A Wintry Weekend in Oslo

You can find the details of our trip here.

Oslo was the perfect city for a short weekend getaway.  It's small enough that we were able to see practically everything we wanted to see in the time we were there and we didn't have to rush to do so.  Despite the chilly below 0 temperatures, we bundled up and walked our way around the sites

{A very special thank you to Megan who so kindly sent us some very helpful tips and who treated us to a coffee & pastry when dropped by to say 'hello.'  It was so nice to finally meet in person!}

Oslo has more of an urban feel than we are used to in Stavanger but it is still small enough to feel comfortable.  We loved that we could basically walk everywhere - in fact, aside from the train to and from the airport, we walked to every site.  I'd like to check it out in the spring or summer when the trees have leaves, the sidewalks aren't icy and the climate a little warmer.  We know as well as anyone living in Norway that things really come alive on a beautiful day.

The Palace & Slottsparken

I've never seen a palace so easily accessible by the general public as the Royal Palace in Oslo. Tourists and locals alike can quite literally walk right up to the front door.  Unfortunately for us, palace tours are only done in the summer so we could only admire it from the outside.

Frognerparken

Frognerparken is the largest park in Oslo and the number one tourist site.  It is home to 212 statues constructed by Gustav Vigeland.  The statues are undressed people doing typically day to day activities with the exception of a few open to interpretation.  It was quite impressive and one couldn't help but smile at the giggling and blushing tourists.

Aker Brygge

 

Aker Brygge is a newer area sitting on the waterfront of the Oslo fjord.  It's home to shops, restaurants, hotels, apartments and some modern architecture.  I imagine this to be quite a bustling area during the summer as the boardwalk was lined with ice cream shops currently closed for the winter.  

Akerhus Fortress

The Akerhus Fortress sits across the water from Aker Brygge.  At one time, it was a medieval castle built to protect Oslo but it also served as a prison and was at one point surrendered to the Germans during WWII.  Currently, it's open to the public although there is still a military presence.

 

The Oslo Opera House

One of my favourite sites in Oslo was the Opera house.  Located just beside the Central train station and our hotel, this stunning building appears to rise from the sea.  We happened to arrive just in time for sunset and my goodness, it was beautiful.  Joe walked up the path along the side of the building and stood on top to take in the views - I found it a bit too slippery so I stayed below.  Both the exterior and interior of the building are quite impressive.  I hope to see a show the next time we visit Oslo so I can take in the auditorium.

 

This trip was our first time being 'tourists' in Norway.  We've never really looked at any of our time here as 'travel' because it's currently our home.  In any case, I looked at Oslo in a bit of a different light.  While we certainly enjoyed our time there, I could see why it's not a top tourist destination.  It's expensive, like the rest of Norway, and if you're just popping over for a weekend, it's difficult to get over the cost.  We noticed ourselves 'traveling' a little differently than normal too - we didn't stop off for  beer throughout the day because it's so darn expensive.  I also didn't do any shopping because I typically wait until we're out of Norway to buy things at a more reasonable price.  Oslo also doesn't have the same natural beauty that Norway is so famous for.  It's not an ugly city by any means but it doesn't have the same breathtaking quality of Western Norway.

With all of that being said, we did quite like Oslo and it certainly made us excited to see a few more sides of this country that we're lucky enough to call home for the time being.