Things to do in Oslo – One Of My Favorite
It all began as a joke. When asked to suggest a perfect destination for our summer trip, Alison simply suggested Norway. This set the mood for a short period of argument which saw other destinations being dismissed for being boring. At the end, the majority was in for the idea and arrangements to visit Oslo were on. I have never thought of traveling to this easternmost, westernmost or rather northernmost Scandinavian country. Bordering Denmark and Scotland to the north and stretching into Arctic Ocean from the North Sea, this country did prove to be a very unique place visit. You can think of it as a clear meeting point of eastern and western cultures though the later tends dominate the scene.
Geographical Location: It is located on a large peninsula together with Sweden towards the northern parts of Europe. It also borders the tip of Russia and Finland to the north. It is a country widely known for the numerous fjords found on its west coast. The fjords on its coasts are long narrow inlets with mountains on each either side as formed as the sea penetrates far into the mainland. Land in this country is largely rocky thus not very much populated. Such wilderness areas have been converted into amazing national parks. It has a number of forested hills, mountains, waterfalls and even valleys.
If you have been looking for a nice place visit for relaxation, then heading Norway isn’t that bad as I initially thought. The country is characterized with excellent air, rail, water and road transport facilities. Additionally, there are numerous things to do in Oslo. You can’t visit every tourist destination in this Scandinavian country on one trip. That’s why we opted visit Oslo; its capital city.
Preparing for the trip: Well, the thought of having magnificent photos of its fjords on the west coast was thrilling enough to psyche me up. There was no much to prepare one us all the costs would be catered for by our college. We just had get our passports ready and perhaps some few dollars for personal expenses. For those who like packing lots of things, then this is not the kind of trip to get everything around with you. The city has enough shopping places for you to buy from. However, you may find packing the following very important.
What to pack:
– Warm clothing depending on when you are visiting
– Sun cream
– Luggage bags
– Outdoor gear
– Cameras
Oslo’s geographical location: Resting on 453 square kilometers area, Oslo happens to be the capital city of Norway. It is located in an amphitheater like environment where its center is bottom closer the famous oslofjord. The city is next forested areas making many people refer to it as nature’s friend. Its residential areas are situated uphill from its center to all direction creating that great enclosed feeling. As if that is not enough, there are forested areas just behind its residential areas filled with flora and fauna. There are numerous fresh cities in the world, but very few can match the natural aspects of its city. It is quite amazing how the capital managed include the wolf reserve in tis busy place.
The inner city center is enclosed by Slottet (Royal palace the west) and Oslo S (Oslo central station). The sea front, having Aker Brygge and Akerus fortress the south, finish up a nicely enclosed city center with amazing facilities visit. Beside tis, you will find its surrounding areas full of exciting sites not miss out on and refreshing joints not miss out on.
Oslo’s climate: Oslo’s location ensures that warm air is wafted from the Atlantic trout the Gulf Stream offering that temperate climate craved for by many people. We visited tis place in the summer and were fortunate find mild pleasant sunny days. However, you may find it unpleasant to visit Oslo in the winter as temperatures over around the freezing point. Snow surfaces are mostly found in the forested areas thus offering great sites for winter sporting activities. Deciding on the best time visit will be very important and fancy should realty depend on the kind of activities one could fancy most. Oslo is not heavily populated as many cities happen to be. If you have been into travelling and exploring places, ten perhaps you have noticed that a small and averagely populated things to do in Oslo is perfect for evening walks. Oslo has lots of things to do in Oslo. If you are planning to visit Oslo, ten expect complete relaxation places and attractive sites ever seen.
Getting around Oslo: Depending on where you come from, road, air, water and rail transport would be perfect for you. Those who come from far regions can use flits wit routes connecting through Gardemoen airport. It is the second largest airport in the Scandinavian region and serves people from all parts of the world. There are buses around take you to the city center in just 45 minutes. You will also find booking a taxi very important as flagging one stop by wen on the queue may prove to be very expensive. You can also take a bus through Sweden this region with little if air transport turns out be expensive. In fact, tis form of transport gives you the luxury enjoy views from different countries on just one trip.
In Getting around the town, there is a comprehensive network of buses, taxis, trains and trams. Public transport is controlled by a body known as Ruter. You will be able to find information on bus tickets and costs of transport on their website for effective transport wile in the city. The networks are not that complicated. All you need to know is that buses pass through the Oslo central station wile trains including those that serve the airport pass through the nationaltheateret. This offers you spectacular views of important buildings ion the country such as the Royal palace, Parliament, Oslo concert hall and the national gallery. Buses and trains operate on a ticket system that cares according the number of zones one passes throuh.it should no be difficult get around the city with such an excellent transport network.
