Oslo itinerary in 3 days

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We love a good city break to a European capital. Oslo was perfect for a long weekend: in 3 days, we were able to discover the highlights of the city and its surroundings, to enjoy some history and some nature, and to relax. Yes, you read that right: we did not run and hurry to tick all the sights and attractions. Instead, we took it slow and savoured all the details.

Now let's get to our itinerary. A summary:

Day 1: arrival and sightseeing of city centre, from Oslo Station to Vigeland Park (on foot, free attractions)

Day 2: Holmenkollen ski jump (outskirts), Oslo fortress, Aker Brygge area and Opera (transport and entrances covered by Oslo pass)

Day 3: free tour, Fram Museum at Bygdøy, Hovedøya (transport and entrances covered by Oslo pass)

Day 4: departure

So, very simply, we put together all paid attractions or attractions outside of the city on 2 days, in order to make the best use of the Oslo pass (which includes free entrances, discounts, and public transport). Keep reading for our detailed itinerary, or jump to the bottom for some practical tips!

DAY 1: OSLO CITY CENTRE 

Our itinerary on foot through Oslo city centre

After landing at Oslo airport, we reached Oslo station by national trains Vy for 105 NOK per person (cheaper than Flytoget), and went straight to the Anker Hotel to drop our luggage. On Good Friday at 10 in the morning, the atmosphere was quite surreal: very few people at the station, empty streets, mostly closed shops... And we started our sightseeing with an area very popular at night, which of course was deserted during the day. We walked along a couple of streets of Grunerlokka, a hip and trendy area north of Oslo Station, and failed to find an open café. But, along the river Akersilva, we admired the street art outside popular clubs like Bla (map), which reminded us of Budapest: funky feeling, bold colors, mismatched decor similar to the ruin pubs of the 7th district.

Akerselva river in Grunerlokka, Oslo 

Bla bar in Grunerlokka, Oslo. Such a cool venue!

Street art at Bla bar in Grunerlokka, Oslo

We ended up having a second breakfast/lunch back at Oslo train station - don't miss the cinnamon buns! They explained to us later that most locals head out to the countryside on religious holidays or long weekends; if you wish to experience Norway with some Norwegians, you should choose a normal weekend.

Two large cappuccinos and two large pastries cost
approx. 16 EUR

From the train station, we walked along the Karl Johans Gate, the beautiful main street of Neo-Classical buildings. We did not visit the Cathedral as service was taking place. Karl Johans Gate will lead you to a long and narrow square with gardens and a lake/ice rink, which must be a meeting place, if only there were any people in the city. On one side, the Norwegian Parliament (Stortinget, map here), with its many windows symbolizing the intention of the Parliament to keep into consideration the demands of the people; on the other side, the National Theatre (map), and beyond it the Park of the Royal Palace (Kongelige Slott).

The Norwegian Parliament on a very bright day!

From the square, the menacing sight of a red-brick, imposing building at the end of the street attracted us to a closer look. From the outside, the City Hall (Radhuset, map here) really resembles a modern fortress, towering on the city and the fjord, but the real surprise is inside: a vast, airy hall, decorated with meaningful and bright art, with a beautiful view of the fjord. It was such a surprise! We walked up the stairs and spent quite a while wandering around the halls, learning about the history of Norway, its traditions and rulers. This was definitely one of our favourite attractions in the whole city, and the access is free!

The graceful swans balance the strength of the City Hall

The impressive main hall of Oslo City Hall,
where the Nobel Peace Price is awarded

The patron saint of Oslo, Hallvard, protecting a pregnant woman

We took a break by the waterside in front of the Nobel Peace Prize centre (map), a very modest structure which we did not visit. The gift shop, however, sells a lot of interesting products, from books to jewellery to home decor, all related to the Nobel Peace Prize winners, or connected to positive projects that improve the world. A great place for a clever souvenir!

We continued our walk through the park towards the Royal Palace (map). If you're a fan of the military, don't miss the changing of the guard! It happens daily at 1.30 PM. We were going to Vigeland Park, and at this point we decided to continue on foot. We're very glad we did: the neighbourhood of Urania is a real gem. A peaceful residential area with a red-brick church in the centre, its streets are lined with tall, clean and well-kept neo-classical apartment buildings, which slowly turn in to individual, colorful, wooden villas as you slowly walk away from the city centre. The café at Albin Upp Gallery was so cute!

