Visit to Oslo in Search of Christmas Cheer

A friend of mine from the US was in London for work and we both had a weekend in December free because Tee was away. We wanted to go someplace we hadn’t been before in hope of finding some Christmas cheer. We selected Oslo, Norway as it’s a quick flight from London so it's very easy to fit into a weekend.

Travel Details for Oslo

Flight: We flew nonstop on Scandinavian Airlines (SAS). There weren’t many people on the flights in either direction so we each had an entire row to our self.

Hotel: We booked rooms at the Thon Hotel Oslo Panorama. The hotel staff here were very pleasant and helpful and they had a plentiful breakfast included in the room rate. The rooms were large and included a kitchenette that neither of us used. The hotel was light on amenities only providing some shower gel/hand soap mounted to the wall. I’d probably try to find another hotel if I’m in Oslo again. I was surprised that this was the #1 hotel on TripAdvisor for Oslo.

Tip: The Flytoget Airport Express Train is the easiest way to get from Oslo into the central station, usually written as Oslo S. Oslo is EXPENSIVE and the airport is quite far so I can’t even imagine how much a taxi would cost.

Christmas in Oslo

We visited two Christmas markets in Oslo.

The Designers’ Christmas Market at the DogA Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture was a really great experience. There were loads of designers selling pottery, jewellery, cards and clothes and they were all very friendly. We found plenty of gifts for both ourselves and others.

The Christmas Market at City Hall Square (Julemarked på Rådhusplassen) was underwhelming compared to other Christmas markets I’ve seen like in Prague. The most exciting story from the market was the presence of imposters imitating President and First Lady Obama including a fake detail of secret service and photographers. As the market is situated right next to the Nobel Peace Centre and knowing that President Obama would be there to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in only a couple of days, we nearly fell for it. Unfortunately, I think there are a lot of Norwegians who think they met the President of the United States that day.

Siteseeing in Oslo

Viking Ship Museum (Vikingskipshuset): This museum houses three restored ships that were the burial chambers of powerful Vikings. The ships were packed with all of the necessities for the afterlife. It’s amazing to see the very well-preserved beds, carts and instruments of daily life from over 1,000 years ago.

Kon-Tiki Museum (Kon-Tiki Museet): This museum tracks the journeys of Thor Heyerdahl who floated reed boats across the major oceans to prove that ancient cultures could have interacted. His travel to and work on Easter Island is featured in an Academy-Award winning documentary called Kon-Tiki which set off the Tiki kitsch craze in the 1950’s through to today. We really enjoyed the visit here.

Eating in Oslo

Alex Sushi: Our dining experience at this amazing sushi restaurant made the entire trip worthwhile. We had the Black Menu which was a multi-course affair that culminated in a beautiful lobster sashimi. The ambience and service were also amazing. Be sure to book in advance.

Next Time

My next trip to Norway will be focused on seeing the amazing fjords there. Honestly, I’d probably skip Oslo altogether. I understand that it’s best to start in Bergen where you can pick up cruises through the amazing seascape.