Oslo: City, Forest and Fjord
Accommodation in Oslo
Oslo offers a wide range of ideas for a trip: forest trails in Oslomarka, islands in the inner Oslofjord and museums exploring Norwegian history and expeditions. When choosing your holiday apartment, it’s therefore worth first considering which experiences you want to shape your stay. Would you like to spend time in nature, explore islands or visit several museums?
Forest trails and outdoor excursions
Oslomarka covers two-thirds of Oslo’s area. Its hiking trails range from easy walks to more challenging climbs. The forest trails are used in many ways: for walking and cycling, and for cross-country skiing in winter. If you enjoy spending your days outdoors, these different options may play an important role in planning your trip.
A combined walking and cycling path connects central Oslo with Fiskevollbukta and Hvervenbukta. This offers another option alongside the forest trails for anyone who wants to explore Oslo on foot or by bike. The different routes and destinations should not be treated as a single tour: the connecting path mentioned above has specific endpoints, while Oslomarka’s trails offer their own choice of walks and climbs.
Islands and swimming spots in the Oslofjord
On the islands in the inner Oslofjord, you can go hiking, have a picnic, visit cafés, swim or enjoy beach activities. Langøyene is a popular recreation and swimming area with several beaches, picnic spots and sports fields. Depending on your interests, an island excursion can be a relaxing outing or include sporting activities.
Oslo’s ferries depart from Rådhusbrygga near Aker Brygge and travel to several islands in the Oslofjord. This departure point is a useful landmark when planning a day out that includes the islands. On Bygdøy, you’ll find Huk, a sandy beach with a beach volleyball court and a beach restaurant. Forest trails and hiking paths wind through the Kongeskogen area. These destinations offer different reasons to plan an outing to Bygdøy; the paths in Kongeskogen and a visit to the beach are separate ways to spend the day.
Museums and cultural history
The museums on Bygdøy explore Norwegian history from the Viking Age to the present day. The Kon-Tiki Museum displays the original balsa raft from the Kon-Tiki expedition; its exhibitions about Kon-Tiki and Ra are specially designed for children. Families interested in expeditions will find a particular cultural highlight here.
Both the ferry and bus route 30 run to Bygdøy year-round. The ferry departs from central Oslo, crossing the fjord, and takes 15 to 20 minutes. Bus route 30 takes 15 minutes from the city centre to Bygdøy and stops at all the museums on the peninsula. If museums are on your itinerary, these two connections can help you plan your visit. An open-air museum also shows how people in Norway lived from 1500 to the present day.
Other cultural experiences include the ruins of a monastery founded in 1147 on Hovedøya and Ekebergparken, a public sculpture and cultural park. At Holmenkollen, the National Ski Arena explores various aspects of Norwegian ski culture and offers views from the ski jump tower.
Which Oslo experiences suit your stay?
The Holmenkollen area is also connected to Nordmarka. Tryvann and Frognerseteren serve as starting points for hikes and excursions in both summer and winter. The activities described here range from trails through forest areas to cultural and museum visits. Choose your accommodation based on which of these options matter to you, and check your planned daily itinerary against the connections and starting points mentioned.
For more information about Oslo, see the page Oslo.
For the broader travel overview: Norway.
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