The Mini Rough Guide to Oslo: Travel Guide eBook

By Rough Guides

This mini pocket Oslo travel guidebook is perfect for travellers seeking basic information about Oslo. It covers key places, main attractions and a short hotel and restaurant recommendations list. This book is printed on paper from responsible sources, verified to meet FSC’s strict environmental and social standards.

This Oslo travel book covers: Central Oslo, East Oslo, The Bygdøy peninsula, The Nordmarka, The Oslofjord, The islands of the inner Oslofjord.

In this Oslo guidebook, you will find:

• Curated recommendations of places – main attractions, child-friendly family activities, chilled-out breaks in popular tourist areas 
• Things not to miss in Oslo – Akershus Fortress and Castle, Norwegian Folk Museum, Ibsen Museum, Fram Museum, Frogner Park, Viking Ship Museum, Opera House, Nobel Peace Center, Marka, Munch Museum 
• Perfect Day – itinerary suggestions for those on a short break
• Short Oslo introduction – geographical location, cultural legacy, history with interesting key dates 
• What to do in Oslo – recommendations for entertainment, shopping, sports, children’s activities, events and nightlife
• Food and drink – recommendations for local products and places to eat
• Overview maps – handy maps on the inside cover flaps showing Oslo and around
• Practical information – how to get there and around, opening times, health and medical care, and tourist information
• Norwegian section – basic vocabulary and phrases from the local language
• Striking pictures – inspirational colour photography throughout
• Fully updated post-COVID-19

This guide is easy to use and quick to scan through when you need help on the go. It’s the perfect companion both ahead of your trip and on the ground. It gives you the flavour of Oslo without overwhelming you with too much information.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Insight Guides
• Release date: Jul 1, 2024
• ISBN: 9781835291085

Rough Guides

Rough Guides are written by expert authors who are passionate about both writing and travel. They have detailed knowledge of the areas they write about--having either traveled extensively or lived there--and their expertise shines through on every page. It's priceless information, delivered with wit and insight, providing the down-to-earth, honest read that is the hallmark of Rough Guides.

Book preview

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HOW TO USE THIS E-BOOK

Getting Around this e-Book

This Rough Guide Mini e-book is designed to inspire you and help you plan for your visit to Oslo, and is also the perfect on-the-ground companion for your trip.

The guide begins with our selection of Highlights, plus a Perfect Itinerary feature to help you plan an unforgettable trip. The Introduction and History and Culture chapters give the lowdown on Oslo, past and present, while the Out and About chapter is a comprehensive guide to all the best sights. You will find ideas for getting active in Things to Do, while the Food and Drink chapter introduces you to the local cuisine and gives listings of our favourite restaurants by area. Travel Essentials offers just that; practical information to help you plan your trip. Finally, Where to Stay provides a special selection of hotels for every budget.

In the Table of Contents and throughout this e-book you will see hyperlinked references. Just tap a hyperlink once to skip to the section you would like to read. Practical information and listings are also hyperlinked, so as long as you have an external connection to the internet, you can tap a link to go directly to the website for more information.

Maps

All key attractions and sights in Oslo are numbered and cross-referenced to high-quality maps. Wherever you see the reference [map], tap once to go straight to the related map. You can also double-tap any map for a zoom view.

Images

You’ll find lots of beautiful high-resolution images that capture the essence of Oslo. Simply double-tap an image to see it in full-screen.

About Rough Guides:

Published in 1982, the first Rough Guide – to Greece – was created by Mark Ellingham and a small group of friends who couldn’t find a guidebook to meet their needs. Combining a contemporary, journalistic style with a thoroughly practical approach to travellers’ needs, the immediate success of the book spawned a series that rapidly covered dozens of destinations. These days, Rough Guides include recommendations from budget to luxury and cover more than 120 destinations worldwide, all regularly updated by our team of ever curious, roaming writers. These Rough Guide Minis may be small, but they are packed with information and inspiration and offer amazing value for money.

© 2024 Apa Digital AG and Apa Publications (UK) Ltd.

Table of Contents

10 Things Not To Miss

A Perfect Day in Oslo

Overview

A Prosperous Capital

Big City, Small Town

Growing Internationalism

The Weather And The Great Outdoors

History and Culture

Founded on the fjord

Devastating Black Death

Oslo becomes ‘Christiania’

Rising Nationalism

Shaking off the Swedes

Independence Lost Again

Free and Affluent at Last

A Terrorist Attack

Out and About

The centre

City Hall

National Theatre

Ibsen’s homes

The Royal Palace

Karl Johans Gate

Parliament

The cathedral and the old city

Along the fjord

Akershus Fortress and Castle

Waterfront redevelopment

The Bygdøy peninsula

The Museum of the Viking Age

Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

Maritime heritage

Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies

Recreational opportunities

Frogner and the Embassy District

Oslo’s ‘best west’

Vigeland Museum

Frogner Park and Vigeland Park

Oslo City Museum

Majorstuen

Multicultural neighbourhoods

Tøyen

Grünerløkka

Grønland

Gamlebyen

The hills around Oslo

Hiking in Marka

Holmenkollen

Oslo VinterPark

Frognerseteren

Other trails

Excursions

Hadeland

Blaafarvevaerket and Eggedal

Eidsvoll

Drøbak and Oscarsborg

South to the Swedish border

Further afield

Things To Do

Entertainment

Music, opera and theatre

Cinema

Nightlife

Shopping

Norwegian specialities

Shopping districts

Markets

Sports and activities

Winter sports

Summer activities

Swimming

Children’s activities

Food and Drink

Restaurants

When to eat

Seasonal Specialities

Seafood

The fruits of hunting season

Traditional Fare

Drinks

To Help You Order...

