After a brief stint in the world of fashion blogging I thought it was time to return to my tried and true. So, I present to you OSLO! I’ve always wanted to experience a Scandinavian summer and I got a little taste on my 6 day trip in August.
It is possibly my favourite big city I’ve visited on this trip. I can’t tell if it was the good weather, seeing friends, the cool scandi-chic vibe or a combination of these all that made me fall in love with this city. Oslo is a small city that packs a punch. The café culture is thriving, great bars and nightlife, nature close to the city and SO MUCH Scandinavian style and design.
If you want to be as obsessed with Oslo as I am read on…
where to stay
I was staying with friends in the Torshov area. It’s a little out of the city which was perfect for me who needed a bit of downtime. The public transport in Oslo is really good so wherever you stay all the main attractions are accessible.
what to do
Cards on the table, I was pretty burnt out by this stage in the trip. So I was very glad to be in a house with a kitchen and couch to lay on. I had a fairly lazy trip to Oslo as I needed a little downtime. It was beautiful weather so I quite enjoyed just laying in parks and reading my book. However in this list I’ve included some of the things I did and some things I’ll do when I come back!
sauna
we did a sauna on the fjord which is quite popular with Oslo locals. We went to Oslo Badstuforening for an hour session. We couldn’t swim in the Fjord because there was 130 million litres of sewage waste that was spilt into the water. I thought it was very amusing but wasn’t risking the E.coli. They have nice cold showers though so we just did that to cool down instead.
Make sure to take an extra towel as one will get quite sweaty!
visit a kolonihager
a Kolonihager is a small community of portions of land with small sheds on them. People who live in appartments usually own these and go after work to look after their garden, have some drinks or a barbecue. The little sheds are more like cottages and an ode to traditional Norwegian architecture and design. I visited Hjemmets Kolonihager . In the centre of this Kolonihager there is a small community hall. I stuck my head in and there was some people organising a party with the cutest decor.
visit fjord islands
I didn’t get to do this whilst I was there but it’s possible to get ferries from Oslo over to the smaller islands and then ride bikes around. Some popular ones are hovedøya, gressholmen and lindøya.
damstredet
A nice street with very cute houses in traditional Norwegian style
museums
Munch museum and Astrup Fearnley museum of modern art. The munch museum is on the waterfront. I was a bit museum-ed out by this point but would recommend visiting to all art fans.
operahuset, deichman bjørvika, and rådhus (kevin mccloud mode activate)
The Opera house and library are on the foreshore located close together. They are each great examples of contemporary scandinavian design. With the operahuset opening n 2008 it uses natural light to highlight natural materials and curvature on the interior. Climb up the side of the house using the slanted ramps to stand on top. You can also see dressmakers creating costumes for the opera through the windows at the bottom of the opera house.
Deichman Bjørvika is the main branch of Oslo public library and is like modern day hogwarts. It’s surprising how cosy this building feels despite the use of concrete and harsh geometry.
Oslo City Hall a.k.a rådhus is where the nobel peace prize is awarded every year on the 10th of December. But it offers a break from the wood-heavy design of the rest of Oslo. It is a brutalist brick building showcasing Norwegian history and culture. Murals throughout the building depict its function: the dealings of everyday life in Oslo through Norske mythology.
To read more about the Rådhus I visited this site.
lay in a park
I did this quite a few days and it’s so lovely seeing everyone out and about enjoying the sunshine.
ski
The metro to the mountains only takes 30 minutes and in winter you can ski!
people watching
I LOVE Scandinavian style so we went and got coffees and just people watched a few days. Thv. Meyersgate is a good street as it’s in quite a cool neighbourhood and there are lots of good cafés to sit at.
walk along the river
There is a river that divides Oslo in half. Lots of locals walk their dogs and run around here and its a very peaceful spot if you’re looking for some nature.
eat and drink
A great restaurant with mezze etc. Whilst a little expensive you get a good amount for what you pay for.
⭑ blå and ingensteds
Two cool clubs located next to eachother. We went to Ingensteds which was fun with good techno.
For good coffee in a cool spot.
fast food / take away mexican. super fresh and delicious.
⭑ mjøl
super cute bakery in sagene
hot tips
⭑ freia chocolate
I LOVE THIS CHOCOLATE. As mentioned in my previous blog post (shameless plug) this is the best chocolate I’ve ever had. Specifically, the salted version. STOCK UP and send some to me while you’re at it.
⭑ money
make sure you have a bit of cash to spend, norway is quite expensive.
⭑ seasons
I personally do not enjoy darkness and the cold. In winter Norway fulfils both of these criteria. The summer is just so beautiful and the days are very long. So, I would personally prefer going back in winter.
for next time
⭑ I would love to explore more of Norway. There are so many mountains and beautiful beaches. I really want to come back and see more of it!
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