Discover Oslo: A Personal Guide, takk

My guide to Oslo

top tips

• get cash out and have their version of PayPal; however, only residents can have it, and there are no guests. A lot of markets and flea markets do not have card machines. Remember, Norway does not use Euros and has its currency.
• Everything like alcohol and fast food is highly taxed in Norway. Buying alcohol duty-free is the best idea.
• Go in the summer the weather is warmer
• Norwegians speak perfect English; however, before you go to any country, we always advise you to learn the basics, like hello and thank you, to show respect for others' cultures.
• The train is all about honesty. There are no barriers, which is strange for me growing up in London, unlike Paris and New York, where you buy tickets and walk to the platform. There are machines at the stations, but honestly, I was there for four days and never bought a ticket. Oops, I never got caught.
• Google Maps will be your lifesaver if you are unfamiliar with the language. To the naked eye, words do not visually look the same or sound the same in English. I found this hard with trains, so have Google Maps ready to track your journey and know when to get off or what direction to walk in.
• Get with the candy style; do not back bold colours or patterns. For example, do not dress like Emily Cooper from Emily in Paris; it is an excuse to buy new clothes. Muted warm tones of blue-green, beige, and creams are best suited, and minimalistic but chic and classy is everything style-wise in Scandinavian countries.

Places to go

If you plan to go in the winter, though it's not widely known, it is the perfect place for skiing. It gets very cold to the point where wet hair turns to icicles. They also have a beautiful Christmas market and their Norwegian Christmas traditions, which you can immerse yourself in if you have the time to explore outside Oslo and see the beautiful Norwegian landscapes for a hike, for example.

My itinerary 

Day 1

Flew in

Sentrum

Bjorvika

Climb the Royal Opera House- perfect as the sun goes down. If you are a daredevil like me, sit at the edge and get your photo taken, or call your mum and show her the drop below your feet. That’s fun, too.

Watch the sunset over the fjords

Irish pub majorstuen—we went on a Friday, and it was perfect, with classic 2000s tunes that everyone knows, primarily English songs. Drinks are expensive, but that’s not uncommon in Norway.

Day 2

Frogneparken flea market—I would use this to get cash out, as most places will only accept cash or the Norwegian version of PayPal, which tourists cannot use.

Majorstuen

Marka Lake was near where my friend I was staying with lived, but it is primarily flat, perfect for a run of about 5k, and has good public toilets, if you know.

Day 3

 Hammers borg

Grunerlokka vest Sunday craft markets: I again bought gifts and beautiful jewellery. This did have more opportunities for card payments and tappy tappy, but cash is advised. I would not say this was also a food market, so bear that in mind.

In the Royal Palace, the guards are happy to have photos like the beefeaters in London. 

National Theatre- around this area are beautiful buildings with grand historical architecture if you want to wander. There are also lovely independent coffee shops perfect for Instagram, but if you don’t plan to wander around.

government building

plass- shops, bars and restaurants 

Day 4

Nobel Peace Prize building 

Vigelandsparken

Frogner park

Fjords sauna-salt with a bar and entertainment: this was recommended to me by a Norwegian from Oslo; though it might seem fun, it is not advised to go cold diving in the Fjords. This had multiple rooms, one with a view. There was a rooftop lounge area. Multiple cold water dips were available in a classic Scandinavian beer barrel. It was the complete package with excellent changing rooms and a bar in the sauna section, and also, the SALT bar and entertainment area just outside often had events throughout the year to go to.