...And Read The Menu

Where To Eat

City Centre

Outside The City Centre

East of the centre

Frogner and around

Majorstuen

Nordmarka

Further afield

A–Z Travel Tips

A

Accommodation

Airports

B

Bicycle hire

Budgeting for your trip

C

Camping

Car hire

Climate

Clothing

Crime and safety

D

Driving

E

Electricity

Embassies

Emergencies

G

Getting to Oslo

Guides and tours

H

Health and medical care

Holidays

L

Language

LGBTQ+ travellers

M

Maps

Media

Money

O

Opening times

P

Police

Post offices

R

Religion

T

Telephone

Time zones

Tipping

Toilets

Tourist information

Transport

V

Visas and entry requirements

W

Websites and internet access

Y

Youth hostels

Where To Stay

City Centre

Outside The City Centre

Nordmarka

Further Afield

10 THINGS NOT TO MISS

VISITOSLO/Tord Baklund

1. Akershus Fortress and Castle

These impressive fortifications have presided over Oslo’s inner harbour for centuries. For more information, click here.

VISITOSLO/Heidi Thon

2. Norwegian Museum of Cultural History

Get a feel for the country’s rich cultural heritage. For more information, click here.

VISITOSLO/Heidi Thon

3. Ibsen Museum

Pay homage to the literary giant. For more information, click here.

Glyn Genin/Apa Publications

4. Fram Museum

One of three museums on the Bygdøy Peninsula highlighting Norway’s maritime heritage. For more information, click here.

VISITOSLO/Tord Baklund

5. Vigeland Park

Stroll, play, picnic and admire the stunning statues of the prolific sculptor Gustav Vigeland. For more information, click here.

Iwan Baan

6. Nasjonalmuseet

Superb collections of fine and applied art. For more information, click here.

VISITOSLO/Tord Baklund

7. Opera House

Walk around, and even on top of, Oslo’s waterfront landmark. For more information, click here.

Glyn Genin/Apa Publications

8. Nobel Peace Center

A showcase for the Nobel Peace Prize. For more information, click here.

Public domain

9. Marka

Walk, hike, cycle, paddle or ski in the inviting hills and forests surrounding the city. For more information, click here.

VISITOSLO/Tord Baklund

10. Munch Museum

Sparkling museum on the waterfront dedicated to Edvard Munch. For more information, click here.

A Perfect Day In Oslo

9.00am

Breakfast. Get the day off to a thoroughly Norwegian start with a buffet breakfast at your hotel. It’s bound to include salmon and pickled herrings. If that’s not your style, head for a coffee in the sedate and sophisticated surrounds of the Grand Café.

10.00am

Opera & Munch. To catch the essence of this harbourside city’s personality, wander down to the waterfront and climb the roof of the daringly designed Opera House. After enjoying the views and architecture, head to the Munch Museum nearby, a perfect showcase to the largest collection of the Norwegian artist’s works in the world.

12 noon

Inner harbour. Walk back into the centre, visit City Hall, poke around the shops of Aker Brygge, spend time in the National Museum and visit the avant-garde art and architecture of the Astrup Fearnley Museum. Lunch at Solsiden, if you are visiting between May and September. Otherwise, try Café Skansen or Kaffistova.

2.00pm

Museums. After lunch, jump on a ferry bound for the Bygdøy peninsula where the four museums – the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, the Musuem of the Viking Age (closed until 2026/7; formerly the Viking Ship Museum), Polar Ship Fram and Kon-Tiki Museum – provide fascinating insights into Norway’s history and the city’s pioneering spirit.

4.00pm

City stroll. A ferry ride back to the main harbour allows you to appreciate the beauty of Oslo from the fjord. Then it is time for a stroll along the length of Karl Johans Gate, all the way up to the Royal Palace, with some time built in for shopping on the way back.

5.30pm

Grünerløkka. As locals finish work, a good many of them gravitate towards Grünerløkka, the alternative early-evening haunt for Oslo’s artsy and professional crowd. Soak up the bar atmosphere, window shop and then have dinner at Südøst, which is this funky neighbourhood in microcosm.

7.30pm

Cocktails. If you’re enjoying the Grünerløkka vibe, check out Bar Boca, Oslo’s smallest bar with 1950s-style decor, or sit back and sip cocktails at Nedre Løkka Cocktailbar & Lounge just down the road. In neighbouring Grønland, Olympen is another excellent choice among many.

10.00pm

On the town. After a taxi back into the city centre, you will have some choices to make. Those looking for a quiet end to the night should consider the atmospheric Fridtjof, followed by last drinks at Parkteatret Bar. If, however, you are keen to dance your way towards dawn, then it simply has to be Blå, Jaeger or Last Train.

Overview

Norway’s energetic capital sits at the top of its own horseshoe-shaped fjord, relishing its role as the well-endowed gateway to a stunningly beautiful country. The Oslofjord juts into southeastern Norway from the waters that join the Baltic to the North Sea, and a cruise or ferry up the fjord from, for example, Copenhagen, is a spectacular way to approach this oldest of Scandinavian capitals.

A prosperous capital

Whichever way you arrive, the signs of Oslo’s prosperity are