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Norway : Oslo - July 2009

Country Code: Dial for Norway

The waters around the Norwegian capital come alive in July, as the locals take to their boats to cruise the city’s fjords or head to the island beaches for a dip. This summer, the National Museum of Architecture is also holding an exhibition on the leading architectural firm Snøhetta (until 13 September). Gwladys Fouché tells us more

Getting around

Gardermoen Airport is 48km north of the city centre.

Bus: A shuttle bus leaves the airport every 20 minutes, taking about 40 minutes to reach central Oslo. A single ticket costs €15/NOK 120.
Train: The Flytoget express train leaves Gardermoen airport every 10 minutes and takes about 20 minutes to reach the city. A single ticket is €20/NOK 160.
Taxi: A journey to the city centre costs approximately €70/ NOK 560 and takes about 45 minutes.
Tourist information: The main office is near Central Station in the Trafikanten Service Center, 1 Jernbanetorget (tel. , visitoslo.com).

CITY CENTRE

Oslo’s compact city centre is easily explored on foot in a day or two.

Sleep soundly – The super-sleek First Hotel Grims Grenka (5 Kongens Gate, tel. , grimsgrenka.no, rooms from €140/NOK 1,240) is Oslo’s only five-star design hotel. Rooms come in dark shades of brown, grey and black.

Culture vultures – Delve into the work of Snøhetta, the top architectural firm behind the Alexandria Library, at the Nasjonalmuseet Arkitektur (3 Bankplassen). The company’s latest masterpiece, the iceberg-like Operahuset (1 Kirsten Flagstads Plass), is a five-minute walk away.

Must drink – Enjoy a champagne cocktail on a bright red lounger at Q Lounge (5 Kongens Gate), the rooftop bar at First Hotel Grims Grenka.

Dance the night away – Unlikely as it may seem, the top floor of the Norwegian Labour Party’s HQ is home to Stratos (2a Youngstorget), a clubslash- bar with panoramic views.

Shop til you drop – For vintage fashion, head to Trabant (4 Youngstorvet), where Paul Thornton and his wife, Tereza, pick great pieces.

BYGDØY

A 10-minute ferry ride from the harbour leads you to the leafy Bygdøy peninsula, where the city’s best museums – and some great beaches – are located.

Culture vultures – Vikingskipshuset (35 Huk Aveny) holds three rare, wellpreserved ships from the middle ages. The quirky Norsk Folkemuseum (10 Museumsveien) has a collection of Norwegian houses from different regions and centuries. Pristine beaches are just a stone’s throw away.

Must eat – If the sun is shining, head to the terrace of Sult Lille Herbern (1 Herbernveien, tel. ), from where you can admire boats on the Oslo fjord. Its sister establishment Hukodden Strandrestaurant (46 Strømbergsveien, tel. ) also has a fantastic terrace. Come for fish soup after a day at the beach.

AKER BRYGGE

Oslo’s renovated dockland area is one of the best places to enjoy a fresh pint in the sunshine.

Sleep soundly – Business travellers should head for Thon Hotel Vika Atrium (45 Munkedamsveien, tel. , thonhotels.com, rooms from €95/NOK 850).

Must eat – A 10-minute walk from Aker Brygge, fish restaurant Solsiden (34 Søndre Akershus Kai, tel. ) is the best place to watch the sun go down. Or tuck into spicy chicken tagliatelle at Jacob Aall Brasserie & Bar (63 Stranden).

Must drink – Call in at one of the drinking holes lining the waterfront, such as The Ferryman (53 Stranden or Bar1 (1b Stranden).

Dance the night away – Head to Åpenbar (1 Stranden), a hip loungebar- restaurant, or the see-and-be-seen Cosmo (14 Ruseløkkveien).

Shop til you drop – The House of Oslo (26 Ruseløkkveien) department store is a paradise for fans of Nordic design, with close to 20 dedicated boutiques to browse through.

THE ISLANDS

The city’s best-kept secret is the small archipelago in the Oslo fjord. It’s like another planet and is only a five-minute boat ride away. All boats leave from Vippetangen, 10 minutes’ walk from Aker Brygge.

Culture vultures – The largest island of the archipelago is Hovedøya, home to the ruins of a 12th-century monastery. Gressholmen is perfect for pet-lovers, as colonies of rabbits have long conquered the island, and you can camp overnight on Langøyene. All the islands have great beaches for those seeking the sun.

Must eat – Savour some fresh prawns with mayonnaise at the bucolic Gressolhmen Kro (Gressholmen, tel. ), which has a beautiful terrace by the sea. If you’re planning to stay long on the other islands, take a picnic with you.

Compiled by Gwladys Fouché