Oslo - SO much

An Oslo card is most strongly recommended for a start. Go to:- click here if you want details.

Bygdoy on its own can fill a couple of half days - separate ones would be better than one complete day if there is a choice. At least the Norsk Folkemuseum, the Viking Ships and the Kontiki museum MUST be seen and it would be a shame not to include the Fram Museum.

Then there is the wonderful trip to the terminus of the number one underground route which is mostly well overground, with access to the ski museum and the skijump. The Frognerpark is another absolute must. Then there are the National Gallery, the Munch Museum, the Town Hall, the boat trip to see the port and islands and a lovely ride on tram 17 with a walk back overlooking the sea. I have not mentioned the many sights I have not seen but this is getting a long enough catalogue as it is.

Quick Tips:

It would be pleasant to land on at least one of the islands.

Best Way To Get Around:

Next to the station it is possible to get a complete timetable for ferries, underground, trams and buses. All play their part in exploring Oslo.

There are at least five museums on Bygdoy. The Norsk Museum will be covered below and the Viking Ships, Kontiki, Fram and the Maritime Museum will have another. This bit on access covers the whole peninsula. I assume you have either an Oslo Card - highly recommended - or a full day transport ticket and they cover all transport mentioned except the peoplemobile which is supposed to resemble a train.

There are two ways of getting out; the ferry is the nicest but leaves a fairly steep uphill pull. There is plenty of walking and there are quite a few steps and it may be worth using the peoplemobile for NOK 50 if your walking capacity is limited - otherwise it is a ramp! the other way is the bus [no. 30]. Either the bus or the peoplemobile will take you between the museums and the ferry back is from near the Fram and Maritime museums. [The ferry route is not reversible]

Now for the Norsk Museum; I have been to a number of these largely outdoor museums in Scandinavia and this is my favourite so far, not excepting Skansen in Stockholm. Unlike Skansen this one does not do double duty as a zoo and therefore gets a bit less crowded.

There are numerous old, mainly wooden, buildings representing all the main areas of Norway and a beautiful stave church. There are also a number of exhibition halls and an 'old town.' A splendid outing for adults and children alike which I should put top of Oslo's many attractions.

This is the Town Hall but it has beenpainted inside and sculpted out side to make it a real gallery of fine art. Many of Norway's greatest artists were invited to participate in the work and the murals are so huge that it is difficult to envisage it without going. I loved it and found it worth the steps outside to get in. I can imagine anybody hating it but it is difficult to believe that most people would not have a very strong reaction, one way or the other.

There is no 'tourist' lift but you can be taken up to the second floor in the employees' lift if you need it.

I found my trip to Bygdoy so enjoyable--and I should love to go again--that I feel almost churlish ending with a grizzle but I think it is a great shame that these museums are not more disability-friendly. Only the Kontiki must be acquitted as its gently sloping passages between floors permit access to the vast majority. I do know that the inside of the Fram could not be made accessible to the disabled without affecting its character in a major way and I do not advocate this. However, both this and the Viking Ships Museum must be open to criticism for their lack of lifts. The difference in the Vasa Museum in Stockholm is very striking.

It is only this which prevents me from giving this collection of museums the very highly recommended rating, but I do find it important.

For a short distance through the centre of Oslo the tunnelbahnen lines all run together underground but they are all overground for the majority of the time and the routes which run to the north go into wonderful country, albeit within the extensive city boundary. the best, to my mind is line 1 which runs out to Frognerseteren via Holmenkollen.

The trip itself is a worthwhile experience with fantastic views back over the city and coast. There are walks in practically all directions from the terminus including one to the television tower which can be ascended by lift for terrific views. However it is the international skijump at Holmenkollen which provides the greatest attraction to most people and there is a skimuseum near the foot which i am told is outstanding. I have not been at the right time of day myself. I did not feel any desire to experience either the jump or a simulation of it - that requires a different species! - but it exciting even to look at it!

Another wonderful trip is the tram ride described in the Rough Guide under East of the centre: medieval Oslo.I feel a bit confused about the tram number - memory and the guide clash for once - but you can get a timetable for all oslo transport and a map in it from the downstairs floor of the round building immediately outside the main station and you definitely want the tram towards Ljabru. it is only about 10 minutes to the Merchant Marine Academy where you should get off. Somehow I managed to miss it [which you will find unbelievable if you go] and got off at the next stop some considerable way up.

A young Norwegian man was so friendly and took such trouble showing me a good walk in impeccable English that I had not the heart to tell him that I never venture out of sight of people these days for medical reasons. I waited until he went inside and then did a modified version of his walk. The views out over the town, the Oslofjord and up to Holmenkollen were superb.

The downside was that it was then too late to look for the rock carvings mentioned in the guide when I got back to the Academy, but it was a splendid way of spending part of a summer evening nevertheless.

In this expensive city it is worthy of notice that of these three places only the Munch Museum costs anything for entry.

Toyen is on all the Eastbound tunnelbahn lines and signs locating the Munch-museet lead from there. Upon his death in 1944, Munch left all his remaining art work to the city and the planned museum opened in 1963. There is not much point in my trying laboriously to describe the works in the museum when their website is so very good. The website is accessible here. This is not a place for the suicidal – or for children come to that – but it is part of Oslo’s heritage and should be seen.

From Karl Johans Gate, Universitetsgaten is on the right as you face the Royal Palace not far from the National Theatre. Follow it across the first intersection and you come to the National Gallery on your left. There is a lift from street level and another inside for the physically handicapped and prams.

The Gallery has about 4500 paintings which are divided between Norwegian and general European works. I expected to spend time looking at French impressionist works that I had not seen. I felt that, being in Norway, I should look at some Norwegian work first, having only (I am afraid) heard of Munch. Two hours or so later I left the Gallery pretty tired but very happy, having given the French section no more than a short glance before leaving. Need I say more?

The Frognerpark, also called the Vigeland Park, is quite unique. I found it great but I know someone who hated it and never forgives me for my view! Anyway I still think it is great. All the sculptures in the park were done by Gustav Vigeland, except a small number to commemorate the monolith after his death, and there are nearly 200 sculptures in total. Vigeland went on with sculptures for the park until his death in 1943.

As for what it is like, to start with there are nearly 60 bronze sculptures on the bridge as you enter the grounds. There is a temptation to rush on with the fountain and beyond it the Monolith clearly in sight, but it would be a sad mistake not to give the bronze works a bit of time.

Before the monolith is reached , you come to the fountain. Six giants are holding up a sort of big saucerlike article which spouts out water all over them. Then to the monolith which forms a sort of natural magnet in the park. It is over 14 meters high and made out of a single block of stone. There are well over a hundred figures on it, and it is surrounded by numerous groups of figures. This is not the end but it is as far as I got. Way out beyond the monolith the bronze Wheel of Life can be seen.