Oslo says » Outdoors

shhh…the islands are very nice!

admin — Wed, 05 May 2010 11:49:58 +0000

Now about the islands: A bit of a secret we keep from you tourists, actually. If you manage to find Vippetangen – a hidden quay about a kilometer east of the town hall, you will find the ferries leaving for the islands in the inner fjord.

Hovedøya is the closest, just five minutes away. Here you will find the ruins of an old cistercian monastery, and also buildings and cannons from the time when the island was a part of the city’s defense. In a small cafe you can by simple sandwiches and a beer. The nature is wonderful, and you can have a long stroll. Most people come for the bathing during summer.

Also for bathing: Gressholmen and especially Langøyene. Then there is Nakholmen, Lindøya and Bleikholmen – all islands with several cottages. Not so much for outsiders like you and me, but it is certainly possible to get off the boat to have a look, especially at Lindøya, where there is plenty of space.

More to come about the islands later on!

Your own fjord cruise!

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 10:13:23 +0000

The ferry to Nesodden

There must be dozens of companies offering different cruise trips on the Oslo fjord, and by all means – it can be very pleasant. You will get some shrimps and a glass of cheap white wine (cheap only for the company, it will be quite expensive for you…)

But if you want to see the fjord, you can do it on your own. Just jump on the Nesodden ferry, leaving 32 minutes past every hour from Aker Brygge. It will cost you 50 kroner for the round trip, and you will be back in town after 53 minutes.

On board you can buy coffee and a ”lefse” (thin pancake of rolled dough, served buttered and folded). You will have a nice view of the fjord, and a very pleasant return to Oslo, which really is a town that should be approached from the sea.

Don’t bother to hop off the boat at Nesodden – there isn’t anyting to see there – unless you would like to go for a long walk along the coastal path.

Summer in Oslo

admin — Sat, 01 May 2010 08:32:48 +0000

Summer is coming to town. Today, May 1st, is a grey day outside – but soon Oslo will be at its most charming. Already the trees are greening, and this week I spotted the first wood anemones . The ferry to Bygdøy has started the season, and people are already queing up for the island ferries to Hovedøya, Lindøya and Nakholmen.

This is the time to visit Oslo – from early May to end of August!

We’ve got a bike for you!

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 06:30:41 +0000

Oslo is a rather small capital, but you would need a few hours to get around. So getting a bike could be a good idea. You will need a smart card that you can rent at the tourist information office.

The city bikes are available from a large number of bike stations around the city. You are only allowed to use a bike for maximum 3 hours – then you have to return it to a station (any one of them), and you can immediately loan a new bike if you wish.

Most of the stations are in the city centre, but you can also find bikes at Bislett, Grünerløkka, Gamlebyen (the old town) and at Bygdøy, and new stations are being built continuously. The bike stations are open 6 am – midnight. The bikes are not available in the winter.
For an updated list of bike stations, visit the website http://www.oslobysykkel.no, and you will find a map and a complete list of stations.

Tourists and others who don’t need a season card can rent a smartcard at the Tourist Information. This costs NOK 80 for one day. In addition to that, you have to have a credit card as a deposit.

The ferry to nowhere

admin — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 10:59:32 +0000

Among dozens of chic, posh and fancy places to have a drink in the city of Oslo and at the waterfront, you will find a floating pub where you don’t have to bother too much about the dress code. Ferja (the ferry) is a great little boat which used to be the ferry at Tjeldsund up north at the city of Harstad. The last 25 years or so, it has been a very low-key place to meet for a beer during summer.

One of the few places that serve the original bayer on a tap, they will also provide you with some other bottled sorts, and you can have a hot dog. That’s about it. And of course the friendly service.

Cash is king at Ferja – they don’t accept credit cards. That’s about all you have to remember.

Farmers’ market in Oslo

admin — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:30:28 +0000

Now it is season for Farmers’ market in Oslo. Last weekend a big fair was taking place at the Karl Johan. In October you will find new fairs in Vibes gate and in Birkelunden. More info here.

Relaxing championship in Oslo

admin — Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:49:34 +0000

If you didn’t make it to the top in school sports, you can have your revenge on Saturday when top relaxers meet for the Norwegian Championship in Slappa (Norwegian slang for relaxing). The point is to produce the lowest relaxing pulse during five minutes in a hammock, and the whole event is a tribute to the holy institution of the coffee break. The championship is arranged by the Norwegian Coffee Association, and will take place in beautiful surroundings in the St. Hanshaugen park from 12 noon. Everyone is welcome to have a try. No one is too lazy!

Click for map

The hidden garden in Oslo

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 17:39:56 +0000

There are plenty of parks in Oslo. The undoubtedly nicest one is The Queen’s Park (Dronningparken) right behind the Royal Castle. The park is open during summer, from May 18th until mid-October at daytime. It is actually the present queen Sonja who is in charge of the garden, but the name was established when the british-born Maud was the queen back in the early 20th century.

The park is all silence and quiet nature, and it is difficult to believe that the busy city life is going just on the outside. Bring a book, your heart mate or your children and have a nice break.

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Walking on a roof

admin — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 10:42:17 +0000

So walking on the roof of a white building by the sea shore is the hottest thing you can do in Oslo these days?
Yep. When the much discussed new opera was opened in 2008, very few could have guessed that the building would be a lot more crowded on the outside than on the inside. On a daily basis, you will always find dozens of people walking around on the roof, and on a sunny Saturday you can count your company by the hundreds. The building, designed by the Snøhetta architecture company, is really quite spectacular, located in the old harbour area which is now subject to an enormous development project.

Not that there isn’t any opera lovers inside the building, though. Tickets are hard to get. The safest bet for a visitor is to show up at the entrance the same day for unclaimed tickets.

The pictures are from a concert this week, arranged by Oslo Jazz Festival, with Antony and the Johnsons.