The exciting journey to the last Scandinavian country on my list begins with Oslo, the capital of Norway. In this brief trip, I will tell you what to see and where to eat deliciously. Also, for the first time, I will share my film photos. Let’s fly!
The flight from Berlin takes only 1.5 hours, and here we are at a stylish airport made of wood and glass.
Following the signs, we quickly find the Flytoget Oslo express, which takes tourists to the very center of the city in 20 minutes for 210 NOK (€21) one way. We immediately bought a round-trip ticket, valid for 90 days for 420 NOK.
Our luxurious
is located near the central station. A skyscraper with a sauna and a pool on the top floor.
On this trip, it was the first time I photographed with a film camera, so initially, it was a photo hunt for beautiful shots.
The first thing I noticed was the old blue trams. In general, Oslo turned out to be a city of electric cars and trams. The latter, in turn, are the main source of noise in the quiet city fighting for ecology.
The city’s symbol, which is found everywhere, is, of course, the heather. It is planted in every flowerbed encountered along the way. The largest heather alley is located in the central park overlooking the Palace.
The beautiful old building with an inscription is the Grand Hotel, seemingly invented by Wes Anderson for his next cozy movie. People mainly stay here because of the atmosphere: the furniture in it creates that very flair of the previous century!
By tradition, we enter the Cathedral to admire the old urban planning. Usually, it is churches and temples that carry the patina of antiquity, reflecting the city’s history.
The next attraction is the royal castle, which guards day and night. The changing of the guard takes place at 1:30 PM, so get your cameras ready! It gets dark early in autumn, so after sunset, it makes no sense to go to the park behind the castle, it is poorly lit. It is better to come in daylight.
The shopping center offers a wide selection of cafes in the food court and many shops for every taste. After visiting the bakery Bit Union, we hurried to the hotel to appreciate the pool overlooking the night city.
Second Day
One of the best decisions in travels was to have breakfast at the hotel. Firstly, it saves time. You eat and immediately go to explore the city. Secondly, in more expensive countries like Scandinavia, it is economically advantageous.
Hotel breakfast includes several Norwegian dishes, including Norwegian smoked salmon, brunost cheese with crackers and homemade jam (cooked in a special way, hence the unusual brown color and sweet creamy taste), smoked mackerel in mustard, waffles svelle.
We head to the brick red-brown City Hall, opened in 1950. The panoramic windows of the building offer a beautiful view of the promenade, a place for leisurely walks under the sun.
The place is particularly notable for the Nobel Peace Prize awarding. On the walls of the town hall hang commemorative photographs of the award ceremony.
From there, we move towards Akker Brygge, a popular area with access to the pier.
There are popular tourist restaurants with above-average prices, modern glass buildings, and ideal benches for sunbathing and relaxing outdoors. Essential companions will be pigeons and seagulls waiting for something delicious. I like that birds here are perceived as full-fledged city animals: no one drives them away, they are not aggressive, they are just looking for food closer to people. 🙂
At 1 PM, a sailing ship departs from the third pier for a two-hour trip through the fjords (route: City Hall – Opera House – Hovedoya – Lindoya – Gressholmen – Nesodden – Fornebu – Bygdoy museums). The cost of such pleasure is 399 NOK (€40) per person, and from 2024 it will be 439 NOK. You should wrap up with a scarf, gloves, and hats for such a trip. Glasses and a warm blanket or coat won’t be superfluous—it’s windy on the water.
You can drink hot drinks on the way. We had a Scandinavian Christmas drink—gløgg. Traditionally, this is hot red wine with spices and nuts, but here it was non-alcoholic grape juice with cinnamon, raisins, and almonds. Delicious!
I advise arriving early to the ship to choose a seat. It’s better to sit on the left at the edge, because they will see the most interesting: the fjords!
After the walk, we went to Joe the Juice, a Scandinavian café chain where you can get a protein shake or juice.
We were lucky; the weather was fabulous: +17 and the sun was hot, so we enjoyed walking along the promenade and headed towards the new library Deichman Bjørvika.
This building is definitely worth visiting: a five-story glass structure with multi-level book sections. Here you can charge your phone, work, relax, and read. In Scandinavia, public libraries have a strong working atmosphere where everyone can find a place for coworking and information exchange. Modern libraries are a separate art form.
Rested, we went to climb the roof of the Opera House, another unusual building, whose roof is made of marble and is entirely pedestrian-friendly. It’s pleasant to meet the sunset from here and admire the bay, where everyone swims in summer, and in autumn, locals and daring tourists take natural saunas. Brrr!
To the left of the Opera, a floating iceberg is an architectural monument of glass. A fabulous background for pictures.
Getting hungry, we went to a cozy yellow restaurant Skansen, which we passed by yesterday evening. It was packed to the brim, Norwegian grandmothers and grandfathers were sitting there by candlelight, having an appetizing dinner.
We were lucky, and without a reservation, we sat at a table near the granddads playing chess all evening. A fireplace fire warmed nearby, crackling softly, consuming the wooden logs.
So, what did we order?
Fishkesuppe, or fish soup, for 240 NOK (€24). It resembles a creamy soup with the fish of the day (depending on what the fishermen brought today: salmon, hake, shrimp), 2 mussels, fennel, and dill. Served with sourdough bread and salted butter.
