Oslos - 4 days pre cruise

[Lirio]

We will be in Oslo by July 2011 for 4 days as pre cruise with Lindblad. Any suggestion for tours, must see, restaurants, etc?

[kaisatsu]

What kinds of things are you interested in?

 

For the city itself, you don't really need a tour, as it's easy to get around on your own (walking or public transit). For the museums, figure out which ones you want to see and look into the Oslo Pass (the details are on the visitoslo.com website). To get the best benefits from it, save the free sights (National Gallery, Vigelands Park, etc) for another day so that you can maximize the free admission.

 

Depending on where you're going with Lindblad, and whether you've been to Norway before, you might look into the Norway in a Nutshell tour to get a chance to see the western fjords. You could do a day trip and return to Oslo, or spend two days and do the trip to Bergen (spending the next day there and flying back or taking an overnight train the next night).

 

Among the things to see in Oslo, with two (or more full days to explore the city), I would recommend the Folk Museum, Viking Ships, Fram, and Kon-Tiki museums kn Bygdøy as a way to easily fill the better part of one day (and really make use of an Oslo Pass). Vigelands Park is a must-see, and the National Gallery is always a good choice even if you're just popping in to see Munch's "The Scream." And a trip up to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump is a great view from an Oslo landmark.

 

Beyond that, the City Hall has some interesting murals. On a nice day, the Akershus Fortress grounds are pleasant to explore with some nice views of the fjord (though the interior of the fortress is rather underwhelming). And the Nobel Peace Center has some interesting high-tech exhibits. The Resistence Museum is a good choice for WWII history buffs. The Munch museum is kind of out of the way and I'd only recommend it if you're a big fan of the artist (otherwise hit the National Gallery for a decent selection of his works along with other notable artists).

 

If you check on the visitoslo.com site closer to your visit, you might find that some of the museums offer guided English visits at certain times during the tourist season (mid-May throu July). We had a great time visiting the National History Museum's viking collection this way a few years ago (since the museum is one of the few that lacks extensive English signage). Also, check out the Frommers website for a few walking tours around Oslo. There's one that takes you to Damstredet and Telthusbakken, which are two very pretty streets downtown that don't see a lot of tourists.

 

Regarding restaurants:

 

We always take visitors to Lorry for the reindeer burgers (more like large meatballs than hamburgers). On the company's tab, we like to hit up Frognerseteren for the fantastic views and traditional Norwegian cuisine, but the price tag keeps us from going there much on our own. A cheaper option for the view is the Holmenkollen restaurant near the Holmenkollen T-bane station. On nice days, eating al fresco along the waterfront at Aker Brygge is a popular option, though the restaurants all have a bit of a markup for the location. But by far, my favorite option is to stop by a supermarket for some sausage and a disposable grill, and join the locals at Frogner Park or Huk Beach for a summer barbecue, some great people watching, and a fantastic sense of community (Bonus: it's a lot cheaper than eating out)!

 

On the budget end of the dining scale: First, be sure to eat a large breakfast if your hotel offers one! When you're out and about, the Deli de Luca chain tends to have some decent hot sandwiches and take-away food for a bit less than the cafes. The cafes vary a lot, but Tullins Cafe near the Radisson Scandinavian and Royal Palace has some very reasonable (for Oslo) prices. Kebab is the go-to street food, and there are kebab shops all over town. There are also inexpensive Southeast Asian restaurants. And the Indian restaurant in the old part of the central train station has some surprisingly good curries (but zero ambience).

 

Let me know if you want more specifics!

 

-meg

[Lirio]

Thanks, a lot of information. I going over it in detail and should I need any further detail I will let you know.

[Lirio]

Kaisatsu, we are considering some hiking. Do you have any suggestion?

[Hlitner]

My first thought when I think of 4 nights in Oslo (or anywhere in Norway) is bring lots of money. It is very expensive to eat in Norway (this might be the understatement). This is one of the few places in the world where paying $25 for a hamburger (not sure why anyone would get a burger in Norway) would be considered a very fair price. We have not been to Norway in several years and happened to spend some time there last summer. We knew Norway was expensive, but we really did not realize that it has gotten so far out of whack with most of the world when it comes to prices. The Norwegians seem to do fine with their prices, but wages are pretty high. We understand even Walmart pays about $21 an hour as a basic wage.

 

Hank

[alexandra cruiser]

And plan to take HOHO bus in am,,,go back to ship,,,eat and rest,,then go on ferry to island museums in pm....then back to ship before dinner...that way,,,not too much at once,,,save money on food,,,can see a lot,,,but not become overwhelmed...we are senior citizens,,you know,,hahah.Sound doable????Enjoy all the help I get from other CC ers...thanks:)

[kaisatsu]

Kaisatsu, we are considering some hiking. Do you have any suggestion?

Day hiking? Overnight hiking? Around Oslo or elsewhere?

 

If you take the t-bane (subway) Line #3 to Sognsvann, there are some popular paths around the lake. It's probably the most popular area for the Oslo locals, with everything from a 1-hour flat gravel path around the lake to multi-day treks up through the Nordmarka forest. I can try to find some of the trail maps for the area if you'd like (they're somewhere online, but I don't have the link handy).

[kaisatsu]

In the meantime, I think I posted a few links in this post:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1251931