Oslo

Oslo is Norway‘s capital and largest city, with 670,000 citizens in the city proper and about 1.5 million inhabitants in greater Oslo. It is in the East of the country in the Oslofjorden fjord, extending over an inlet of the Skagerrak strait. It is surrounded by green hills and mountains and includes 40 islands and 343 lakes. Oslo offers ski slopes for alpine skiing and ski trails for cross-country skiing in the winter. In the summer, the temperature in Oslo may make it comfortable to swim. There are several well-visited beach resorts. Oslo is one of the world’s northernmost capitals and so gets only 6 hours of sunlight in the winter. In high summer, sunlight hours soar to 18, making its climate markedly different between seasons, with cold yet relatively dry winters.

Oslo is a huge city with several district articles that contain information about specific sights, restaurants, and accommodation.

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A relatively compact city squeezed into a thin strip of land along the shoreline, Oslo prides itself as one of the world’s most sustainable cities. While it holds an array of historic monuments, Oslo is perhaps most famous for its modern architecture, including striking and daring projects launched at the turn of the millennium. Oslo’s economy is powered by the maritime industry, high-tech and clean energy sectors. In 2010, Oslo was ranked as the world’s most expensive city to live in by the Swiss wealth management company UBS AG.

. . . Oslo . . .

Sentrum Downtown Oslo with main sights, restaurants and hotels, and the harbor (Oslo City Hall to the Opera House).

West (Frogner, Ullern) Several major museums, Bygdøy, the Vigeland sculpture park, high end shopping and dining.

Inner North Just north of downtown you will find several parks, eateries, industrial heritage and the main campus of the university.

Inner East The more bohemian part of Oslo is the place to go for alternative culture and international dining. East of the Akerselva river.

North The northernmost part of the city is largely forest. If visiting the city and you want to see some nature as well, this is the place to go.

South Comprising the east bank of the Oslo fjord and the islands, also the southern outskirts of the city is for outdoor fans. In the summer, the beaches here are really popular.

Oslo is the demographic, economic and political centre of Norway. As the capital of Norway, Oslo hosts several national institutions. The city has a good selection of cultural institutions and a good selection of restaurants, some world class but most ordinary, as well as night life in general. While it is an expensive city for overseas visitors, many of the best things are free of charge, notably Oslo’s proximity to wild nature and variety of outdoor activities.

Metropolitan Oslo also includes most of Akershus county and the line between these is so blurred that the two is seen as one city. Local public transport such as the Oslo metro covers Oslo proper and the surrounding districts. Oslo proper has well over 600,000 inhabitants while metropolitan Oslo has around 1 million inhabitants. Oslo’s influence is felt well beyond the metropolitan area and the wider “Oslo region” includes the densely populated lowlands around the inner Oslo fjord and the flatlands around the airport. This region covers only 5% of Norway’s area but has 25 to 30% of the population.

. . . Oslo . . .

. . . Oslo . . .