What to Know about Oslo
The Norwegian capital has come out of nowhere to become this year’s hot travel destination.
What is it about Oslo this year? Until a few months ago, it seemed to be entirely off the radar of most Americans. But in the past several weeks, I’ve heard from a whole bunch of people who all have plans to travel there.
Since I happened to have been in Norway this past December (without knowing it would prove to be the following year’s hot spot), I’ve unwillingly accepted the title of “expert”* on its capital city, basically only because no one else seems to have been just yet.
I’ve found myself doling out similar advice over and over, so here it is in written form, in case it’s on your to-visit list, too—or perhaps this will inspire you to add it.
*I do not claim to be an expert on this particular destination, except inasmuch as I’ve spent a few days there recently.
Why Go?
Its Scandinavian sisters Copenhagen and Stockholm have been top destinations for a while. If you love Scandi vibes but are looking for a new city to explore, Oslo is an obvious next step.
It may not yet be quite the food/drink/culture destination Copenhagen is, but it’s catching up rapidly. The restaurant Maaemo has been awarded three Michelin stars. Himkok has been deemed one of the top 10 bars in the world by the 50 Best folks. The city has one of the best new hotels in all of Europe, and an incredible brand-new museum.
Plus, the northern lights are at the peak of their 11-year cycle this year, and Oslo makes a great jumping-off point to head north to see them.
What to Know?
Oslo isn’t as pretty as Copenhagen or most other major European cities. I’m sorry, but it’s the truth. Architecture-wise, brutalist concrete blocks far outnumber quaint, colorful buildings; there are fewer narrow, winding cobblestone streets than you’ll often find elsewhere. The city certainly has its charms, but you’ll need to lower your aesthetic expectations.
Everyone speaks English. Seriously, everyone. So don’t let language be a worry. Still, as with all destinations, it’s polite to learn a few essential words—hello, goodbye, thank you, etc—before you go.
The airport express train is the fastest way to and from the airport. It’s quick and comfortable, and it costs about $25 for a one-way ticket. Don’t bother with a taxi.
The trams and buses are amazing and on-time. Download the Ruter app before you go.
Don’t skip the hotel breakfasts. Virtually every hotel includes breakfast in its price. The most common offering is a menu of hot dishes (eggs benedict seems most popular) plus access to a buffet that is often mind-bogglingly vast. I’m not a buffet type of person ordinarily, but throughout Norway I sure was. Go simply for the sheer spectacle of food, if nothing else.
Norway has strict laws regarding when and where you can purchase alcohol. Let’s just say that if you anticipate wanting to consume alcohol in a non-bar setting on a particular evening, you should probably buy your booze that afternoon.
If you go in winter, wear good snow boots. Sidewalk shoveling? What’s that? They actually deposit the snow plowed from the roads onto the sidewalks, and pedestrians are expected to just make their way through it somehow, much to the consternation of non-locals.
The winter holidays are the worst time to visit. Oh, sure, the city is absolutely lovely in the snow (and there will be a lot of it). But a shocking number of places close for the holidays. Many museums and other sights close between Christmas and New Year’s Day. Every single upscale restaurant in Oslo and many of the better bars are closed for a few weeks between late December and early- to mid-January. Even some of the nicer hotels close entirely for a few days! (In all my years as a travel editor/writer, I’d never heard of such a thing.)
If you’re hoping to see the northern lights, you’ll have a much better chance if you venture farther north—say, to Tromso. It’s possible to see them in Oslo if conditions are right, but it’s not common. And keep in mind that there’s too much daylight in summer to see them; your chances are better between September and, say, March, and best in January and February.
Norwegians (along with other Scandinavians) love two things Americans typically scorn: 7-11 markets and hot dogs. Don’t knock either until you try ‘em; both put the American versions solidly to shame.
Where to Go?
AKA a brief list of places I loved
Accommodation:
Amerikalinjen: This hotel couldn’t be more centrally located: It’s right across the street from the train station. Its rooms are quite small but extremely nice, and some have elegantly high ceilings. (I joked that the square footage of my room would double if it were turned on its side, which wasn’t far from the literal truth.) Its building is the former headquarters of the Norwegian America Line, and as a hotel it features references to both ships and NYC throughout. Fun fact: Its kitchen is the only place in Oslo that makes bagels, which are entirely respectable by NYC standards and which you can get at breakfast – or they’ll pack you a bagel-and-lox for the road if you’re departing early to catch a flight.
