Zooming into Oslo Central Station and stepping out onto an immaculate sidewalk, we were impressed by just how clean, spacious and beautifully laid out this city is. The afternoon we arrived, the sun was glinting off the buildings, putting us both in a cheerful mood as we set off to find our home for the next few days. Our Airbnb was a penthouse in the Barcode district, a series of newly built geometric blocks only a few minutes’ walk from the city centre. The building had a roof terrace with a panoramic city view, including ample space to have a beer and soak up the Nordic summer sunshine.
When we headed out to explore, first stop was a visit to the Oslo Opera House, a very distinctive building that you can climb up the sides of with very little effort. The sloping roof is a marble and white granite structure perched on the edge of the fjord, and it looks like a giant iceberg rising out of the water. It’s a beautiful vantage point and a seriously cool landmark.
From there we headed to Sophie’s Mat for dinner, a traditional bar and restaurant that prides itself on rustic home cooking. We tried some nicely cooked meatballs with lingonberry jam and soft powdery potatoes, local fried fish with prawns and vegetables, and a local beer. Stop off here if you fancy some traditional fare cooked simply and skilfully. This is also a great budget option and the owner insisted on packing up the remainder of our generous portions.
For an after-dinner drink, we can’t praise HIMKOK highly enough. It’s an unassuming cocktail bar where you can sample some unusual concoctions showcasing the best Norwegian ingredients. The bartenders know exactly what they’re doing and they aren’t afraid to experiment either. Check out our dedicated post here.
The next day we were keen to explore the town and find some local fish and Norwegian produce. One of the highlights is Fenaknoken, a small speciality shop run by a chef and food historian. They specialise in dried, cured and traditionally prepared fish as well as reindeer, elk, moose and even bear. They also have a great selection of local honeys, jams and cheeses. We were given some free charcuterie along with the food we bought - it was the first of many places where the staff will give you something extra for free and make your visit just that little more exciting.
Next, we made a stop at a supermarket in Grønland, having seen lots of people queuing up to buy bags of fresh produce and spices. If you are planning to cook during your stay, we would recommend exploring this district for many well-stocked food shops with a wide variety of fresh produce and spices in larger quantities and for cheaper prices than the supermarkets. The prices in Oslo are high, high even by London standards, so the discovery of good quality but lower priced options was very welcome. It became a bit of a running joke that everything in Oslo cost £12… because two coffees will literally cost you that much. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
On that note, bring your own wine. While you can purchase beer in supermarkets, Norway has strict alcohol legislation and other than in bars and restaurants, you can only buy wine from the government-owned Vinmonopolet (literally means ‘the wine monopoly’) stores. While they offer a fairly good selection, the prices are again quite high and the opening hours of these stores can be tighter than what we’re used to in the UK. It’s definitely cheaper to bring your own if you’re staying for a few days.
For a picturesque walk on a late summer evening, we walked up the hill paths to Ekeburgparken Sculpture Park, where you will find forty-two striking and conceptual sculptures throughout the forest, created by globally famous sculptors including Salvador Dali and Damien Hirst. The sculptures are strategically placed throughout the park, so you need to go hunting for them. We allowed plenty of time to explore the park as it covers quite a large area. You can get there by tram from the city centre, but we wanted to walk up the hillside to make the most of the evening light and see the excellent views over the city.
In Oslo Public Library the next morning, we were marvelling at the (like everything else in this city) beautiful design of this light and airy space and the floor-to-ceiling glass overlooking the fjord. Noise-cancelling design enables you to have conversations at a normal volume, and you can only be overheard when someone is directly beside you. We noticed this by accident when walking past groups of people. This is not a library where someone is going to tell you to shush - not that you’d want to make a lot of noise here. It’s too comfortable for that. We highly recommend visiting!
From the city centre we followed the pretty walking trail alongside the river Akerselva towards Vulcan, an pleasantly leafy eco-friendly neighbourhood. Here you can find Mathallen, a speciality food hall and selection of restaurants. Well worth a look.
Having had a bit of a walk, we were in need of a coffee, and Tim Wendelboe’s espresso bar takes coffee extremely seriously. In case you need convincing, its eponymous owner is the World Barista Champion and World Cup Tasters Champion. Norwegians are known to be enthusiastic coffee drinkers and if you are too, this place is a must. The Norwegian food and drink offerings didn’t disappoint in the Grünerløkka neighborhood, either. We picked up a satisfyingly knotted cinnamon bun from Supreme Roastworks.
To treat ourselves for our savvy spending thus far, we visited the three Michelin starred Maaemo for dinner. Check our our dedicated blog post here. It is without question a unique, once-in-a-lifetime dining experience and we say that with the utmost seriousness.
Hope you enjoyed this post and we also hope that you have an opportunity to visit Oslo and have as good a time as we did. Takk!
Stay salty af,
Anika & Fleurie