Last year, I jetted off to Oslo for a long weekend break over the summer. I’m not especially good in the heat, so I fancied somewhere I could roam around without melting! As a destination, Oslo certainly didn’t disappoint, and while we managed to avoid the rain, it was gloriously mild throughout the entire trip, which was much appreciated.
Oslo is incredibly easy to get around, and you have lots of options. It’s a relatively small city considering it’s a capital, so as long as you don’t mind cobbles you can take a pleasant stroll around without too much trouble. Lots of the locals seem to cycle, so if you feel comfortable cycling in another city you could hire a bike. You could get a smartcard to enable you to use the popular City Bikes (Oslo Bysykkel) if you intend to cycle a lot.
If you’re thinking of going a little further afield, or just want to save your legs after a long day of countryside hiking, the bus and tram services are excellent. They are extremely regular and everyone in the stations and tourist information centres speaks flawless English so can offer you lots of help. You can get an Oslo Card which not only gives you free or reduced entry to all the main attractions in the city, but you will also get access to free public transport which is really handy if you intend to explore the area thoroughly.
While I was in Oslo, I took a trip to Drøbak, a small town close to the Norwegian capital. This involved a bus ride alongside the beautiful fjord, which was relatively straightforward, but the one problem we found was that the buses between Oslo and Drøbak aren’t always too frequent, especially in off peak seasons, so it might be a better idea to hire a car in Oslo if you’re thinking of venturing outside of Oslo. There are lots of pretty towns in southern Norway, so a car gives you the freedom to plan your own schedule without getting stuck somewhere remote for hours.
The real highlight of Oslo’s transport is the stunning boats you can take from Oslo harbour around the fjord. These can take you to the ‘museum peninsula’, with its fascinating Fram Museum and Kon-Tiki Museum, as well as others, and to various other points around Oslo, including some of the little islands sitting in the middle of the fjord. Seeing the area by water is the perfect way to get a real feel for the natural beauty of Scandinavia.
In a nutshell, if you want a city that’s really accessible and easy to move around, Oslo is perfect! Just don’t be expecting to do too much sunbathing while you’re there…
Written by our intrepid traveller, Kayleigh.