We were quite tired when we reached Vigeland Park (the correct name is actually Frogner Park), but the statues were so captivating that we kept going. The 212 bronze and granite sculptures are located on the bridge, around the fountain and on the hill of the Monolith; the area is crowded, so you may have to wait a little to take your artistic pictures. The famous baby statue is located half-way through the bridge, and it's actually quite small!

The famous baby sculpture on the bridge of Vigeland Park, Oslo

Sculpture on the bridge of Vigeland Park, Oslo

Sculpture on the bridge of Vigeland Park, Oslo

The statues are truly amazing. The bridge feels like a journey from birth to adulthood; the figures explore the extremes of play and violence, of stillness and emotions. Even though they are all nude, it feels absolutely natural and artistic, they are humans in the purest forms.

The fountain unfortunately was dry, but the stages of life represented around it were still beautiful and interesting.
Finally, the monolith is truly impressive. Carved from one single block of stone, 121 human figures crumpled one over the other reach to the sky, a metaphor for the human aspiration to a spiritual life, which took 5 years to model and 14 years to carve. I have to admit that it felt a little creepy and dark, but also very intense. The stone sculptures around it continued the theme of the circle of life, relationships and ageing, some with very dynamic postures, some instead stable and calm. Each is surprising and captivating.

The Vigeland Monolith
at Vigeland Park (Frogner Park), Oslo

One of the sculptures at the base of the Monolith

How long did it take? Overall, from Oslo Central Station to finishing Vigeland Park, it took 4 and a half hours, walking relatively slowly and taking tons of pictures. 

We went back to the Hotel by tram, for a little rest, and headed out for an early dinner. This became our routine for those three days: big breakfast, sweet lunch of coffee and cake, and filling dinner. Considering the prices of Norway, having both lunch and dinner is a choice to consider!

We read about Fiskeriet Youngstortet (map) as a great spot for quality fish. It's located on the spacious Youngstortet square, with lots of tables outside, and we were lucky to be seated on the last table outdoors. People kept coming and the queue was quite fast.

Norwegian fish is top notch, but we're not big fans of seafood or of snapping lobster legs, so we chose a very simple fish and chips, with local crafted beers. The service was quick and the food was delicious: tender, savoury fish wrapped in a crunchy, light batter, with perfect fries and and acidic dip, pickled cucumber and onions. So good we considered coming again! Even dessert had a special twist: cheesecake served in a cup, with tangy mango sauce and soft crumbs at the bottom. Even though all prices were marked, the final bill was still a little shocking: 751 NOK, approximately 75 EUR. Darek is usually the one relaxed about money, because after all travelling and enjoying life is exactly why we save money in the first place; instead, I was wondering how much do Norwegians earn, or how rarely do they go out for dinner :D

Delicious fried fish and Norwegian beer at Fiskeriet, Oslo

With our last energies, we headed back to the iconic bar Bla, by Akersilva river. We felt relaxed and comfortable in the soft lights in the outside area, surrounded by tables full of people, in a very chilled atmosphere. It was really similar to our ruin pubs in Budapest, just a bit more tidy and organized; there could be concerts indoors.

DAY 2: HOLMENKOLLEN SKI JUMP AND MORE CITY CENTRE

We strongly recommend to book a hotel with breakfast! The buffet at Anker Hotel was very diverse (I - Giulia- filled 2 plates of savoury food before getting a bowl of yoghurt with cereals), with also local delicacies such as herrings in different condiments, and typical "cheese" brunost. A big breakfast will get you through the day and help save some money!

Any Game of Thrones fans? :)

We purchased the 48-hours Oslo pass at Reception, and left for Holmenkollen Ski Jump at about 11. The journey took approximately 1 hour: first by tram until Majorstuen (map), and then by metro to Holmenkollen (map) - but it's above the ground! It was a beautiful sunny day, perfect to admire the architecture of the city, and the slow change from neo-classical, stone buildings in the city centre, to colorful, wooden houses as we climbed up the hill towards the ski jump. On the left side of the metro, the scenery starts to open up, showing the city and the suburbs, surrounded by forests and facing the fjord. It's so exciting!

A short walk uphill from the metro station of Holmenkollen leads to the right side of the Ski Jump (or South looking
down from it). We started from there, then turned around it (East) and went to the nearby church, and finally reached the ski jump from the left side (North), where the ski museum and the terrace access is.

Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Oslo

It's hard to find words to describe this impressive structure. The lack of a vertical pillar holding the ski jump up had me open-mouthed for a couple of minutes. The grace of the curve has an almost magical feeling to it, it's stable and dynamic at the same time; it looks like one of those structures that will survive after an apocalyptic disaster, and new civilizations will marvel at it a thousand years from now.

