The origins of Oslo date back to the 8th century when the Vikings built a settlement here. They choose this place well. Located at the banks of a large bay at the top of Oslo Fjord and protected by the surrounding mountains this was a perfect harbour for their boats. As agriculture, trade and shipbuilding flourished the village gained more and more importance and grew into a city which became the capital of Norway.
A fire in 1624 destroyed the city completely. King Christian IV of Denmark and Norway decided to rebuild the city near Akershus Fortress. The new city was called Christiania. After the unification of Norway with Sweden the city experienced economic and political growth. When Christiania celebrated its 300th birthday in 1924 Norwegians decided to re-name their capital with its original name Oslo again.
Oslo today has a population of more then half a million. It's the center of a densely populated area which is home for about one third of the population of Norway. Although located far north (59°55"N) it has a relatively mild climate due to the influence of the Gulf Stream. Spring and summer are modestly warm, autumn temperate and winters not as strong as you would expect at this latitude.
Nature is never far away in Oslo. There are a lot of parks and the view from the tall mountains over the green city and the fjord with its rocky islands is fantastic. In wintertime Oslo offers all kinds of winter sports. More than 2.000 kilometres of tracks for cross-country skiing, slopes for alpine skiing and the Holmenkollen ski jump tower guarantee Olso's reputation as a paradise for skiers.
During the long days in summer (in mid-June it isn't really dark at night, although the sun sets for a few hours) watersports like boating and swimming are fun, especially in this fantastic environment.
Culture is another factor which contributes to Oslo's popularity. Lots of interesting museums, art galleries, theatres and music events can be visited. The architecture of the buildings itself is interesting. So even if the weather is not that good you'll never be bored in this city.
Oslo also is home to a world-famous institution, the Norwegian Nobel Committee which selects the winner of the yearly Nobel Peace Price. According to the will of the Swedish industrialist Alfred Nobel this price is granted to “the person(s) who shall have done the most or the best work for brotherhood between nations, for abolition or reduction of standing armies and for arranging and promoting peace processes”. The price is awarded each year on December 10 in the Oslo City Hall the anniversary of Nobel's death.
Further information:
Tourist Information Centres
Oslo Central Station, Jernbanetorget 2, N-0154 Oslo
Or near City Hall, Fridtjof Nansens Plass 5, N-0160 Oslo
Tel.: +47 24147700
Fax +47 22429222
E-mail: info@visitoslo.com
Internet: www.visitoslo.com
- Pros:Nature and culture in perfect harmony
- Cons:Dark winters and too much rain
Reviews (21)
National Theater
Things to Do
(13)
This is Oslo's main theatre which was opened in 1899. The architect was Henrik Bull. The building is surrounded by... more travel advice
Traditional hotel with fantastic view
Hotels
(2)
This beautiful hotel in the typical Norwegian wood construction is located a few steps from the Holmenkollen ski jump... more travel advice
Oslo Pass
Favorites
(1)
You want to discover Oslo easily and don't want to spend that much money? Buy an Oslo Pass! There is no cheaper and... more travel advice
Ferries
Transportation
(2)
Oslo is a harbour city. So you can go there by several ferry lines from Germany (Kiel) and Denmark (Copenhagen,... more travel advice
Bernd_L's Related Pages
-
Isla de Lanzarote
-
Marbella
-
Isla de Formentera
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Cascais
-
Karlsruhe
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Bremen
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Frankfurt am Main
-
Krakow
-
Page
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Grand Canyon
-
Scottsdale
-
Flagstaff
-
San Francisco
-
Las Vegas
-
Province of Ontario
-
Cartagena
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
North Island
Top 5 Page for this destination
-
Auckland
-
Wellington
-
Cameroon
Top 5 Page for this destination
Oslo Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "OSLO"
- "oslo my home (bomb) town"
- "The fantastic capital of Norway"
- "My Own Private Oslo"
- "Oslo"
- "Winter Weekend in Oslo"
- "Oslo: Scratch below for the real soul"
- See All...
