Oslo Norway - the Scandinavian Viking capital

Photo: Gunnar strom/VisitOslo

Photo: Simen Myrberget/VisitOslo

Photo: Eirik Ostbakken/Innovation Norway

National day May 17 at Karl Johan street
Photo: Gunnar Strom/VisitOslo

Photo: Gunnar Stom/VisitOslo

Photo: Gunnar Strom/VisitOslo

Photo: Simen Myrberget/VisitOslo

Oslo is the capital of Norway, and the economic and governmental centre of the country. Oslo is the largest city in Norway, with a population of some 600 000 inhabitants.

Oslo is beautifully located by the Oslofjord, surrounded by hills and vast areas of woodlands; popular recreational areas with walking trails and cross-country ski trails in winter. Oslo is the home of the Norwegian Royal family, with the Royal palace located at the far end of Oslo's main street Karl Johansgate.

Main sights of Oslo:

The Viking Ship Museum
The Viking Ship Museum presents great Viking ship discoveries from the tombs of Gokstad, Oseberg and Tune, as well as other finds from Viking tombs around the Oslo Fjord. You can see the world's two best-preserved wooden Viking ships built in the 9th century along with smaller boats, sledges, tools, textiles and household utensils.


Fram Museum - the Fram Polar Ship
Fram is the strongest wooden ship ever built and still holds the records for sailing farthest north and farthest south. At the Fram Museum you can actually embark the ship and see how the crew and their dogs lived and managed to survive in the coldest and most dangerous places on earth - the Arctic and the Antarctic.

Vigeland Sculpture Park
The park is one of Norway's most visited attractions. The unique sculpture park is the life work of the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943) with more than 200 sculptures in bronze, granite and cast iron. Vigeland was also responsible for the design and architectural outline of the park.

The National Gallery
The National Gallery houses Norway's largest public collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures. The museum's central attractions include Edvard Munch's famous paintings "The Scream" and "Madonna" and paintings by Cézanne og Manet.
You can also see older art from Norway, with highlights from the romantic period until the mid-1900s. You can also see works by international painters and sculptors, including the French impressionists.

The Norwegian National Opera & Ballet
The Oslo Opera House, designed by the Norwegian architecs Snohetta, opened in 2008 in the old harbour area of Bjorvika. Due to its spectacular architecture it soon became a landmark in Oslo. It is the first opera house in the world to let visitors walk on the roof.

Holmenkollen Ski Jump & Ski Museum
The deck on top of the jump tower offers panoramic views of Oslo.
The Holmenkollen Ski jump is really a historic landmark in the Norwegian consciousness, as skiing is an important part of our culture. Holmenkollen embodies more than a century of skiing traditions. Inside the actual ski jump is the Holmenkollen Ski Museum, the world's oldest ski museum.

Edvard Munch Museum
Edvard Munch has a unique position among Nordic painters and is considered a pioneer in expressionism. The Munch Museum's collection, left to the city of Oslo by Edvard Munch, consists of a large number of paintings, graphical prints and drawings. By constantly changing the exhibitions, the museum presents the variety in his production.

Akershus Fortress
Akershus Fortress is located in the city centre by the Oslo Fjord. The building of Akershus Castle and Fortress was commenced in 1299 under King Håkon V. The medieval castle, which was completed in the 1300s, had a strategical location at the very end of the headland, and withstood a number of sieges throughout the ages. King Christian IV (1588-1648) had the castle modernised and converted into a Renaisssance castle and royal residence. During the 17th and 18th century the castle fell into decay, and restoration work only started in 1899.

Selection of our tours including Oslo:

Bergen, Oslo, Flam Railway & the Sognefjord 
 

Bergen, Sognefjord, Geilo & Oslo
 

The Grand Tour of the Fjords

Lofoten Islands, Helgeland & Sognefjord
 

Sognefjord fjord cruise packages
 

Norway in a Nutshell fjord tour packages