This 80-acre park and see its 200 statues.  Located in Frogner Park, it’s the world’s largest display of sculptures created by a single artist. Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943) created the collection of bronze, iron, and granite statues that now stand in this open-air “gallery”. From here, head down to Bygdøy island, where you’ll find many of Oslo’s museums.

Viking Museum

This museum is home to the best-preserved Viking ships in the world, some of which date back to the 9th century. It’s a sparse museum (the focus really is on the ships) but the burial ships (as well as the preserved tools and carts from the Middle Ages) are incredibly rare and worth seeing for yourself. The museum offers a short film and as well, though the free audio guide is the best way to make the most out of your visit. Huk Aveny 35, +47 22 13 52 80, khm.uio.no/besok-oss/vikingskipshuset. Open daily from 9am–6pm in the summer and 10am–4pm in the winter. Admission is 120 NOK for adults and free for kids under 18.

Norwegian Folk Museum

Also not far from the Viking Museum is the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History .

It has a collection of over 150 buildings from various periods throughout Norwegian history. It’s an open-air museum, so you can explore both the interior and exterior of many of the buildings, some of which date back to the 12th century. The most impressive of its exhibitions is Gol Stave Church, an intricately carved wooden church constructed in 1157. The museum also has a large photographic archive as well as tons of historic artifacts, documents, tools, and more. Museumsveien 10, +47 22 12 37 00, norskfolkemuseum.no. Open daily from 11am–4pm. Admission is 160 NOK.

Visit the Fram Museum

As a northern country used to frigid temperatures and harsh winters, polar exploration is a field intricately woven into Norwegian history. This museum highlights that history, focusing on Norway’s contributions to polar exploration. The centerpiece of the museum is the Fram, the world’s first ice-breaking ship. The ship was used between 1893 and 1912 and is actually made of wood. The Fram made trips to both North and South Poles and sailed farther north and south than any other wooden ship in history. The museum is incredibly detailed; there’s a lot of photographs, artifacts, tools, and tons of information. It’s a unique look into Norwegian culture through the lens of exploration. Bygdøynesveien 39, +47 23 28 29 50, frammuseum.no. Open daily 10am–6pm. Admission is 120 NOK.

Visit the Holocaust Center

Established in 2001, this museum highlights the experiences of Norwegian Jews (as well as the persecution of other religious minorities). It’s located in the former residence of Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian fascist who headed the Norwegian government under Nazi occupation between 1942-1945. It’s a somber and sobering place to visit but incredibly insightful with various exhibitions, photos, films, artifacts, and interviews from World War II and the German occupation of Norway. Huk Aveny 56, +47 23 10 62 00, hlsenteret.no. Open weekdays 9am–4pm. Admission is 70 NOK.

City Hall

End your day at City Hall, which is open to the public and free to enter. While it might not sound like an interesting sight, tours of the hall are will give you lots of insight into the city and its history. Most noteworthy are the hall’s twenty murals and works of art. They depict everything from traditional Norwegian life to the Nazi occupation. Also highlighted here is the history of the Nobel Peace Prize. It’s awarded here annually (the other Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden). Rådhusplassen 1, +47 23 46 12 00, oslo.kommune.no/radhuset. Open Sunday-Thursday from 9am-4pm. Admission is free.

Wander Akershus Fortress

Originally built in 1290, Akershus Fortress is a medieval fortress that evolved into a Renaissance palace under Danish King Christian IV. Currently, it’s used as an office for the prime minister. It was built for protection and the fortress has never successfully been besieged (though it did surrender to the Nazis during World War II). Inside the fort is a military museum as well as a museum dedicated to the Norwegian resistance during World War II. In the summer you can take a guided tour and there are also often events here as well (mostly concerts). Check the website to see if anything is occurring during your visit. Entrance to the fortress is free while access to the museums and the castle come at a price. The fortress is open May-Sep: 06:00 – 21:00 and Oct-Apr: 07:00 – 21:00.

The entrance to the castle costs 100 NOK. Opening hours of the castle are May-Sep: 10:00 – 16:00 (Mon-Sat), 12:00 – 16:00 (Sun); Oct-Apr: 12:00 – 17:00 (Sat-Sun).

Oslo Cathedral

Oslo Cathedral is open Mon-Thu & Sat-Sun from 10:00 – 16:00 and on Friday from 16 till 6 in the morning on Saturday. The entrance is free.

Karl Johans Gate

Photo by Susan Tuckey, Penguins2PolarBears

The impressive Karl Johans Gate (popularly known as just Karl Johan) is Norway’s most well-known and busiest thoroughfare. It runs for a little over 1 kilometer from the Central Station to the Royal Palace. The street is flanked by grand Neoclassical buildings on both sides and is also home to the delightful Studenterlunden Park.

Many important public buildings and institutions are located here such as the National Theater, the Norwegian Parliament building, and the old campus of the University of Oslo (now home to the Faculty of Law). The Norwegian Parliament building (Stortinget) is one of the most beautiful parliament buildings that I’ve seen and has a graceful yellow-brick Neo-Romanesque exterior.

Aker Brygge & Tjuvholmen

When spending a weekend in Oslo, a visit to the vibrant borough of Aker Brygge is one of the top things to do. Aker Brygge was formerly dominated by a big shipyard that closed in 1982, freeing up a potentially attractive area on Oslo’s harborfront. Since then, Aker Brygge has been transformed in Oslo’s most chic entertainment hub and features the biggest concentration of restaurants in the city. Many of the old shipyard warehouses have been restored and you can see a juxtaposition of old and new architecture here. Aker Brygge is a delightful setting in which to enjoy a chilled beer at the quayside or just to take a stroll along the promenade and soak up the atmosphere.

The islet of Tjuvholmen (literally Thief’s Islet) lies adjacent to Aker Brygge. Like Aker Brygge, it has undergone massive redevelopment and is home to some exemplary examples of modern architecture and a swathe of high-end condos. You can find numerous fancy bars and restaurants here too. A notable point of interest in Tjuvholmen is the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, one of Norway’s leading museums of contemporary art. If you’re visiting in the summer, there is a little man-made beach and some docks to jump off and go swimming.

Grünerløkka District

Grünerløkka is a former gritty working-class district that has undergone a massive facelift and renaissance in the last few decades. With its high immigrant population, cool street art, trendy bars, cafes, restaurants, and vintage shops, this edgy and urban district is perhaps the most interesting area of Oslo. Here, the tourist hordes thin, the streets broaden and you can tap into a Norwegian living vibe that manages to be laid-back yet sophisticated. It’s no surprise that Grünerløkka is sometimes called ‘Soho of Oslo’. On a Scandinavian scale, Grünerløkka can be compared to Södermalm in Stockholm and Vesterbro in Copenhagen.

INSIDER TIP: If you’re planning on purchasing wine or hard liquor in Oslo, you’ll have to go to one of the Vinmonopolet stores. Norway has a monopolized market where only the state-run retail Vinmonopolet stores are permitted to sell wine and hard liquor. Light beers and ciders below 4.7 percent alcohol can be purchased in supermarkets.

Oslo Eating Options