Things to do in Oslo
With such a long history, Oslo has much to offer visitors, with plenty of things to see and do around the city.
Winter is a particularly popular time for travellers in Oslo, as the hills and mountains which surround the city become covered in snow, making it an ideal place for a spot of skiing. Heading to the slopes is a favourite pastime among the locals of Oslo and given that the cold weather lasts for so long, it is not surprising that the city is a favourite among skiers. The forests which surround the city on three sides also come alive in the winter weather, as the snow turns them from green to white almost overnight. Dog sled rides through the wilderness are available which provide visitors with a unique way to enjoy the landscape.
Oslo is famed for its association with winter sports fans and their affinity for the city is easy to understand. There are a whole host of winter activities to undertake in the city at its sporting headquarters, the stadia of the 1952 Winter Olympics. A short ride away from the city centre, the world-famous Holmenkollen Ski Jump dominates the skyline in this area and it remains to this day one of the sternest tests for ski jumpers.
The huge jump is used every year in competitive action, as Oslo hosts the Holmenkollen Ski Festival, which rounds off the winter sports season with a variety of competitions. For those a little daunted by the prospect of leaping from the huge Holmenkollen Ski Jump, arriving to be a spectator of the festival can prove a much safer way of enjoying the winter sports scene! There are also many ski treks and it is therefore little wonder that this is where polar explorer Fridtjor Nansen chose to train ahead of his epic trek across Greenland on skis – the first man, along with his companion Otto Sverdrup to do so.
However, with the summer comes another type of visitor, as the boats and yachts arrive on the Oslo Fjord. Therefore, in the summer all attention turns away from the hills and the melting slopes and looks to the fjord, where the yachts gather. There are often various regattas held on the fjord, which brings in an even greater number of sailing enthusiasts and these can be exciting and interesting experiences for onlookers.
Overlooking the Oslo fjord is one of the city's oldest buildings. The Akershus Fortress is an ancient structure which has defeated many invading armies over the years and is now enjoying its retirement as a premier visitor attraction in the city. The Royal Palace is also a famous landmark in the city and its appearance as a more colourful version of London's Buckingham Palace can be surprising to British tourists.
The Vigeland Park is another top attraction for visitors to the city. Covering 80 acres of land, the park is adorned with 212 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, who is also behind the architecture and layout of the entire park. As well as being an ideal location to wander around, the park also contains the Vigeland Museum, which houses a large number of the artist's sculptures and sketches.
Edvard Munch is probably Oslo's most famous son and as such his work appears in a number of galleries across the city. There is the Munch Museum, which is dedicated to the man's life and his works, while a variety of his most famous pieces hang in the National Gallery.
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Things to do
