Oslo, Norway

Royal Palace

The palace was built in the mid-19th century in the neoclassical style by a Danish architect. The building has 173 rooms; however, until 1905, no one lived there permanently. For a long time, Norway belonged to Sweden, and Swedish kings preferred to live in their native Stockholm, while they only visited Oslo on rare occasions. And it was only King Haakon VII who made this modest palace his permanent home. Today, the palace is the residence of the current king, Harald V. The palace is open to visits and guided tours only during the summer. Guided tours last about an hour. At other times, you can witness the ceremony of the changing of the guard, which takes place every day at 13.30.

Oslo City Hall

Oslo City Hall, made of dark brick with two towers housing the offices of city administration employees, and a central building in the shape of a cube-whose grand hall is where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year-dominates the central part of the city. The idea to build it for the city council officials arose in 1905. But the start of the work was delayed for a long time. As a result, the City Hall was completed only in 1950, when Norway’s capital was celebrating its 900th anniversary. From the City Hall, you can enjoy a wonderful view of the water and the ancient fortress walls of Akershus nearby. In 2000, a group of bronze bells was installed on the City Hall-49 in total. Every hour, you can hear the melody they play.

Akershus Fortress

Construction of Akershus Fortress began in 1299 under Haakon V. However, in 1527 it burned down completely. To build new defensive walls, they used stones from a Cistercian abbey located on the neighboring island. After 1814, the castle was used as a prison. Interestingly, a wide variety of criminals served their sentences here, and the residents of Oslo could pay a certain amount into the city budget and use prisoners as a labor force. This right was especially often used by the city itself, assigning the offenders one job and then another. In 1899, the fortress was restored. During the Second World War, the premises housed the Gestapo. Akershus is open to the public daily.

New Opera

The New Opera House building boasts a unique architecture and massive size (38 000 sq. m.). The main stage, shaped like a horseshoe, is designed for classical music concerts. This hall is one of the most modern in the world, with various transformation options and stunning acoustics. The building project was developed by a Norwegian architectural firm; the Norwegian craftsmen themselves also worked on the decoration of the main hall. Skilled boatbuilders from the north-west coast of the country carved Baltic oak, decorating the balconies, while the glassblowers created the largest glass chandelier in Norway, made up of almost six thousand elements-each one handcrafted. There is an observation deck on the theatre’s roof.

Cathedral (Cathedral Church)

The main church of Norway’s capital, Oslo Cathedral, was built in 1697. Today, it’s one of the city’s hidden gems-travelers first rush to the Opera or to the Nobel Peace Center, leaving the cathedral unnoticed. And that’s completely in vain: inside, you can see wonderful stained-glass windows, a magnificent historic altar, and painted ceilings. Oslo Cathedral has very recently undergone a major restoration and today gleams with beautifully restored interiors. Among the most interesting details of the interior are the exquisitely crafted stained-glass windows by artist Emanuel Vigeland (the brother of the famous architect). From time to time, organ music concerts are held at Oslo Cathedral.

Vigeland Sculpture Park

This is one of the most visited places by tourists, not only in Oslo, but throughout all of Norway. The creation of the park began in the wake of a surge in national self-awareness shortly after gaining independence from Sweden. That is probably also why sculptor Vigeland was granted several hectares of land in the city center, a workshop, and ongoing maintenance. He worked on his masterpiece for 35 years and did not live to see the park’s opening-just one year shy of it. All the sculptures reflect human states of mind. The works have no titles, so visitors can practice their imagination. Perhaps the most famous sculpture is “Angry Boy.” It’s hard to miss, since people are always taking photos nearby, and his left fist gleams from frequent touching. The park is open around the clock and admission is free.

Viking Ship Museum

Not far from Oslo, on the Bygdøy peninsula, the famous Viking ships (drakkars) are on display - the Tune Ship, the Gokstad Ship, and the Oseberg Ship. The museum building was designed specifically for the Viking ships by one of the best-known Norwegian architects, Arnstein Arneberg, in 1927. Legend has it that the Oseberg ship was a farewell gift from a Viking leader to his deceased beautiful wife, and you believe it when you admire the exquisite wooden carvings on the darkened timber.

Tivoli Gardens

TusenFryd amusement park is the largest amusement park in Norway, located just 20 minutes’ drive from Oslo. The park features more than 31 attractions for adults and young children. On the premises, you’ll find the most extreme ride in Scandinavia - “Speed Monster”. The speed of this attraction is close to that of a Formula 1 car.

Karl Johan Street

Karl Johans Street is the main street of Oslo, running through the city from east to west from the Eastern Railway Station to the Palace of the Norwegian Kings. It is a kind of analogue to Moscow’s Arbat, with plenty of shops, kiosks and stalls, street artists, musicians, actors, and tourists from all over the world. The street was laid out under the Swedish-Norwegian king Charles XIV John, after whom it was named. The most notable building is the main section of the University of Oslo, built in the neoclassical style according to a design by the famous Berlin architect Karl Friedrich Schinkel. Karl Johans Street leads up to a hill topped by the Royal Palace, which was also built in the spirit of classicism.

Norwegian Ethnographic Museum

The largest and wildly fascinating Norwegian ethnographic museum - a real city of exhibits in the open air. In summer, there are plenty of tourists here every day of the week, and their interest in the attraction is more than justified: the main activity here is to stroll through a well-kept park, featuring 140 buildings recreated in meticulous detail from all corners of Norway. You can see old barns, traditional supply storage sheds “stabbur,” raised on stilts, and village houses with a roof covered in turf - a fantastic sight, especially in spring, when the roof blooms. The very youngest visitors are invited to meet the inhabitants of a Norwegian farm - goats, sheep, cows, and so on - and take a ride in a horse-drawn wagon.

Bygdøy Peninsula

Beautiful nature, secluded park corners, and small, cozy streets with lovely houses, the best beaches in Oslo, and the most interesting museums-all of it is concentrated on the Bygdøy peninsula. There are several museums on Bygdøy: the Viking Ship Museum, the Kon-Tiki Folk Museum, the Maritime Museum, and the Fram. The most interesting of them is the Maritime Museum, where you can enjoy views of the Oslo Fjord through large windows. Thoughtful Norwegians even placed special little chairs. The best way to get to the Bygdøy peninsula is from City Hall Square (pier 3) by taking the sea tram №91. Travel time: 15 minutes.

Walking tour of downtown Oslo

During an introductory tour of the capital of Norway, you will see the Parliament building, the Royal Palace (residence of the King of Norway Harald V), visit the City Hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year, and Akershus Fortress (built more than 700 years ago). You will stroll along the roof of the Opera and Ballet building (constructed in 2008), the Aker Brygge waterfront, and visit many other interesting places.

For a more detailed list of excursions and their prices, you can review them after booking the cruise in your “Client Personal Account”.