This version of 48 hours in Oslo skips over all the tourist attractions and museums. Instead, this is 48 hours in Oslo, the city itself. You’ll find a mix of everything – cafes, saunas, parks and of course – salmon in Oslo.
Oslo is the perfect size city to explore in 48 hours. You can arrive on a Friday after work and leave by Sunday night. The city is mostly walkable, but if you’re not into walking you can always catch a bus, tram, train or ferry. Or, if you’re feeling a bit more adventurous, scooters and city bikes are everywhere. You just need to pray for good weather!
Here’s how to spend 48 hours in Oslo.
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Start Friday night with a visit to the iconic Oslo Opera House. From far away you can see the white marble structure in the distance. The ultra modern, chic design is that of the famous Oslo Opera House. You can follow the slanted roof up and up for panoramic views overlooking the entire city.
Pro tip: The Oslo Opera House has free and pristine bathrooms. In case you need the loo, this is the stop!
The Barcode Project sits on a former dock and industrial area along the Oslo Fjord. The neighborhood is called Bjorvika. Bjorvika was once a dockland known for tall shipping containers and even a highway passing through. Recently, Oslo moved the highway underground and built what you see today.
One part of the Bjorvika is known as the Barcode Project. The modern high rises have caused quite some debate in Oslo. Some call the designs chaotic, others are angry about the height of the buildings and many are upset about the shadows the buildings cast. But you’ll have to have a look and see for yourself.
This strip of land is just one of many newly erected urban areas along the Oslo fjords.
While you’re in Bjorvika, stop by Indian Street Food & Co for a modern Indian dinner. We absolutely loved our meal, recommended by a Swedish friend. Great service, great dishes and a fresh perspective on classic cocktails.
Alternative places for dinner in Bjorvika: Koie Ramen Munch or Code Restaurant Oslo. My partner visited Koie after I left and loved it.
If you still have energy after dinner, burn off the Tikka Masala playing mini golf at Oslo Camping. Oslo Camping is an indoor 18-hole no reservation mini golf course for adults.
They serve cocktails, beer and food. Late at night they move some of the holes aside and make space for a night club. We went on the earlier side and really enjoyed the vibe. This was my favorite night out in Oslo. The 4th and 18th holes are really tricky!
Google Maps for night 1 in Oslo
We filled our Saturday in Oslo with all the sights and a healthy dose of nature. Warning – this route requires a lot of walking. But you can easily cut it down (and save time) by taking the scooters or public transport between stops.
We started our morning at the Apent Bakeri in the Barcode neighborhood. There are a few other Apent bakeries throughout the city – so you won’t need to look far. We loved the open faced chicken sandwiches and the chocolate scone. There was plenty of indoor seating and a laid back vibe.
From there, we passed through the city center to see the sites. We started at the Oslo Domkirke (Church) and headed down Karl Johans Gate, where most of the shopping is. This opens up directly on a wide stretch of tree-lined road that leads to the National Theater, and beyond that, the Royal Palace.
We happened to be at the Royal Palace at precisely 13:30 for the Changing of the Guards. While not quite that of London, the guards certainly took their job seriously. The elaborate production went on for quite some time, with many eager tourists awatch.
Perhaps it was early for a second coffee stop, but I’d heard the interior design at Fuglen’s was a must-see. It did not disappoint. I felt like I stepped back in time – wood paneling and fabric covered walls, with an antique bar. Most of the interior is vintage, from the late 1950s and early 60s. The coffee was good, the pastries looked average, but the vibes were A+. I could have spent hours here, just daydreaming.
Tip! In the evening Fuglen’s turns into a trendy cocktail bar.
Visiting Frognerparken and the Vigeland Park was the most touristy activity we did during our 48 hours in Oslo. Vigeland is Oslo’s famous sculpture park. Gustav Vigeland is the single artist responsible for all 212 bronze and granite statues in the park. It’s his lifework, making this the biggest sculpture park by any one artist in the world.
At the center of the park stands the most famous work, the Monolith. It took 13 years to complete the Monolith from a single stone. It’s immaculate in detail and depicts men, women and children piled high to the sky.
Google Maps from Oslo Domkirke to Vigeland Park
If you’ve still got energy for a lot more walking – Bygdøy is a hop, skip and a jump away from Vigeland Park. You could also do this coastal walk some other time, and enjoy a slower pace. We went the ambitious route and decided to do it all on day two.
Bygdøy is Oslo’s ritziest neighborhood. And you’ll notice that right away – from the cars to the homes.
Visiting Bygdøy is definitely not a must-do, but if you like nature and have some time to spare – I’d recommend the escape. It’s an easy flat wooded walk and very close to the center. If you’re brave enough you can even pop by one of the beaches or climb down the rocks for a quick dip in the fjord.
We enjoyed a walk around the peninsula. The total walk took about an hour and a half with some stops. We walked through lush forests with the coast always on our right, and then back through some neighborhoods before ending at the Kon-Tiki Museum.
