Oslo, I was so happy to see a small part of it. If you’re visiting other parts of Norway, I highly suggest stopping in Oslo for 2 days to explore. To me, it was a vibrant and calming city. It did not feel super “touristy”, the locals are friendly, the food is delicious, and you truly feel like you’re immersing yourself into a different culture when visiting.
If you’re like me and need help keeping all of your travel plans and itinerary organized, be sure to check out my travel journal that I designed for just this reason! It’s how I plan every single trip and keep organized. It has everything you need from a packing list, a page for your accommodation info, travel itinerary, budgeting on your trip, journaling each day and more!
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