I visited Oslo for the first time last week. I stayed with a friend who has a beautiful apartment in the centre of the city…how very lucky I am!
Oslo is the capital of Norway with a population of around 700,000. If the entire urban area is included it is 1.71 million. It is a modern, vibrant city, ranked number 1 in quality of life among European large cities in 2012. It is ranked as the second most expensive city in the world after Tokyo.
The city occupies an arc of land at the northern end of the Oslofjord. It is surrounded by green hills and mountains. The river Akerselva flows into the fjord dividing the city into East End and West End. There are 40 islands within the city limits and 343 lakes…much more than I could see in a few days. The city centre has wonderful old and new buildings and lots of beautiful parks and gardens to explore, a good place to start.
My first day was a bit overcast but we set off anyway down the main street towards the Royal Castle. It was designed by Hans Linstow and built between 1824 and 1848.
There is a lovely park around the castle which looked especially pretty with its autumn colours.
We walked further up the street, lined with colourful planters, to the top.
There are some stylish government and commercial buildings.
From this slight rise you get a view along the length of the straight road to the castle. A clear day would give a better view, but I like the misty look.
From here we walked down to the harbour.
The stunning Opera House is designed to look like a glacier flowing into the sea. Visitors are invited to walk on the roof.
The brand new Munch Museum is beside the Opera House.
I spotted a floating sauna in the harbour.
We walked back through the pretty residential area with some wonderful old style buildings.
Later in the afternoon we joined the crowds in front of the Munch Museum for the official opening.
We could see the King and Queen of Norway in the distance, but got a better view on the big screen nearby.
The light changed as the sun went down and lit up the museum and surrounding buildings.
The Opera House looked different in the new light.
The sky put on a special show for us to end an excellent Oslo day.
One last look at the Munch Museum. I will go inside on another Oslo visit.
Thank you Ann Beth and Oslo!