From salmon feasts to serene views, why Oslo is the perfect weekend away
OSLO is the place to go for amazing art, delicious food and enough horn-helmeted history to sink a long boat.
Nicknamed the tiger city, there is much more depth to Oslo than meets the eye.
GO SCULPTURE SPOTTING
Start the morning with a stroll through the mesmerising Vigeland Sculpture Park – a celebration of life and emotions in over 200 artworks by Gustav Vigeland (Vigeland.museum.no).
Also unmissable is The National.
This mega-gallery, which reopened last year, isn’t just about art by the likes of Monet and Van Gogh, but fashion, homeware and music vids, too.
Kids will love The Fairy Tale Room, with its Norwegian folklore displays accompanied by sounds of the forest.
Tickets cost £16 for adults, under-18s go free (Nasjonalmuseet.no).
Later, get up close to works by Norwegian artist Edvard Munch at The Munch Museum, dedicated to the creator of The Scream, with an array of fab kids craft and sensory stations.
Entry costs £13 for adults and under-18s go free (Munchmuseet.no).
WANDER BY THE WATER
Scandinavians love the great outdoors, and Oslo’s shining Opera House invites you to walk on its roof and enjoy the serene views over the fjord (Operaen.no).
Come lunchtime, stop by the Royal Palace to catch the changing of the guard daily at 1.30pm – then pretty garden opens for summer, too (Royalcourt.no).
Hit fashion boutique You & I for homegrown brands like Love Lolita, Pia Tjelta, and Ella&Il (Youandi.no).
Come sunset, wander along Aker Brygge harbourside and pop in for a beer on the water at lively Lekter’n (Lektern.no).
SCOFF SEAFOOD WAFFLES
Make a beeline for vegetarian cafe The Fragrance Of The Heart near City Hall for lunch and tuck into toasted sourdough with avocado, aioli and veggies, £8 (Fragrance.no).
Nordic seafood is exquisite, so book a table at The Salmon in Tjuvholmen to enjoy waffles topped with smoked salmon, salmon roe and dill, £14 (Thesalmon.com).
Or keep it casual at a cool food court – Oslo Street Food offers international treats from kimchi to tacos, but be sure to stop by Hawaii for delicious poke and order the spicy tuna and rice bowl, £16 (Oslo-streetfood.no).
HEAR EPIC TALES
For a taste of adventure, head out to the Bygdøy peninsula.
Here, at the Fram Museum learn about explorer Roald Amundsen’s heroic quest to the South Pole, and step aboard the Fram vessel itself as a projection recreates the sensation of waves crashing around you.
Entry costs £11 per adult (Frammuseum.no).
Just next door is The Kon-Tiki Museum, where you can revel in the crazy tale of adventurer Thor Heyerdahl and his daring crew who crossed the Pacific aboard a balsa wood raft! Tickets cost £11 per adult (Kon-tiki.no).
Lastly, dip into Norway’s Maritime Museum to learn about Viking warriors and their fascinating life at sea (Marmuseum.no).
BAG A BARGAIN BED
If you’re not planning to hang out in your room much, try Citybox, just five minutes from Oslo Central Station.
Offering sleek rooms with a colourful shared lounge complete with table football and ping-pong, it’s great even if you have kids in tow.
Doubles start from a brilliant £56 a night (Citybox.no).
On arrival, get your bearings with a self-guided scavenger tour from Central Station – follow the clues, solve the riddles and discover the city all at the same time, from £3.50 per person (Getyourguide.co.uk).
FYI
Forget your usual Pret – get your caffeine fix from much-loved Scandi chain Espresso House (No.espressohouse.com).
Plan your trip at Visitoslo.com.
Flights from the UK to Oslo cost from £76 return.