Walk to the arrival of the jump: people are zip-lining from the top, and they make for very cool pictures!

Zoom down from the top of the skijump!

We walked around for a while, admiring the ski jump from different perspectives. It looks really impressive from the black wooden church!

View of Holmenkollen Ski Jump from the nearby Church

Finally, we reached the entrance of the ski museum (free entrance with Oslo pass, normal price 140 NOK per adult, open every day), with very interesting exhibitions about the history of ski in Norway, the evolution of skis and gear, pictures of the royal family, and models of the ski jump over the years, since it's first construction in 1892. The current structure was built in 2011.

At the end of the museum, you will find the queue for the elevator to the terrace. The elevator holds maybe 15 people and it takes 1,5 minutes to reach the top; two walls are made of glass, so it shouldn't be suffocating for claustrophobic people, but those who suffer from vertigo should be prepared.

Inside the top of the ski jump, a giant, tilted window opens up to the scenery, portraying the forest like a frame.

Inside the top of Holmenkollen Ski Jump

Climb one more set of stairs to reach the very top of the ski jump. The 360 view encompasses forests and lakes and hills, Oslo and the fjord, the islands... It's really breathtaking!

View from the terrace of Holmenkollen Ski Jump

After another sweet lunch at the café under the ski jump (154 NOK), we made our way back to the city centre.

We thought that Oslo fortress was open, so we rushed there before closing time at 17:00, but unfortunately it was altogether closed for Easter. Never mind: we walked around the bastions and the walls of this massive, red-brick compound. Its story is truly fascinating, from the construction in ca. 1290, to becoming the heart of the newly rebuilt city after a fire destroyed it in 1624 (and renamed Christiania, after the current king), to the last coup during World War II, when a Norwegian man called Quisling betrayed the country to the Nazis and took over the fortress. Before that, the fortress survived all sieges! The view from the walls, towards the city hall and the harbour, was beautiful, especially in the warm sun of late afternoon. Unfortunately, the view of the fjord was blocked by a giant cruise ship! Overall, without visiting the interior, Oslo Fortress is not memorable at all, and we could have easily skipped it.

Unfortunately Oslo fortress was closed for Easter

Enjoying the view of Oslo city hall and the promenade 

By 17.30, as the sun was starting to set, we crossed over to the other side, to the fancy neighbourhood of Aker Brygge. Recently rebuilt with stunning, modern buildings, all glass and edges melting in the sky, it was a very dodgy area until not too long ago. Now, instead, it's a real pleasure to walk around, crossing bridges and canals, as if in a futuristic Venice. If you're a fan of Renzo Piano, make sure you visit the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art!

Aker Brygge, Oslo

Aker Brygge, Oslo

Aker Brygge, Oslo

The final attraction of the day was Oslo Opera. Before you start climbing the iconic roof terrace, make sure you admire it from the dock in front of it, to appreciate its size and minimal lines. Even in the warm sunset light, it did remind us of an iceberg, sparkling against the sky! As you get closer and start walking up towards the roof terrace, keep in mind that this is a totally open space, closer to a public park than a fancy theatre. There may be youngsters with drinks and music, families with children, and even (unfortunately) some trash around. Still, even with the cruises docked nearby, the view of the fjord and the nearby islands is pretty amazing.

Oslo Opera House

Such cool contrasts!

Did you see the glass sculpture in the water?
It resembles an iceberg to the point that it's not completely anchored to the ground:
it moves!

For dinner, we headed over to Torggata Bad - Oslo Street Food (map), and we liked the place so much that we went there also the following evening. All the pros of street food are collected here, without the cons of eating outside in the cold: small food stands serve 3-4 dishes, all cooked quickly on spot, of cuisines from all over the planet. Norwegian fish and chips next to Vietnamese noodles, Peruvian meat and Italian porchetta nearby, Hungarian langos, cocktails, burgers, vegan food, Hawaiian Pake, Japanese okonomiyaki... Choose, mix and match with your friends, sit down at the long communal tables and enjoy! On our first night, we tried Peruvian steak, pulled duck burger, and Hawaiian Pake, all absolutely delicious. Dishes costs between 100 and 150 NOK, a few cost a little more: we spent 159 NOK for the Peruvian steak, 179 NOK for the pulled duck burger, and 149 NOK for the Hawaiian Pake.

