Oslo Travel Guide: Attractions, Hotels, Dining And Nightlife

Located on the awesome Oslofjord, Norway’s capital is renowned for its modern architecture, rich Viking history and vibrant cultural scene. Oslo is fabulous for a city break with its unique mix of attractions, from world-class museums like the Astrup Fearnley and Munch museums to Vigeland Sculpture Park and the Oslo Opera House to lively neighborhoods like Grünerløkka, known for its art, shopping and dining. A top tip for visitors is the Oslo Pass (24, 48 or 72 hours) offering free transportation and entry into many of the city’s attractions.

Where to Stay

Tjuvholmen (Thief Islet) used to be a haven for smugglers, thieves and scoundrels. Today it is home to The Thief, a gorgeous boutique hotel adjacent to the Astrup Fearnley Museum where hotel guests get free entry. And speaking of art, this hotel is an art lover’s dream. Beside the entrance is a cast-iron sculpture of a reclining man by Anthony Gormley while the lobby is dominated by a giant Richard Prince Cowboy image. Elsewhere you’ll see a Damien Hirst painting as well as lots of other artworks and carefully selected designer furniture. The rooms and suites combine sleek Scandinavian design with luxury. Standard rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows, plush bedding, Nespresso machines, rainfall showers and balconies. The top penthouse suite overlooks the fjord, has a separate bedroom, dining room and original artworks by Sir Peter Blake. There’s a spa which needs to be booked and a restaurant offering a superb buffet breakfast and excellent Nordic menu for lunch and dinner.

Over four generations, the same family has built up and developed Hotel Continental into one of Norway’s finest five-star hotels. Hotel Continental opened in 1900 with 30 rooms and Theatercaféen on the ground and first floors. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, it is in a prime location near the Royal Palace and National Theatre. Combining classic design with modern amenities, the hotel offers 151 spacious, stylishly decorated rooms and suites. Guests can enjoy fine dining at its renowned restaurant, Theatercaféen, and relax in its sophisticated bars.

AttStays, a modern apartment hotel with rooms and apartments, is centrally located, has a chic aesthetic and is a great alternative to a standard hotel if you’re looking for a self-catering option. There is a cafe downstairs serving breakfast but guests will appreciate the fully equipped mini kitchens in many rooms. One caveat: check in and checkout are fully digital using an app on your phone: there are no keys and no reception.

What to See and Do

On the edge of Oslo Fjord, in the Tjuvholmen district, the Astrup Fearnley Museum is a must visit to see both its impressive collection of modern art by Norwegian and international artists and the spectacular Renzo Piano designed building. Opened in 1993, the museum is known for its innovative exhibitions and an impressive and still growing permanent collection of over 1500 pieces, including works by Sigmar Polke, Cindy Sherman and Anselm Kiefer. The museum also has temporary exhibitions that draw on the collection as well as debut new commissions by artists from all over the world. Next door, the excellent Italian restaurant Venti Venti restaurant is a great place for lunch with salads and pasta.

Also in a brilliant waterfront location, in the regenerated Bjørvika area, the Munch Museum, which opened in 2021, is dedicated to Norway’s most famous artist, Edvard Munch. Spanning 13 floors, the museum houses the extensive collection that Munch left to the city in 1944, shortly before his death. The museum’s permanent exhibits feature his paintings, prints and sketches, delving into themes of illness, melancholy, and nature. Among its treasures are three versions of The Scream —a painting, a print, and a drawing—though only one is displayed at a time to protect these delicate works, with the display rotating approximately every 30 minutes.

Opened in 2022, the National Museum contains Norway’s biggest collection of art, architecture and design with over 6,500 works from antiquity to the present. Filling 80 rooms over two floors, highlights of the chronologically arranged collection include Norwegian works like Harald Sohlberg’s Winter Night in the Mountains and Christian Krohg’s The Sick Girl, as well as key international works by artists like Vincent van Gogh and Claude Monet.

A sculpture park with over 200 sculptures in granite, bronze and wrought iron represents the life work of Gustav Vigeland. The starting point for Vigeland Sculpture Park is the sculptor’s Fountain, which was originally meant to be placed at Eidsvolls plass in front of the Parliament. These plans were never realized and the Fountain later became part of Vigeland’s more extensive park plans.