Sommerro: This glamorous Art Deco palace, occupying the former headquarters of Oslo’s electrical company, has made me entirely reconsider what I thought I knew about hotels, and indeed about buildings in general. Its design firm is said to have taken inspiration from The Great Gatsby, and it shows in details large and small—the elegant glass carafe provided for fetching filtered still or sparkling water from a station in the hall, for instance. For my stay, I was upgraded one room category to a junior suite, putting me in—how do I describe this?—a room that had curves rather than corners, with furniture that was clearly custom-made, the bar cart’s curves perfectly matching those of the non-corners. The hotel is set in the upscale residential neighborhood of Frogner, a slight hike from most of the city’s attractions and restaurants. Buses and trams stop directly in front of the hotel, however, and it’s a very short hop to the Maritime and Kon-Tiki museums as well as those in the city center.
Dining:
Because I visited in late December, every single restaurant that’s on any best-of list anywhere was closed during my visit. But two food halls are worth a mention: Mathallen and Oslo Street Food. The latter comprises dozens of stalls of various cuisines with a largely Asian bent; it’s a lively hangout spot for large groups of locals. The former is a bit of a walk north of the city center and its offerings are slightly more gourmet-leaning. I recommend the duck sandwiches from Galopin.
Drinking:
Himkok: In addition to every decent restaurant in Oslo, this bar, too, was closed during my visit. But it’s currently ranked in the top 10 bars worldwide by the 50 Best folks, so it’s almost certainly worth a stop. Its head bartender did a one-night takeover in New York City last month, offering his personal favorites of the bar’s cocktails, and I can vouch that all were delicious.
Svanen: If it leans a bit self-serious-feeling, it’s well deserved for its extremely serious cocktail program, offering drinks made with, well, all the newest science-y techniques. The space, a former pharmacy, is filled with cozy nooks for whispered conversations.
Andre til Høyre: Furnished like your coolest friend’s mid-century modern apartment, this bar takes a whimsical and fun approach to its cocktails. I understand it’s quite a party scene on weekend nights; for a more relaxed vibe, go earlier on weekdays, when you can plop yourself down on one of the velvet-upholstered sofas and pretend you live there.
Poppy: Too new to have been on my radar during my trip, this bar was suggested to me by the Himkok bartender when I asked him where he likes to drink. (Poppy and Svanen, he says, are the only places he’d recommend. In addition to his own bar, of course.)
Other drinks: Norwegians, just behind the Finns, lead the world in coffee consumption. I didn’t make it to coffee guru Tim Wendelboe’s cafe (because it, too, closes for the holidays), but I’ve heard it’s basically the best café anywhere in the world. Go and report back, please.
Sights:
If you have only one day (or two half-days, a common situation, since Oslo is often used as a place to overnight before heading elsewhere in the country), there are two things you absolutely cannot miss. The first is the newly opened National Museum, which somehow covers the country’s history and its art and its fashion and design over the centuries and the Scandinavian mid-century modern design phenomenon and everything else you could hope to learn about, all under one roof. The other is Ekebergparken, which is essentially a smaller (and free, and open 24/7) version of Storm King (the Hudson Valley’s beloved sculpture park), with world-class art scattered throughout the park’s 255 acres.
If you have a bit longer in town, add on the Maritime Museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum (they’re located right next to each other). The Kon-Tiki contains the actual raft that made the improbable voyage across the Pacific; the Maritime Museum is a spectacular look at the country’s nautical explorations over the centuries.
There’s also the Munch Museum, in case you didn’t get your fill of Edvard Munch’s art (you know, The Scream) while at the National Museum. His work isn’t my thing, so I skipped this museum, but if you’re a fan, I’ve heard it’s fantastic.
Make sure to duck into as many design stores as you can. I also loved exploring Riktige Leker, a toy store with heirloom-quality children’s goods intended to last for generations.
This is in no way an exhaustive list of the city’s highlights. If I’ve left something off that you particularly love, let me know!
And happy travels.
**
The Sidecar:
Bonus bar recommendation: Torggata Botaniske isn’t quite a destination bar the way the others listed above are; it’s more like a solid neighborhood bar. But while you’re right in the neighborhood for Himkok and Andre til Hoyre, you might as well stop by.
Local flavor: You absolutely must try the country’s apple cider. It doesn’t have the right climate to grow grapes, of course, but what it does grow is apples, and puts them to great use in cider that’s absolutely world-class. Hardangergutane is widely available and I’ve loved the couple of expressions I’ve tried, and there are many, many more options. Find them at restaurants or bars, or pick up a bottle at the Vinmonopolet and bring it back to your hotel.
Also, cheese: You may have noted I like cheese. I somehow hadn’t realized before I visited the country that it’s the source of one of my very favorite varieties, called Gjetost and also known as “brown cheese.” Its flavor is sweet and caramelly, and I’ve been known to bite straight into chunks of it as if it were fudge. Which it almost is. Make sure to try some while you’re there.
Let the bars come to you: As I mentioned, Himkok recently did a bar takeover at Bangkok Supper Club in NYC, and the team from Tropic City did their own takeover there a few nights ago. Keep an eye on the restaurant’s Instagram to see what’s up next.