Peruvian steak at Oslo Street Food

Pulled duck burger at Oslo Street food

Hawaiian Pake at Oslo Street Food

DAY 3: CITY TOUR AND ISLANDS

Perhaps I did not do enough research about the Oslo Pass, but I did not understand which walking tours were included, which were discounted, and which were not related. Anyway, we chose Free Tour Oslo, and made our way to the square in front of Oslo Central Station to meet with our guide at the Tiger statue at 10.

The Tiger, in front of Oslo Central Station,
is one of the symbols of Oslo

We were very satisfied with the tour. One and a half hours were perfect to learn the most important parts of the history of Oslo, and to see the main sights. Our guide, Oonagh (pronounced Oona), kept us interested and provided lots of facts. We started with the Opera, then continued to Christiania Torv and the Fortress, to the City Hall - we were so happy to have a look at the interior again! And take even more pictures! - and then to the main square with the National Theatre and the Parliament. We gave a tip of 50 KR, like most of the guests.

After a snack, we made our way to the Ferry to Bygdoy Island, which departs from the docks in front of the the City Hall, from the dock closest to Aker Brygge tram stop. It's free with Oslo Pass. If the ferry is not running or you don't want to take it, luckily Bygdoy is not actually an island, it's a peninsula which can be reached also by bus!

The cluster of museums located here could easily keep you busy for a whole day: Fram Museum, Kon-tiki Museum, the Viking Ship Museum are only a few of them.

The Fram ship

We decided to start with Fram Museum, and actually we did not visit any other, because the weather was too nice to stay indoors. In these museum are showcased two ships used to explore the Arctic and the Antarctic regions, the Fram and the Gjøa, and there's more information about these explorations and expeditions that you could ever imagine. Make sure you start with the video in the Gjoa building (take the tunnel to the left, shortly after the entrance) to get a bit of a timeline of all explorations and international competitions going on; afterwards, it's easier to remember who tried to do what, who inspired who, and what was achieved when. There's even some interactive games like shooting animals on a screen, fit luggage on a sleigh, and pull weight tied to a belt, which of course we tried. 

The Arctic expeditions mentioned in Fram Museum

Inside Fram ship

The coolest thing was definitely walking through the interior of the ships; Fram, in particular, is very open. It's incredible to learn that a team of scientists and explorers lived in these tiny cabins for 2-4 years, celebrated together birthdays and Christmases, cooked and fixed engines and harvested wind power, while establishing new routes and discovering unknown parts of the world.

The weather was too nice to enter another museum, but if we did, we would have visited the Kon-Tiki museum. An explorer who crossed the Pacific on a wooden raft? Of course I want to know more!

Once back at the docks of Aker Brygge, we took another ferry to Hovedoya, the closest island. We knew there was some construction, but we still wanted to make the most out of our time and experience some nature. We were not disappointed: the island is a large park, with grassy meadows and woods, and even some ruins! We walked up along a path to admire the view from a small cliff, and then down to a rocky beach with benches. Lots of locals and families were hanging out, with portable disposable barbecues, watching children play and run. Just 15 minutes away from the city centre, this was a gem of tranquillity, perfect for sports and relaxing.  We spent approximately an hour there.

Rocky cliffs on Hovedoya Island

View of Oslo City Hall and fortress from Hovedoya ferry

Exhausted, we went back to the Hotel to relax, and then back to the Street Food venue for dinner. Darek ordered delicious fish and chips, and I had Japanese Okonomiyaki. As it was the last evening, we walked down through the center again for an evening walk, to the City Hall and to Aker Brygge docks, now very quiet (most probably because it was Sunday night).

Oslo Street Food - fish and chips, okonomiyaki

Oslo City Hall by night

We had a great time in Oslo, a city that surprised us with beautiful architecture and art, a friendly and open atmosphere, and beautiful sights. We look forward to exploring more of Norway!

Practical tips:

• As of April 2019, bars and restaurants were implementing a function on the POS machines to allow customers to add a tip to the bill. The first and only time we tried to add a tip, all our cards were declined. The payment for the correct amount instead was successful. Hopefully they will fix this soon, but in case you wish to leave tips (appreciated by the staff, but not required) we recommend to have some cash on you.
• Make sure you check out Visit Norway and Visit Oslo, they are full of ideas of what to visit!
• Useful apps: Ruterreise for public transport, Vy for trains from the airport
• As always, the Borderless card by Transferwise was amazing. We monitored the exchange rate to Norwegian Crowns in order to get the best of the currency exchange, and used this card on 95% of our expenses.
• Keep some cash handy for small expenses like public transport tickets and tips
• Dress in layers: it's a country where it can be chilly in the shadow, and sweaty hot in the sun!