Oslo Holidays

Looking for a city that’s cool, quirky, and proper scenic? Oslo’s got you covered! From stunning fjords to modern design, this city is brimming with adventure.

☀️ Highlights of Your Holidays to Oslo

• 🚢 The Oslofjord right on the city's doorstep, with island-hopping ferries, kayaking and boat trips included in your public transport pass

• 🏛️ World-class museums including the Munch Museum (home of The Scream), the National Museum and the upcoming Museum of the Viking Age

• 🌳 One of Europe's greenest capitals, where forests, parks and fjord beaches are a tram ride from the centre

• 🏗️ The striking Oslo Opera House, where you can walk on the roof and watch the sunset over the harbour

• ☀️ Summer days that barely get dark, with the sun setting after 10pm in June and July

🤓 Good to Know

• ☀️ Oslo summers are gorgeous at 20-24°C with almost endless daylight from late May to July. Spring and autumn sit around 8-14°C with beautiful colours. Winters are cold (down to -5°C or below) but the city sparkles with snow, Christmas markets and cosy cafe culture.

• 💷 Let's be honest: Oslo is expensive. A pint of beer in a bar costs around 100-130 NOK (roughly £7-9). A casual lunch is about 180-300 NOK (£13-21). A sit-down dinner for two with drinks can easily hit £100+. Norway uses the Norwegian Krone (NOK), not the euro. The trick is to lean into the free stuff (museums, hiking, fjord swimming) and eat like a local (supermarket lunches, bakery breakfasts, happy hour deals).

• 🏛️ The Oslo Pass is genuinely worth buying. It covers free public transport (including the fjord island ferries), free entry to over 30 museums and attractions, and discounts at restaurants and tours. A 72-hour pass costs around 895 NOK (roughly £62). For a city this expensive, it pays for itself within a day of museum-hopping.

🏨 Top Hotels for Your Oslo Holidays 2026/2027

Browse all our Oslo hotels here or scan through our top picks below...

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

• 🏨 Scandic Byporten right next to Oslo Central Station and a 6-minute walk from the Opera House. Karl Johans Gate (the main shopping street) is on your doorstep, the Botanical Garden is within walking distance and the transport links are as good as it gets. A no-fuss family base in the thick of things.

• 🌳 Scandic Helsfyr Close to the Munch Museum and the Natural History Museum, with a metro station 300 metres away. A bit further from the absolute centre, which keeps the price down while still giving easy access to everything via public transport. Good for families who want a quieter base.

💑 Couples

• 🏙️ Scandic Solli rooms with bright Scandi decor, a summer terrace, gym and sauna. 500 metres from the Royal Palace, 800 metres from the National Theatre and within walking distance of the Aker Brygge waterfront. A polished couples' city break base with a proper Scandinavian feel.

• 🎨 Scandic Vulkan Right by the Akerselva River in trendy Grunerløkka, surrounded by independent cafes, vintage shops and the Mathallen food hall. An Italian restaurant with an open kitchen, bike rental and a more neighbourhood feel than the central hotels. Perfect for couples who like to explore beyond the tourist trail.

✨ Luxury

• 👑 Grand Hotel Oslo by Scandic the most famous hotel in Norway, right on Karl Johans Gate facing the Parliament building. A proper grand dame with a spa, multiple restaurants and the kind of old-world elegance that makes you feel like Nordic royalty. This is where the Nobel Peace Prize winners stay.

🎉 Groups

• 🎵 Scandic Oslo City on Karl Johans Gate, two minutes from the central station. Norwegian art in every room, a gym, sauna, bar and restaurant. Walking distance to the nightlife around Youngstorget and Grunerløkka. Simple, well-located and reliable for groups.

• 🏛️ Scandic St. Olavs Plass close to Karl Johans Gate with bars, cafes and the Royal Palace all within walking distance. The Parliament is 500 metres away, the Sentrum Scene concert venue even closer. A good group base with easy access to both culture and nightlife.

💰 Value

• 🏔️ Scandic Fornebu Out of the centre near the old airport site, with lower prices and easy bus links into the city. Close to the Viking Ship Museum area and good for anyone with a hire car or who doesn't mind a short commute. Oslo on a (relative) budget.

