Best Things To Do in Oslo, Norway

Are you looking for what to do in Oslo?

PLACES TO SEE

  • Royal Palace: Built between 1824 and 1848 by Hans Linstow, the palace is one of the most important tourist attractions in the city. Tours of the palace in English by professional tour guides are available twice on the weekdays.
  • University of Oslo: Enchanting rooms in all of the city, currently housing the Law department of the University.
  • Oslo Cathedral: A simple old cathedral covered by roses, greetings and mourning messages. It is also the centre for compassion and afterthought.
  • Opera House: A building with European contemporary architecture, and the country’s official entry to the World Architecture festival. It also won the best cultural building in 2008.
  • Kirkeristen: An old artisan and craft bazaar.
  • Akershus Festning: A magnificent thirteenth century fortress and castle.
  • Munch Museum: A museum housing the paintings of Norwegian artist Edward Munch.
  • Nobel Peace Centre: Exhibits of Nobel Peace Prize Laureates.
  • Frogner Park: A large park with hundreds of stone sculptures and a pleasant atmosphere.

GUIDED TOURS

  • Stortinget: The tour of the parliament with highly experienced travel guides.
  • Norway in a Nutshell-Day Tours: A day tour of Norway and the places to visit around. Jernbanetorget 1 | Oslo Central Train Station, Oslo 154, Norway.
  • Viking Biking: Bike trips around the city with an informative tour guide. Nedre Slottsgate 4, Oslo 0157, Norway.
  • AlternativOslo: Tram, Bike, Cruise or walking tours of Oslo. Ekebergveien 5B, Oslo 0192, Norway.
  • H.M. Kristiansens Automobilbyra: Bus tours of main tourist attractions of Norway. Ringnesveien 9, Oslo, Norway.

Below we have a list of things to do in Oslo and the places where you want to spend the best moments of your trip. At the same time, the city offers you the best neighborhoods to explore and new foods to try.

This list should help you in deciding and prioritizing what you should plan on your Oslo getaway. Find a mix of must-see tourist spots, underrated local hangouts, and maybe even a few new experiences you can try out.

Make the most of your trip to Oslo with confidence.

Tourist Attractions in Oslo

Here is the list of things to do in Oslo and tourist attractions in city.

  1. Vigeland Museum And Park

    4.6 (3468 Votes)
    Vigeland Museum And Park

    Museum, Park

    Gustav Vigelands’s sculptures. It’s the museum’s only reason for being. The artist made a pact with the city to bequeath all his works to this museum on his death; they in turn would provide him an apartment to sculpt in peace. And sculpt he did - plaster, granite, bronze, marble, works in wrought iron, thousands of drawings for these, and woodcuts and woodcarvings. The museu...Read more
  2. The Viking Ship Museum

    4.4 (3553 Votes)
    The Viking Ship Museum

    Museum

    Containing some of the world’s most well preserved Viking artefacts, this museum mainly exhibits Viking ships from Gokstad, Oseberg and Tune. The magnificent vessels, built in the 9th century, were used for both ocean crossings and burial rituals. Of great interest are the gifts given to the deceased. Also on display are sledges, beds, wood carvings, grave goods and buckets. The main att...Read more
  3. Oslo Opera House

    4.6 (3455 Votes)
    Oslo Opera House

    Opera House

    This beautiful white building, which has won many awards for its design, hosts Norway’s greatest performance company. The rich and varied programmes are always vivid and riveting, but plenty of people visit just to be able to climb to the top of the roof. Go at dusk and watch the lights come on around the harbour. It’s magical and romantic. Then come down and stroll along the harbo...Read more
  4. Norwegian Museum Of Cultural History

    Museum, History Museum, Educational Site, Exhibition

    This wonderfully engaging museum is the largest cultural museum in Norway. The exhibits cover Norwegian lifestyles from the 15th century onwards, through about 160,000 artefacts - folk dress, textiles, folk art, weapons, toys, musical instruments and work tools. There are also collections of professional and amateur photography (significantly the works of Anders Beer Wilse). But it’s the...Read more
  5. National Gallery

    4.5 (1948 Votes)
    National Gallery

    Art Museum, Museum

    This is administrated by the National Museum of Art, Architecture and Design, which includes the following in various locations around the city. Norwegian Museum of Architecture National Gallery of Norway Museum of Decorative Arts and Design Museum of Contemporary Art However, only the former two are located under this same building. The National Gallery of Norway houses the country’s l...Read more
  6. The Kon-tiki Museum