Ferskostkake, or fish cheesecake, for 165 NOK (€16). On a thin slice of Borodino bread, cream cheese with herbs, and crayfish pieces. Served with a small salad. Very unusual and delicious!
Krabbe, or crab patties, for 165 NOK (€16). Tastes like regular fish patties with cognac sauce, similar to mayonnaise, with dill and herbs.
The soup is served in a large portion. You can safely ask to split it into two plates. Water is served immediately. Fast service, hygge atmosphere.
Happy, we headed to the hotel to settle in the sauna with a view of the city. How beautiful it is there!
Third Day
The receptionist suggested that in Oslo, they use an application for transport Ruter, the symbol of which is a grid displayed at stops and on the sides of trams.
A standard hourly pass in the app costs 40 NOK (€4). We board and head to meet Vigelandsparken, a park built by Norwegian sculptor Vigeland, with more than two hundred bronze, marble, and iron sculptures dedicated to people.
The park’s atmosphere is superb: golden leaves fly in the wind, fallen leaves rustle underfoot in rhythm with the music emanating from all corners of the park performed by street musicians.
The perfect moment for a promenade with juice from Joe the Juice. My favorite is Sports Juice with passion fruit for 80 NOK (€8).
Finally, we returned to the royal park in daylight. In the center of the park is a pond inhabited by a lovely quack. The ideal place for a walk or contemplation on a bench. A superb park.
We make a detour and return to Akker Brygge. The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art lurked on the promontory of the pier. This is a complex of two buildings designed by Italian architect Renzo Piano.
Temporary exhibitions from collections are displayed in one building, while new works by contemporary authors from around the world are exhibited in the other. The price for this pleasure is 150 NOK (€15).
Until February 12, 2024, they exhibit works from the series “Sitting in a Room” by Rachel Harrison, a 56-year-old American from New York. Despite the clever words in the accompanying brochure, I don’t share such creativity.
The second exhibition is as visual as it is repulsive: the first hall greets with embalmed, dissected animal carcasses. Then the halls play with visual perception, and on the second floor, audio installations come into play.
The only thing that made up for the cost of the ticket is the view of the fjords from the museum windows. By placing chairs, we became part of the composition without knowing it.
An audience of onlookers lined up to take pictures, to see through our eyes, or take our places. This is how modern art is created today! An interesting experience.
Getting hungry, we went searching for fish soup in the popular fish restaurant-shop Friskeriet Youngstorget.
So, what did we order?
Fishkesuppe, or fish soup, for 239 NOK (€24). The soup turned out to be thicker and less creamy. The portion is half the size of what Skansen offers. Served with bread and aioli.
Laksetartar for 219 NOK (€22). Norwegian salmon tartare was very tender, fresh, and soft. Raw fish lovers will appreciate it!
In the evening, there are no fresh seafoods (crayfish, crabs, shrimp), which is sad because we came for the crabs. But there were mussels, oysters, and the dish of the day with various fish. I won’t go here again, but it’s quite good for variety.
After dinner, predictably, we went to the sauna, where I met an American. It was interesting to discuss perceptions of current world events from the perspective of an ordinary person, especially after watching the series “For All Mankind.” Peace will prevail!
Fourth Day
During weekdays, the hotel features a menu from which you can order dishes. We took avocado toast with a poached egg and svelle waffles served with sour cream and strawberry jam. It was delicious!
At noon we headed to the Opera. The neighboring building is the thirteen-story Munch Museum. A ticket costs 160 NOK (€16). Unfortunately, not all floors are open. But the main paintings “The Scream” can be seen! They are displayed in a special dark cube, where every hour one of the paintings is replaced by another.
The world knows the painting “The Scream” by Munch, but not many realize that there are several paintings with such a title: a black-and-white sketch, a pale pastel drawing, and a bright painting with colors. All are painted on paper, hence their impermanence and special measures for preserving the masterpieces in the form of alternation.
On one of the floors, you can draw on Munch’s lithographs and create your masterpiece for home. Original and engaging.
In general, Munch’s paintings, like all his creations, have peculiar expressionist features.
For lunch, we went to our favorite place Skansen. We sat opposite the fireplace and ordered the fish soup again (this time there was more hake and shrimp, less salmon), crayfish cheesecake, and Sild, or herring, for 195 NOK (€19).
As a non-herring lover, I must say it exceeded all expectations. Moderately sweet, in light breadcrumbs, it melts in the mouth, leaving the most gentle caramel aftertaste with Borodino bread and fresh salad leaves, dill, and pickles. I definitely recommend it!
Overall, prices in Norway are 2.5 times higher than in Germany. The average cost of a main dish is 240 NOK (€24). In central tourist cafes, the check for one dish is about 300 NOK. The Skansen restaurant is more pleasant in price and taste. So, I warmly recommend it!
Finally, I photograph the green tram stop and an architectural mini-exhibition with a view of the bay and run to the hotel to pick up my backpack. Fortunately, the hotel is close to the station. 32 minutes later, we’re at the airport. We go to buy milk chocolate from Freya and Kvikk Lunsj (Norwegian KitKat).
It is necessary to purchase them not in the kiosk after the luggage inspection, but in duty-free after the metal doors. Due to the tax-free zone, prices differ by 2.5 times.
The airport is small, and comfortable, and for internal EU flights, it’s sufficient to be there an hour before departure. Have a good trip, everyone!
Thank you for reading. The continuation in the series about Britain will be out very soon!
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