Things To Do in Oslo

Oslo is most often viewed as a summer destination. Because Oslovians are starved for sunlight, everyone takes to the outdoors in summer, and many of them virtually stay up around the clock this time of year. If you come in winter, you get short days, with darkness descending around 3pm. Oslovians counter the climate by becoming the candlelit center of the world, and the flickering lights make bar-hopping a warm, cozy experience.

To compensate for those long, dark nights, the parties of Oslo become even more frenetic in the winter months. From rock clubs to Mozart concerts, the nightlife in Oslo is more amped up than ever before. The city's cultural activities and special art exhibitions also reach their zenith.

Seasons aside, some travelers would be happy to come to Oslo anytime just for the views of the harborfront city and the Oslofjord. Panoramas are a major attraction, especially the one from Tryvannstårnet, a 117m (384-ft.) observation tower atop 570m (1,870-ft.) Tryvann Hill in the outlying area. Many other attractions are worthy of your time and exploration, too. The beautiful surroundings make these sights even more appealing.

Try to allocate at least 2 or 3 days to exploring Norway's capital. After a stay here, most visitors head west to Bergen and the fjord district or continue east by train or plane to Stockholm, the capital of Sweden.

The Loftiest Lookout Tower in Scandinavia -- Tryvannstårnet (tel. 22-14-67-11), at Voksenkollen, dazzles you with its panoramic sweep of Oslofjord and Sweden to its east. The gallery is approximately 570m (1,870 ft.) above sea level. A 20-minute walk down the hill returns you to Frognerseteren, and another 20-minute walk down the hill takes you to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, where the 1952 Olympic competitions took place. It's also the site of Norway's Holmenkollen Ski Festival.

Admission is NOK40 ($8/£4) for adults or NOK25 ($5/£2.50) for children. Open May to September daily 10am to 5pm, off season daily 10am to 4pm. Take the T-banen to Frognerseteren (SST Line 1) from near the Nationaltheatret to Voksenkollen (a 30-min. ride). From here, it's a 15-minute walk uphill.

Those who are "born to shop" like Oslo, as it's one of the most shopper-friendly cities in Scandinavia, with traffic-free streets set aside for prospective buyers. The heart of this district is the Stortorvet, where more than two dozen shops sell everything from handicrafts to enameled silver jewelry. At the marketplace on Strøget, you can stop for a glass of beer at an open-air restaurant in fair weather. Many stores are clustered along Karl Johans Gate and the streets branching off it.

Best Buys -- Look for bargains on sportswear, silver and enamelware, traditional handicrafts, pewter, glass by Hadeland Glassverk (founded in 1762), teak furniture, and stainless steel.

Shipping Goods & Recovering Vat -- Norway imposes a 19.4% value-added tax (VAT), but there are ways to avoid paying it. Special tax-free exports are possible; many stores will mail goods home to you, which makes paying and recovering tax unnecessary.

Shopping Hours -- Most stores are open Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm. Department stores and shopping malls keep different hours -- in general, Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 6pm. Many shops stay open late on Thursday and on the first Saturday of the month, which is called super lørdag ("super Saturday"). During the holiday season, stores are also open on Sunday.

Shopping Malls

Mall shopping is a firmly entrenched tradition in Oslo, thanks to the uncertain weather. When it rains or snows, discerning shoppers have several malls from which to choose.

Our favorite place for wandering and shopping in Oslo is Aker Brygge (tel. 22-83-26-80), a former shipbuilding yard that was recycled into a postmodern complex of steel-and-glass buildings. In all, there are nearly 65 shops here, most of them upmarket fashion boutiques. There are also 40 restaurants, along with pubs, movie houses, and theaters. When it's raining, duck into the indoor shopping mall. Even if you don't buy anything, Aker Brygge makes for a great people-watching experience. The location is right on the harborfront across from the Tourist Information Center at Vestbanen.

Paléet, Karl Johans Gate 37-43, is set on Oslo's most central and most opulent shopping street. The weatherproof complex consists of 45 different shops and boutiques, all of them relatively upscale and flooded with light from skylights. You can purchase candles, incense, sweaters, art, housewares, cosmetics -- you name it. Thirteen different restaurants, including burger and beer joints and one serving Indian food, refuel weary shoppers. You can also stop to admire a bronze statue of skating great (and former movie star) Sonja Henie.

