Europe Travel

Travel || 10 Things to Do in Oslo, Norway

munch view oslo

Oslo is notoriously expensive, and it’s something that I prepared for in my pre-trip research. I knew that food and especially drinks were exorbitantly expensive, as was accommodation. So to budget so that my trip was still as affordable as possible, I tried to focus all my activities on things that were available free to do in the city. And nearly everything that I planned to do was.

10 Things to do in Oslo

>>> Visit Damstredet and Telthisbakken

Most of the architecture in and around Oslo is quite new and modern, but these older, car-free streets give a beautiful and instagrammable insight into what buildings in Oslo used to look like.

>>> Visit Viegland Sculpture Park inside Frogner Park.

Oslo seems to have a plethora of gorgeous green spaces, but spending a few hours explore the sculpture park is a must! Plus visiting is absolutely free.

>>> Walk the roof of the Opera House

My absolute favourite “tourist” activity in Oslo was walking up the opera house’s famous slopping roof. The views are absolutely breath-taking and it’s such a unique experience.

>>> Go on a brief hike to up a hill to the fjord where Munch painted “The Scream”

Munch and Oslo are absolutely insuperable, so I made sure to make time to visit the location of “The Scream” at sunset. The same time that Munch set his most famous painting.

>>> Visit Our Saviour’s Cemetery

Long time readers will know that I’m a big fan of a good cemetery, and Our Saviour’s in Oslo is no exception. It’s absolutely massive and quite peaceful, though you’ll find a lot of visitors congregating around Munch’s grave, as well as that of the playwright, Ibsen.

>>> Visit the Botanical Gardens

I’ve already mentioned that Oslo has some stunning green spaces, and the Botanical Gardens are no exception. The palm houses are always my favourite – there’s just something about the smell of the air in the tropical houses in botanical gardens that I just love – and amazingly, they are free to visit in Oslo

>>> Walk along Karl Johan’s Gate

This is Oslo’s most famous street and it stretches from the river, up through town (becoming a major shopping street) and finishes at the top of a hill at the Royal Palace. The views down the street from the Palace are lovely.

>>> See the Changing of the Guard at the Palace

Just like in London, a visit to Oslo can be completed with seeing the guard of the palace swap their shifts. It isn’t as heavily attended, like the one at Buckingham Palace is, but it’s still fascinating to observe the different rituals.

>>> Go inside City Hall (Radhus)

Inside Oslo City Hall is Munch’s piece “Life”. Plus it is where the Nobel Peace Prize is presented so if you a political science nerd like me, it’s definitely worth a visit. (However at the moment you cannot visit the City Hall unless you are on one of the free tours. You can see the schedule here.

>>> Visit a museum

Oslo is quite famous for it’s art and there are dozens of museums to choose from. I’d narrow it down to either the Munch Museum (currently closed for refurbishment) or the National Gallery.

Have you ever visited Oslo before?

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