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IntroductionWhen I scored a $240 RT deal by religiously searching on Google Flights, I knew I had to jump on it and that's how I ended up in Oslo! I've always wanted to visit Norway and Scandinavia for the longest time, but finally got the chance. I would say the trip didn't disappoint at all! It was a great time to visit (although a little chilly) and I would definitely come again!
Before you go, be aware that Norway is not cheap and that it can get decently cold since I went in October. Any sit-down restaurant will run you at least ~$25 USD, and one-way bus/tram tickets in Oslo are ~$3.75 USD (just as an example). However, getting anything from a bakery or a to-go spot can be reasonable, depending on where you go. I recommend using the Too Good to Go app which allows you to buy food from a store's about to throw out at a discounted price! But, you have to pick it up at a certain time range. When it comes to getting around, I recommend downloading the Ruter and Vy apps (or whichever city in Norway you'll be in). Ruter is the public transportation app for Oslo, and Vy is the app for many regional trains across Norway. You'll need to show proof of purchase when you're using public transportation, so use the app to buy your tickets. When I was going around, it was really hard for me to find an actual ticket kiosk. Also, in my opinion, Norway's food scene was average - but I did have some good meals though. The charm in Scandinavia is about the nature. It was beautiful everywhere I went, so if you're big into nature you'll love it here. *** bolded bullet points below are ones that are highly recommended (in my opinion).
NatureJust walking around Oslo took my breath away, but the charm is just walking around in all of the parks in the city.
food
Attractions
For the attractions below, I highly recommend visiting the area around them! I didn't go into the attraction itself (like there's an art museum, an aquarium, etc. that costs money) but if I had more time in Oslo I would have wanted to visit!
Side TripsIf you have some extra time during your time in Norway, I recommend making some side trips to Tromso and Bergen! You could probably spend a few days in each place, but you can also just do it in ~2 days or more. To get there, you could fly or take the train. From Oslo, you'll have to fly to either city but only Bergen is really accessible by the train (~6.5 hours one-way).
One day in Tromso While in Tromso, I was probably only in the town for ~1.5 days at most. I stayed at the Aurora Friends Apartment, which is bookable on Airbnb and online. It's basically a house converted into a hostel and it was a cozy stay! If you can splurge on a hotel, I would do that because the hostel only had 1.5 bathrooms for like 10+ people. I spent one evening to see the Northern Lights, since I had flown in during the afternoon. I did this Airbnb Experience, which was absolutely AMAZING. Geir (the guide) really went the extra mile. The tour really depends on how the weather is, etc. so he says upfront that there might be some driving to reach a viewpoint. He also came with warm jumpsuits, tripods, snacks (biscuits, cookies, etc.) and warm drinks (coffee, hot chocolate, etc.). that made the experience amazing! We went on a really good night since all of us were able to get stellar pictures. Overall I couldn't have asked for a better time! Then, to round out the next and last day, I spent the first half of the day doing a fjord cruise via Polar Adventures. This was a 5 hour tour (10am-3pm) and normally I don't sign up for these, but I just felt like doing it. And it was definitely worth it! The boat goes through some amazing fjords, and the crew stops at a few points so you could see some wildlife. The crew also stopped to give an impromptu lesson on fishing and then let us loose. I was skeptical of my ability at first, but I ended up catching a 3.5kg cod that fed everyone for lunch! Overall, this was also a great experience. Then, to finish off the day, I went to see the Arctic Cathedral and hike to Fjellstua. Usually there's a cable car that can take you up and down but it was under maintenance when I went. So, I opted to take the stairs and you just have to be prepared for leg day. It's literally just stairs all the way up, and doing this with my 10-20lb backpack was not a good idea. At the top, the view of Tromso was stunning though! You'll want to set your Maps directions to Sherpatrappa and then follow the signs. After the hike, I went to Full Steam Tromsø AS to eat dinner and got the whale, which was really tasty! Two days in Bergen
When I was in Bergen, I stayed at the Bergen Hostel Montana. The hostel was a little further away from the city center but it was a pretty good hostel! It's in a quiet area with a semi-nice view of Bergen, and I appreciated the amenities like free breakfast. The only cons were that the WiFi was spotty at time for my work calls and that you had to pay 70 NOK to use the linens/bedsheets. You could technically bring your own, but you can't *not* use their bedsheets. So it was an extra 70 NOK charge for something that should be free, which didn't sit well with me. My recommendations are below with highly recommended ones in bold. If you're trying to split this into days, you could probably do bold ones for 1 days and everything else another day. Bergen is pretty small and it's a very walkable city!
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