Oslo City, Stenersgate 1, opposite the Central Station, is the biggest shopping center in Norway -- loaded with shops and restaurants. Also near the Central Station, Galleri Oslo, at Vaterland, has been called Europe's longest indoor shopping street. Businesses are open daily until midnight, including Sunday. A walkway connects Galleri Oslo to the Central Station.

Oslo has a bustling nightlife that thrives past midnight. The city boasts more than 100 night cafes, clubs, and restaurants, 35 of which stay open until 4am.

Oslo is also a favorite destination of international performing artists in classical, pop, rock, and jazz music. Autumn and winter are the seasons for cabaret, theater, and concerts. There are four cabarets and nine theater stages throughout the city.

For movie lovers, Oslo has a lot to offer. The city has one of the most extensive selections in Europe, with 30 screens and 5 large film complexes. Films are shown in their original languages, with subtitles.

The Entertainment Scene

The best way to find out what's happening is to pick up a copy of What's On in Oslo, detailing concerts and theaters and other useful information. Oslo doesn't have agents who specialize in discount tickets, but it does have an exceptional number of free events. What's On in Oslo lists free happenings as well as the latest exhibits at art galleries, which make for good early evening destinations.

The world-famous Oslo Philharmonic performs regularly under the leadership of Mariss Janson at the Oslo Konserthus. There are no Oslo performances between June 20 and the middle of August.

If you visit Oslo in the winter season, you might be able to see its thriving opera and ballet company, Den Norske Opera. Plays given at the Nationaltheatret (where plays by Ibsen are regularly featured) are in Norwegian, so those who know the language should enjoy hearing the original versions of his plays.

Dance Clubs & Discos -- There are standard age requirements to enter clubs and bars in Oslo and throughout Norway. For those taverns or other places holding a liquor license only for beer and wine, a visitor must be 18 years old or older. For establishments serving hard liquor, the minimum age is 20. In some reviews, varying age requirements are cited where appropriate.

Gay & Lesbian Bars -- This city of slightly more than 500,000 residents has few gay bars. Pick up a copy of Blick for NOK35 ($7/£3.50), available at most newsstands within the central city. Otherwise, call Gay/Lesbian Visitor Information, Kongensgate 12, 0153 Oslo (tel. 23-10-39-39), Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm.

Summer Cultural Entertainment

Det Norske Folkloreshowet (Norwegian Evening) performs from July to August at the Norwegian Folk Museum, Museumsveien 10 (tel. 22-12-37-00 for reservations). The performances are on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday at 5:30pm. Tickets cost NOK250 ($50/£25) for adults, NOK50 ($10/£5) for children (T-banen: Stortinget).

The ensemble at the Norwegian Folk Museum, on Bygdøy, often presents folk-dance performances at the open-air theater in the summer. See What's On in Oslo for details. Most shows are given on Sunday afternoon. Admission to the museum includes admission to the dance performance. Take the ferry from Pier 3 near the Rådhuset.

Special & Free Events

Oslo has many free events, including summer jazz concerts at the Nationaltheatret. In front of the theater, along the Students' Grove, you'll see street entertainers, including singers, clowns, musicians, and jugglers.

Concerts are presented in the chapel of Akershus Castle & Fortress, Akershus Command, on Sunday at 2pm. During the summer, promenade music, parades, drill marches, exhibits, and theatrical performances are also presented on the castle grounds.

In August, the Chamber Music Festival at Akershus Castle & Fortress presents concerts by Norwegian and foreign musicians.

The Oslo Jazz Festival, also in August, includes not only old-time jazz, but also classical concerts, opera, and ballet performances.

Films

American and British films are shown in English with Norwegian subtitles. Tickets are sold for specific performances only. Many theaters have showings nightly at 5, 7, and 9pm, but really big films are usually shown only once an evening, generally at 7:30pm.

Because of the city's long winter nights, film-going is big business in Oslo. Two of the city's biggest theaters are the Saga Kino, Stortingsgata 28 (T-banen: Nationaltheatret; tel. 82-05-00-01), and Klingenberg kino, Olav V's Gate 4 (T-banen: Nationaltheatret; tel. 82-05-00-01). Most tickets cost between NOK90 and NOK130 ($18-$26/£9-£13) for adults and are half-price for children. During matinees (usually on Mon and Thurs) the cost is reduced to NOK70 ($14/£7) for adults and half-price for children.