Google Maps for the Bygdøy Coastal Walk
From Bygdøy, we expected to take the ferry over to Aker Brygge just behind the Kon-Tiki Museum. But, surprise! There was no ferry running that day. After all the walking we had done, we decided to call an Uber to make our way to Aker Brygge. There is also a regular bus, bikes and scooters available. The bike path actually looked quite nice – it ran parallel to the highway, by the water.
Before stopping in for drinks at Underbar, we admired the modern architecture at Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen islands. Just like the Barcode Project, Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen are new architectural wonders in Oslo. The area is known for ritz and glamor. Shops, restaurants, living spaces and even a modern art museum and swimming area can be found here.
There are buildings designed by more than 20 architects in Aker Brygge. Definitely enjoy a walk through the narrow streets if you love modern architecture.
We were an hour early for our dinner reservation at the Salmon so we wanted to grab a drink. After wandering a bit, we found The Underbar. The Underbar is a dimly lit whiskey bar with black and white bistro floors, an incredible selection of liquor and classic cocktails.
I absolutely loved the design of the bar. Pop in even if you don’t fancy a drink for a peek.
We first enjoyed espresso martinis outside by the fire, and later moved inside for an Amaretto Sour and an Old Fashioned. The drinks were good, but for the price, we were expecting incredible.
Alternative place for drinks in Aker Brygge: Try the Beer Palace. It’s just upstairs from The Underbar.
We chose to have dinner at The Salmon. The Salmon is a restaurant and salmon farming education center in Aker Brygge. Salmon was on our must-eat list in Oslo. And turns out, that’s true for many. Farmed salmon is one of Norway’s biggest exports.
The Salmon is a unique restaurant as it is also an education center on salmon farming and culture. They also have their very own salmon smokery. We decided to eat a la carte, although they do have a few set menu options. The smoked salmon starter and salmon sushi were quite tasty, but the grilled salmon was very average.
Overall, I’d rate the salmon good, not incredible.
Alternative dinner place in Aker Brygge: Sjømagasinet Restaurant og Vinbar
On Sunday, we slept in. The scent of cinnamon buns wafted through our open windows at the CityBox around 10am. This sweet smell got me rearing for the day.
Despite the crisp air and sunshine, the streets were noticeably quieter than on Saturday. We decided to take advantage of the pleasant weather and take a long walk to Farine Bakery in Kampen.
I know, I know, there are bakeries in the center of Oslo. But Farine Bakery in Kampen, Oslo came highly recommended. Plus, I wanted to see the old neighborhood with colorful painted wooden houses.
Now, the neighborhood is small and not worth a special trip per se, but the bakery made our adventure worth our while. We split a pretty average cinnamon bun. Then, I had mushrooms and goat cheese on toast and Mike had what they called ‘Beanz’. It was a cannellini bean broth with kale, fermented lemon and parmesan cheese. Cozy. We were tempted to grab a cardamom bun and a focaccia on our way out – but self control got the best of us.
An alternative brunch option in Kampen is Handbakt Oslo. This is a cute vegetarian all-day brunch cafe.
The walk to Kampen from the city center is about 30 minutes. While you’re there you can also enjoy the park or even visit the nearby Botanical Gardens.
Relaxing in a sauna in Oslo was on my Oslo must-do list. 48 hours is plenty of time to visit a sauna, or three or four in Oslo. Saunas are a tradition in the Nordics, and Oslo is no exception.
Not only are saunas a cozy way to warm up, but they also have infinite health benefits – like relaxation, improved metabolism, circulation, skin and toxin release, just to name a few.
Oslo is unique in that there are saunas dotting the water’s edge, and some are even available for private hire. Many are docked along the fjord’s edge, whilst others are floating out at sea. You can rent a shared or private sauna for a few hours and really feel like you’ve escaped away from the city.
We booked the same day online at Oslo Fjord Sauna by Fjord cleanUP. We were the first to use the sauna that day so we needed to start the fire ourselves. With a little guesswork, we got it going no problem. Within ten minutes the sauna by Fjord cleanUP was heating up.
We spent about an hour and a half there, jumping in and out of the icy fjord and cozying up back inside. We got lucky with a private session for about $8USD per person. Oslo Fjord Sauna by Fjord cleanUP was my favorite part of Oslo.
Some alternative sauna options in Oslo that you can book in advance online:
After the sauna I needed to head back to the hotel, shower and change before going to the airport. But an Oslo sauna was the perfect way to end my 48 hours in Oslo.
Oslo is indeed an expensive city. Especially if you enjoy drinking. For this reason, we decided to book an affordable hotel for 48 hours in Oslo. With just 48 hours, we knew we wouldn’t be spending much time in the room anyways.
We stayed at CityBox Oslo. CityBox is an affordable hotel option in Oslo. CityBox is close to the Central train station. It’s simple, clean and self-check-in and out. We were even able to check into the CityBox super early – 9am, and normal check-out is at 12pm. They have excellent WiFi in the rooms as well as public spaces for working, eating and getting together. We really enjoyed playing darts in the common area.
I also looked into staying at The Thief, Oslo.
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