Categories
- Things to Do in Oslo
- Hotels in Oslo
- Transportation in Oslo
- Nightlife in Oslo
- Restaurants in Oslo
- Shopping in Oslo
- Warnings Or Dangers in Oslo
- See All...
Nearby Travel Guides
- Oslo Travel Guide
- See All...
Explore the World
Badges & Stats in Oslo
- 21 Reviews
- 26 Photos
- 32 Forum posts
- 21 Comments
- 5,489PageViews
- See All Stats
- See All Badges (10)
Have you been to Oslo?
Share Your TravelsLatest Activity in Oslo
- Commented on tini58de's Oslo Page
- Replied to shnook's Travel Oslo Forum Forum Question "Holmenkollen accommodation"
- Uploaded a Photo to "Kon Tiki Museum"
- Wrote a Review Huk-Beach - Swimming in the Oslo Fjord in Oslo Off The Beaten Path
- updated a Oslo Travelogue "Vigeland Sculpture Park"
Photos in Oslo
See All Photos (26)
Top 10 Pages
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Karlsruhe
Intro, 75 reviews, 96 photos, 3 travelogues
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
North Island
Intro, 25 reviews, 49 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Isla de Formentera
Intro, 19 reviews, 33 photos
-
Oslo
Intro, 21 reviews, 26 photos, 1 travelogue
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Cameroon
Intro, 23 reviews, 21 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Cartagena
Intro, 20 reviews, 23 photos
-
Isla de Lanzarote
Intro, 20 reviews, 22 photos
-
Top 5 Page for this destination
Bremen
Intro, 18 reviews, 21 photos
-
Krakow
Intro, 35 photos, 4 travelogues
-
Cascais
Intro, 32 photos, 4 travelogues
Budget Travel
Road Trip
BeachesLatest Oslo hotel reviews
- Radisson Sas Plaza Hotel Oslo
- 559 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 12, 2012 - City Hotel AS
- 83 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Nov 8, 2011 - Norlandia Karl Johan Hotell
- 229 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 8, 2012 - Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica Oslo
- 230 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 9, 2012 - Anker Hotel Oslo
- 237 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 6, 2012 - Perminalen Hotel
- 100 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 9, 2012 - Thon Hotel Astoria Oslo
- 289 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Dec 4, 2011 - Clarion Hotel Royal Christiania
- 325 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 8, 2012 - Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeatret
- 188 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 2, 2012 - Tulip Inn Rainbow Norrona Hotel
- 95 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jul 28, 2009 - Best Western Hotel Ambassadeur
- 1 Review & Opinion
- Youth Hostel Haraldsheim
- 25 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Dec 28, 2011 - Carlton Hotel Oslo
- 64 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Jan 10, 2012 - Evjen Bed and Breakfast
- 1 Review & Opinion
- Thon Hotel Munch
- 185 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Dec 14, 2011
Comments (21)
Travel to Oslo is a problem if you are not on a Ryanair flight. Bus fare is more expensive than the SAS Bussen from OSL to Oslo.
Loved the Vigeland park myself. Nice overview of all the things to see
Scheint so, dass wir die gleichen Interessen haben .... :-) Wir überlegen gerade einen Wochenendtrip nach Oslo und ich hatte mir die von dir beschriebenen "Sehenswürdigkeiten rausgeguckt". Liebe Grüße
Thanks for the virtual tour! Nice page with some good tips. The airport was a great heads up. Hello from Washougal. Joyce =^oo^=
Bernd, fabulous page with brilliant photos of Oslo. Brings back many memories of my time in the Norwegian capital. Hey you have been to so many countries, it really is about time to build more pages ... ;-)
Wonderful page, Bernd! Your hotel tip was excellent - we loved it!
Good page with interesting tips. Thank you!
Wonderful pictures. I love the Viking history and the ship museums. Thanks for the tour...Tom
An interesting city with lots of attractions for the visitor. I like the seafaring nature of many of the museums.
tess is right, ich haette das auch machen sollen!! tolle seite, fine pix. tks for sharing Bernd
1 - 10 of 21
View 11 More