Important things to do in Oslo:
-Museums
One of my favorite things to do in Oslo when I visit a new place is check on their museums. In fact, I rate trips depending on the quality of museums. If you do like visiting many places and learning the history of a nation at just a lance, then visiting museums is the perfect way to do so. Oslo has a large number of museums for visit. Buying Oslo pass bought proved be very useful as it allowed us enter many museums and efficient public transport with less hassle. It was even better as students are given a 20% discount on buying the Oslo Pass. I would advise anyone opt for it over the Travel card that is quite expensive. Here are some of the museums visit wile in Oslo.
– Emanuel Vigeland Museum
Opens for just a few hours on Sundays and as lots of Oslo’s best hidden secrets one will ever know. Erected back in 1926, tis museum with no windows attracts many people mainly because of its 800 square meters of Fresco Vita. It shows human life from the period of conception till death. It I a place full of other magnificent arts for any art-loving person wow at. If you did buy your Oslo pass, then there is not need to worry about entry costs.
– The Norwegian museum of cultural history
We spend a half a day ere and every minute left us yearning for more. It is a large and open museum wit ancient Norwegian buildings. There is even a city building that shows the living conditions of people back in the 1850s. Walk through it to learn more about the cultural of not only the nation, butte whole Scandinavian region in general. There are other museums in the city to visit such as the Viking ship museum, Kon-tiki museum, Fram museum, Munch museum and many more. You will really get a chance and learn something about the country’s past.
Visit the Opera house: Simply take a bus to Jernbanetorget and take the footbridge from the nearby seaside exit of the central station. It is widely known as Norway’s entry point into the league of modern great architecture. It even won the Best Cultural Building in 2008 at e World Architecture festival in Barcelona. A simple look at it and you will notice how great the design is. It stunning glacier like shape keeps many people travelling every day just have a look. To get exciting views, simple climb the building on its marble slopes. You should be very careful as the roof is sometimes very slippery wen the temperatures get below 5 degrees.
Visit national parks in Oslo: Get a feeling of nature by visiting some of the world best parks located in this city. As you may have noticed earlier, tis city is extremely green and as numerous parks for a perfect relaxation. Some of them include:
– Frogner Park
To reach this place, simply take a bus to Majorstua. It located nearer the Vigeland Sculpture Park and is made up of green areas for perfect refreshing walks. Besides being a nice place for a nature walk, This Park is full of sculptures designed by the famous Norwegian artist Gustav Vigeland. Though the sculptures may depress, the whole general feeling is worth your time. There are cafeterias and the Frognerbadet wit pools for swimming. Get served with some drinks and snacks as you walk around the park for tat perfect afternoon you have been craving for a long time.
– St. Hanshaugun Park
You can also take bus number 37 this place and experience Oslo’s environment from tis top of the hill park. You will get great views of the town and even take pictures of its surroundings. The park is even the name of the neighborhood as well as the large administrative district of the central Oslo as most parts of the city Centre are located nearer to tis place. You can carry drinks or buy some snacks from nearby cafeterias as there are no food joints nearer to the park. If you are stayin in the city Centre, you can easily reach ere y walking for about a kilometer from Johan Street past Var Freslers to this St. Hanshaugun Park. There are also other parks with great flora and fauna for you visit. They include the Palace Park, Botanical garden, Ekerberg Park and many more.
Take a boat to Oslofjord: One of my favorite tins to do on a trip is experience the amazing nature of a destinations aquatic life. A visit Oslo will not only gives you a chance to interact with wolves and forests, but offers you a direct connection to aquatic life too. Simply take a boat at Vippetangen and head to this Island. It has a number of luxurious beaches that any visitor will not wish to miss on. It is the kind of environment you will not find in any other city in the world. The water was so pleasant during the summer season and offered some nice experience no one will forget. As if that was not enough, there are clubs, pubs and restaurants and other entertainment joints on the island that are not found in any part of the city. It offers exactly what you would expect to get at the coast, but with a better cool surrounding. Visiting this place is the first tin on the to-do list of any tourist heading to Norway. It will be quite unique for it to miss out on your list.
Conclusion: Norway has lots of things for you do when on vacation. With the great cultural diversity and natural green environment, everyone would wish to visit and spend some time on vacation in this great nation. One of the places to visit in Norway is the capital city; Oslo. Full of national parks, Islands, museums, historical buildings, great architecture and wild nightlife, Oslo is the ideal relaxation place for anyone. There an excellent transport network that ensures visitors are well catered for. Don’t forget buy your Oslo Pass and walk around into different places freely without any hindrances. You can also check online for perfect travel packages that will be suitable enough for your relaxation needs. Good luck!
written by:
Michael Danbacker