    4.5 (2808 Votes)
    The Kon-tiki Museum

    Museum, Educational Site, Exhibition

    Kon-Tiki is a raft that in 1947 carried Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl from South America to the Polynesian Islands. Heyerdahl undertook the journey to suggest an extraordinary idea – that South American peoples of pre-Columbian times could possibly have colonised Polynesia. The raft is housed in this museum, which also houses vessels that Heyerdahl used in his subsequent t...Read more
  7. Akershus Castle And Fortress

    4.5 (1993 Votes)
    Akershus Castle And Fortress

    Castle

    Built in the 14th century to defend Oslo from attack, the castle is famous for having withstood every siege laid to it. In the 17th century, King Christian IV gave it a Rennaisance makeover. A section of the castle called the Slavery was also used as a prison for criminals and early socialists.  These days, the castle is used to receive dignitaries and heads of state. It has grand halls, ...Read more
  8. Bygdoy Peninsula

    View Point

    Some places look like they jumped out of fairy tales – this is one of those places. Once an island, the post-glacial rebound made Bygdoy a peninsula. There are so many things to see, you may end up spending a great chunk of your Oslo trip here. Though mainly a residential area popular for it’s beaches, Bygdoy also rich in museums. Five main museums stand out: Kon-Tiki Museum, exhib...Read more
  9. The Bergen Railway

    Entertainment

    This attraction takes you far out of the city This train journey is one of the most-beautiful, highest, and most daring in the world. It’s also the highest line in Northern Europe. The line was built in the early 20th century, when it became supremely necessary to link two of Norway’s most important cities – Bergen and Oslo. And so impossibly hard mountains were tunnelled th...Read more
  10. Aker Brygge

    Street Food

    One of Oslo’s most popular neighbourhoods thanks to it’s dazzling entertainment, dining, nightlife and shopping options, Aker Brygge is also an excellent location to stay in while in Oslo. The most popular hangout here is the boardwalk along the inner harbour, which is always lively with people. Highlights are as follow: The Wharf, Gallery Fineart, Pushwagner Gallery, Astrup Fearnly...Read more
  11. Astrup Fearnley Museum Of Modern Art

    Art And Culture, Art Museum, Art Gallery, Museum

    This contemporary art gallery focuses on Norwegian and international art. In the past the museum focused on acquiring works of German Abstract Expressionism, English modern painting, and Young British Artists, and now it begins to focus on contemporary American art. The museum may not appeal to everyone, but you never know until you visit. It’s got one of the best contemporary art collect...Read more
  12. Norwegian Museum Of Technology

    Museum, Science Museum, Observatory, Educational Site

    Through 25 permanent exhibits, the museum explores Norway’s technological journey from its agrarian roots to today’s industrialised cities. The exhibits showcase energy, oil, industry, medicine, and transportation for the most part. Occasionally special exhibitions are held in which these or related areas are analysed in depth. The exhibits are usually interactive, making this an ex...Read more
  13. Nordmarka

    4.1 (226 Votes)
    Nordmarka

    Outdoors, Forest, Camp, Hiking Trail

    The North Forest is popular for hiking, biking and skiing. Wintersports are especially popular December – February, when there are about 450 km worth of red-marked ski trails to enjoy. In the summer, you can swim in the lakes, which you get to by following the blue marked tracks. The whole area is fantastically beautiful, and you keep thinking there’s something magic and mysterious ...Read more
  14. Mathallen Food Hall

    Outdoors, Food And Drinks, Flea Market, Market

    Food lovers will find their every appetite catered to in this cozy little food hall. About 40 or so local producers break out the best in their kitchen, serving everything from tapas to sushi to beer. Fish, meat, vegetables, baked goods, and coffee aren’t off the menu either. There is a lot of street food. Most things are cheap. The place is clean, and nearly almost packed full. The atmos...Read more
  15. Sognsvann Lake

    4.7 (575 Votes)
    Sognsvann Lake

    Outdoors, Trail, Waterfront, Camp

    A popular and pretty natural retreat for the people of Oslo, the Lake isn’t very large. Only 3.3km around, you could easily cover it in an hour if you jogged. In the summer, it’s a favourite place to come camping, swimming and picnicking. The trail is stable enough for wheelchair access. In a few places, piers jut out into the water. The water is surrounded by lovely greenery on all...Read more