👉 See all Oslo hotels

🏛️ Must See in Oslo

Sure, there's no beaches, but there's still loads of mega-stuff to see and do. The fjord is right there, the forests are a tram ride away, and the museums are excellent. Here's what to prioritise.

• 🏗️ Oslo Opera House A building you can actually walk on. The white marble roof slopes down to the harbour and doubles as a public space where locals sunbathe, picnic and watch the sunset. The architecture alone is worth the visit, but if you can catch a performance inside, even better. Free to walk on, tours available.

• 🖼️ The Munch Museum A striking 13-storey waterfront building that houses the world's largest collection of Edvard Munch's work, including multiple versions of The Scream. The building itself is a statement piece, and the top-floor bar has panoramic views across the fjord. Entry around 160 NOK.

• 🏛️ The National Museum Opened in 2022 and now the largest art museum in the Nordics. Norwegian and international art from the Middle Ages to present day, including another version of The Scream (yes, there are several). The building on the harbourfront is beautiful. Entry around 200 NOK, free on some evenings.

• 🗿 Vigeland Sculpture Park Over 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland spread across Frogner Park, all depicting the human form in various states of existence. It's free, open 24 hours, and one of the most visited attractions in Norway. The centrepiece, the Monolith, is a 14-metre tower of intertwined human figures. Unlike anything you've seen before.

• 🚢 Oslofjord Island Hopping The public ferry (covered by the Oslo Pass and regular transport tickets) runs to islands in the fjord that have beaches, walking trails and swimming spots. Hovedøya and Gressholmen are the most popular. Pack a picnic, catch a ferry from Aker Brygge and spend an afternoon on the water. Free with your transport pass.

• 🏔️ Holmenkollen The famous ski jump tower on the hill above Oslo. Even in summer, the views from the top are spectacular, stretching across the entire city and fjord. There's a ski museum inside and a zipline off the jump itself if you're feeling brave. About 20 minutes from the centre by metro.

• ⛪ Akershus Fortress A medieval castle and fortress on the harbour, with free grounds to wander, panoramic views of the Oslofjord and two museums inside (the Armed Forces Museum and the Resistance Museum). A quiet, atmospheric spot that most tourists walk past on the way to Aker Brygge.

📍 Where to Stay in Oslo

Oslo is compact and well-served by public transport, so you can base yourself in most central areas and reach everything easily.

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Families

🌳 Grunerløkka / Vulkan - A more residential, village-feel neighbourhood along the Akerselva River. The Mathallen food hall is here, parks are nearby and it's a tram ride from the centre. Hotels like Scandic Vulkan are surrounded by cafes and green space rather than tourist traffic.

💑 Couples

🏛️ City Centre / Karl Johans Gate - The main artery of the city, running from the central station to the Royal Palace. Grand Hotel and Scandic Oslo City are here. Walking distance to the Opera House, the National Museum, Aker Brygge waterfront and the best restaurants.

👯 Groups

🎶 Youngstorget / Torggata - The nightlife axis. A cluster of bars, clubs and late-night food spots around Youngstorget square, with Grunerløkka's indie bars a short walk north. Central enough to walk everywhere during the day, surrounded by options at night.

🗣️ Local Lingo

Norwegian is the official language, and almost everyone in Oslo speaks excellent English. You could get by without a single word of Norwegian, but a few phrases show willing and locals appreciate the effort.

• 👋 Hei (Hey) - Hello. Simple as that.

• 🙏 Takk (Tahk) - Thank you. You'll use this a hundred times a day.

• 🍺 En øl, takk (En url, tahk) - One beer, please. Brace yourself for the price.

• 😊 Skål! (Skawl) - Cheers! Used when clinking glasses.

• 🥐 Kanelbolle (Kah-nel-boh-leh) - Cinnamon bun. The Norwegian version is less sweet and more cardamom-heavy than the Swedish one. You'll find them in every bakery.

• 🏔️ Friluftsliv (Free-loofts-leev) - The Norwegian concept of open-air living. It basically means that being outdoors is a way of life, not just a hobby. You'll see it everywhere in Oslo.

🧳  Holidays to Oslo 2026/2027 - Travel Guide

👩‍❤️‍👨 Things to do in Oslo for couples

A sunset cruise on the Oslofjord is the headline experience. Several operators run evening trips from Aker Brygge with drinks included, and in summer the sun barely sets, so the whole fjord glows gold. Prices start around 400-600 NOK per person depending on the boat and the drinks package.

