Think that time of the year when you realize there is a bank holiday and you haven’t planned anything. Now think about how much it will cost you to stay in London for a weekend where you probably end up going out for lunch, dinner and then, add a few drinks to it because “We all deserve a glass of wine!”.
Yes! That’s a good reason why you should plan a City Break to… OSLO. And if you are a mum like me you will include your little one to it.
Oslo has highly surpassed my expectation. I imagined a Nordic city with cold people and rainy days but “Surprise!! Surprise!!” it was the most amazing and beautiful Nordic city I ever visited. Everything was on point…weather, food, people and the landscape. The landscape!!!! I have never seen such amazing place that will bring up to your memory those cheerful days of your adolescence walking in the countryside and admiring the nature in all its greatness.
But let’s go straight to the point. I planned 2 days in Oslo and that’s what I did.
DAY 1 – City center and Opera House
Even if I don’t really like visit the city center Oslo worth it. I have to admit the weather was amazing and that helped a lot enjoying the sightseeing of the city. Sunny and bright the city offer long and relaxing walking next to little stream, park and characteristic spots.
So if you consider yourself a wild soul such as me who doesn’t like to follow the crowd of tourists around the major monuments and prefer to get mixed up with locals I highly recommend to go for a walk around the city, by the canals and end up visiting the Opera House.
What amazed me about Oslo was discovering its multiculturalism because living in London shouldn’t be a surprise for me but it was! Such as all the big cities around the world Oslo offers a big variety of Turkish shop, Indian, Japanese and Vietnamese restaurants as well as Fast Food BUT we all don’t like it right!
So…. let’s end up the first day with a well deserved dinner in some local paces trying new plated and characteristic food such as smoked salmon.
DAY 2 – SOGNSVANN
Easy to reach with the tube (From Carl Berners the train will have its final stop in Sognsvann) make sure you plan a whole day in the Common.
We were all fascinated by the nature around us. I have to admit the weather (we travel in may) was amazing and it helped a lot enjoying the astonishing views. There is a little café at the beginning of the park but it only offers coffe, tea, cappuccino and ice cream so I would recommend you to bring food with you and plan a picnic in one of the plenty spots you will see during the walk.
Here a few pics
(the pics are bad quality and I apoligy but the third pic portray tadpole and the last one a frog which I almost stepped on).
DAY 3 – More “City Sightseeing” and “Frogner Park”
We meant to flight the day after so we decided to visit the other characteristics building and monuments in the city.
We literally walked all the way around the city which I recommend because even if it is time consuming and you will get tired you will see streets and places that otherwise you couldn’t see with the bus. Characteristic nordic houses, small park, schools, post offices and so on.
We started in Grünerløkka area and walked down following the river. Then we passed by the city center to reach the Studenterlunden Park. There is a nice rainbow and some more artistic sculpture that your kids will love and the park is nice and quite.
Continue walking for about 20 minute to reach “Frogner Park“. It’s a huge park with lots of bronze sculptures all around and as wikipedia state: “Frogner Park contains, in its present centre, the well-known Vigeland installation a permanent sculpture installation created by Gustav Vigeland between 1924 and 1943.”
Before you reach the top of the park where you will admire “The Monolith” take a few second to discover, on the left side of the central bridge, the famous “Hungry Boy” and the pond just next to it.
MAMMAmiAMI? 