An Oslo fjord sightseeing tour is an excellent and relaxing way to see the city. A good option is Båtservice Sightseeing tours which depart from City Hall Pier 3. The two-hour boat tour (all year) passes key landmarks like the Opera house and the Munch Museum as well as Hovedøya, Nesodden and Middagsbukta, taking in the fjord’s most beautiful spots with cottages and cabins.

For fashionistas, Oslo Runway, an annual fashion week each August has plenty of public events running throughout the city. Some events are at Steen & Strom, one of the world’s oldest department stores that has offered the latest in Norwegian and international design since opening in 1797. The store and the shops around this historic emporium are worth visiting anytime, including the only Chanel store in Scandinavia.

Where to Eat and Drink

The five-course tasting menu at The Thief is superb. Among the many menu highlights on a recent menu was Arctic char with chive mayo; apple glazed duck breast; and for dessert, the chocolate raspberry bar with white and milk chocolate mousse, raspberry coulis was a crunchy, moreish delight. The tasting and a la carte menues both change seasonally and feature delicious dishes using Nordic produce. The elegant dining room is surrounded by unique pieces of art such as a painting by Damien Hirst.

VentiVenti at the Astrup Fearnley Museum is a lovely waterside Nordic Italian bistro with an excellent choice of pizzas and pastas including the fantastic Tagliatella Marinara, a steaming dish of pasta with spicy mussels. The caesar salad and the fish and chips are both great options too.

Theatercaféen is renowned for its lively atmosphere and elegant Art Nouveau interior. Located next to the National Theatre, it has been a popular meeting place for artists, actors and intellectuals since it opened in 1900. The restaurant offers classic Norwegian cuisine with European influences, including seafood platters, reindeer and seasonal delicacies, all prepared with fresh, high-quality ingredients.

Fiskeriet, a popular seafood restaurant and fish market located in the heart of the city, is essential for seafood lovers. Known for its fresh, sustainably sourced seafood (that you can also purchase to take home), Fiskeriet offers a casual yet vibrant dining experience. The menu features a variety of seafood dishes, including traditional Norwegian favorites like fish soup, fish and chips and oysters.

The Grand Café first opened in 1874. In the restaurant, Henrik Ibsen would eat his daily lunch and Edvard Munch once offered to swap the painting ‘Sick Girl’ in return for 100 steak dinners. Now, more than 140 years later a new era has begun. A new restaurant and an extensive wine cellar. serves Nordic food with inspiration from around the world. The open-plan solution gives our guests a direct view into the kitchen, which is run by Roar Sandvik. In 1874 the Grand Cafe opened its doors, when Oslo was called Kristiania. This is where it all started. The cafe was the home of Henrik Ibsen, Roald Amundsen, Knut Hamsun, Gustav Vigeland and Fridtjof Nansen as well as a number of other ‘Kristianiabohemer’.

Sørenga in Oslo has in recent years been transformed from a container and shipping area into a brand-new neighbourhood by the fjord that includes restaurants like the pizzeria Restaurant Ludo. A 10 minute walk along the fjord from the Munch Museum brings you to the neighbourhood. The owner/ chef is British born James Maxwell-Stewart, who worked for Heston Blumenthal at the renowned Fat Duck. Pizzas are baked in a stone oven and the team at Ludo has won both the Norwegian and the Scandinavian championships in pizza making.

Himkok translates as “moonshine” and in fact the bar produces their own range of spirits right on site. Number 10 in the World’s 50 best bars list, this popular bar has a fully operational distillery that produces Aquavit, Gin, and Vodka and has a delicious range of their own cocktails and cider on tap

FYR Bistronomi & Bar’s menu created from local ingredients in season is served up on a large outdoor terrace and in a cozy dining room inside. From Norwegian cured meats and cheese, to a brisket with smoked chili to various kebabs, this is another great choice for lunch or dinner.

An ice cream parlor in Norway may seem a bit of a stretch but Paradis gelateria has daily queues at all its locations so clearly owners Alfonso and Haron are doing something right. For starters, they serve authentic Italian gelato, made fresh every day using all natural ingredients with regular favorites like pistacchio and more unusual ones like licorice and snickers.

Getting There

British Airways offers daily direct flights from London Heathrow to Oslo as does SAS which also flies from New York. Norwegian Air has direct flights from London Gatwick.