• 🖼️ Spend a morning at the Munch Museum followed by coffee at the top-floor bar with fjord views. Then walk along the waterfront to the Opera House and climb onto the roof together. It's the kind of couples' city break afternoon that costs almost nothing but feels special.

• 🍽️ Book dinner at Vippa, a street food hall on the harbour with vendors from around the world, or push the boat out at Maaemo (three Michelin stars, modern Nordic cuisine, book months ahead). The range in Oslo goes from casual harbour-side to white-tablecloth fine dining with very little in between.

• 🏝️ In summer, catch the ferry to Hovedøya island (10 minutes from Aker Brygge) and swim from the rocky beaches. Bring a picnic and a bottle of wine. It's free with your transport pass and feels like an escape from the city despite being right in the fjord.

• 🌅 Walk up to Ekebergparken, a sculpture park on the hillside above the fjord with panoramic views of the city. Free entry, open 24 hours, and the viewpoint where Munch is said to have been inspired to paint The Scream.

👪 Things to do in Oslo for families

The Oslofjord island ferries are a brilliant free day out for families with an Oslo Pass. Catch the boat from Aker Brygge to Hovedøya or Gressholmen, bring a picnic, let the kids explore the trails and swim from the shore in summer. The ferries run regularly and the islands are small enough that nobody gets lost.

• 🎢 TusenFryd is Norway's largest theme park, about 30 minutes south of Oslo by bus. Roller coasters, water rides and a kids' area. It's open from late April to October and worth a full day if the weather's good.

• 🏛️ The Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology has interactive exhibits, workshops and enough hands-on stuff to keep kids busy for hours. It's in a quieter part of the city and tends to be less crowded than the central museums.

• 🗿 Vigeland Sculpture Park is free, open all day and has plenty of space for kids to run around between the sculptures. The playground nearby is excellent. Combine it with a walk through Frogner Park for a green, car-free afternoon.

• 🎿 In winter, Korketrekkeren is a sledging run that starts near the Holmenkollen ski jump and winds through the forest for about 2km. You can rent sleds at the top and ride the metro back up for another go. A proper Norwegian winter experience that costs almost nothing.

👯 Things to do in Oslo for groups

Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen make a solid first-evening destination for groups. The waterfront is lined with bars and restaurants, the sun stays up late in summer, and the atmosphere is sociable without being rowdy. Happy hour deals bring the beer prices down to something slightly less eye-watering.

• 🛶 Kayaking on the Oslofjord is a brilliant group activity. Several operators run guided tours from the harbour that take you past the Opera House, through the islands and back in about 2-3 hours. No experience needed and the views from water level are different from anything else in the city.

• 🏔️ Take the metro to Holmenkollen and do the zipline off the ski jump, then have lunch at the restaurant at the top with panoramic views. It's about 20 minutes from the centre and works as a half-day out that mixes adrenaline with scenery.

• 🍺 Grunerløkka is the neighbourhood for evening drinks. Independent bars, craft beer spots like Crow Bar and Grünerløkka Brygghus, and a more local, less tourist-heavy vibe than the waterfront. Mathallen food hall is here too if the group wants to graze before heading out.

• 🧖 SALT is a nomadic art project and sauna village that's been popping up around Oslo's waterfront. Timber saunas, cold fjord dips, live music and a bar. It's uniquely Norwegian, properly social and the kind of experience you won't find in any other European city.

🌍 More Destinations

Scandinavia

• 🇳🇴 Norway - Fjords, mountains and the northern lights beyond Oslo

• 🇩🇰 Copenhagen - Nyhavn colours, Tivoli Gardens and Scandi cool with a Danish accent

• 🇸🇪 Stockholm - Archipelago islands, Gamla Stan's medieval streets and fika coffee culture

• 🇫🇮 Helsinki - Saunas, design and a Baltic Sea fortress you can ferry to in 15 minutes

European City Breaks

• 🇳🇱 Amsterdam - Canals, culture and a nightlife scene that runs late

• 🇪🇸 Barcelona - Gaudi, beach and La Rambla

• 🇮🇹 Rome - Ancient ruins, pizza and the Colosseum at sunset

• 🇭🇺 Budapest - Thermal baths, ruin bars and one of Europe's best-value city breaks