Tucked away in Nordic Europe, Oslo bears the title of Scandinavia’s oldest capital. The city of contradictions is home to a contrasting sight of soaring skyscrapers and modern architecture amidst forested ridges and flourishing wilderness.

Steeped in history of centuries past, visitors to Oslo can relive fascinating Viking stories, gawk at grand palaces and stop to admire the many statues dotted around the city.

Attractions

If you have limited time in Oslo, you could still get plenty accomplished if you plan your time efficiently and plot your routes well.

The Royal Palace

A good starting place if you’re looking to learn the history of this Norwegian Capital. Greeting you regally at the front of the palace is Karl Johan, King of Sweden from 1818 to 1844. The dull palace exterior may be a turn-off, but inside its walls is pure opulent splendour. Also, prepare for a visual feast of the expansive Palace Park adorned with statues, embraced with shimmery lakes. Explore the place on your own, or choose to take a tour.

Changing of guards takes place every day between 13:30 and 14:00hrs. If you do pass by the guards, take note of their distinctive uniform- an interesting sight of Blue Jacket, Black Trousers, and plumed bowler hat, almost unchanged for more than 140 years.  What’s the reason behind it you ask? Well, story has it that Princess Louise of Sweden adored the hats donned by the Bersalieri Alphine soldiers from Italy, and thus insisted on the Norwegian Army switching to these back in 1860. It’s as whimsical as that.

Viking Ship Museum

You can’t visit Oslo or Norway in general, without learning more about Vikings. And there’s no better place to get a hefty dose of these fearless warriors than the Viking Ship Museum.  An ode to the Norsemen who left an imprint on Norwegian history, there are three beautifully maintained 1000-year old Viking ships and an extensive collection of artifacts, uncovered from burial mounds. The museum is dotted with signs in both English and Norwegian, for easy reading.  Although a tad on the small side, but if you like Viking history; it really doesn’t get better than this.

Getting to the museum is easy. For a scenic journey, take the ferry (91) from the Oslo harbor. The Day Pass you purchase for the subway, trams and buses can also be used for this ferry.

Norwegian Folk Museum

Just a stone throw away is the Norwegian Folk Museum, which instantly catapults you way back into Norwegian past. The open-air museum features over 150 houses, wooden barns and storehouses found in the olden days. There are also people dressed as bakers, builders, craftsmen and more in the 1500s, discussing what life was like then. They teach visitors how natural resources were used to build and maintain the houses and how they care for their daily needs. The museum also features numerous exhibitions from all over the country and an extensive photographic archive. A visit to this place makes you appreciate modern technology and inventions we take for granted.

Tip: Visit this place in the summer; with many of the exhibits being outdoors, that when you’ll get the most out of the museum.

Akershus Fortress

If you’re a fan of all things medieval, don’t miss the Akershus Fortress, minutes from the city center. What began as a medieval castle in the 1300s was expanded to a formidable fortress designed to protect Oslo. This fortress has survived countless sieges over the years. It was in the early 17^th century that the fortress underwent modernization under King Christian IV’s reign. Explore the grand fortress interiors, furnished with lavish banquet halls and staterooms, and the charming chapel, now reserved for royal events, then venture down to the dingy dungeons for a taste of gloom and doom. Remember to wander around the grounds with the voice-guide. It’s free and comes with ancient ghost stories to set the mood.

Art in Oslo

Art is huge in Norway. And nothing screams art better than Edward Munch, the expressionist painter and printmaker of the famous “The Scream” painting. Munch’s work finds residence at the National Museum of Art, which is also home to an extensive selection of paintings by other Norwegian artists. But if you adore Munch, a must-visit is the Munch Museum, where the artist’s entire art collection is displayed. Munch had bequeathed his works to the city of Oslo.

If you’re in the mood for a dash of nature with a sprinkle of art, visit the Vigeland Sculpture Park located in Frogner, west of the city center. Named after Gustav Vigeland, Norway’s greatest sculptor, the enormous and artfully landscaped park is home to around 200 of Vigeland’s sculptures. Vigeland is appreciated for his uncanny ability to transform complex human emotions into art form. Taking centerstage in the park is the magnificent “Monolith”, Vigeland’s biggest creation- an intricately carved sculpture that features a human’s journey from the cradle to the grave. The sculpture was said to take him 14 years to complete!

Food in Oslo

There is a comfortable blend of both expensive and affordable places to eat in Oslo. Asian restaurants here typically serve up cheap and good-tasting food. One word of advice though- do check the menu at the door to see if it’s your cup of tea.

Head to the Aker Brygge, by the waterfront, down south of the city hall for a labyrinth of outdoor restaurants and bars. You can take tram numbers 12 or bus 21, 32, 33 or 54 to get there.  Summer time is where the area is at its most vibrant. Get a table, grab some seafood with beer and it’s almost heaven on a hot summer day. But be warned, it can get pricey in this district.

There are also a whole lot of restaurants, bars and clubs at the city center to choose from.  When at any of these F&B outlets, try some brown cheese. Norwegians are pretty proud of their cheese, which surprisingly, taste more like caramel than cheese, even those cheese-averse might be able to take this. Game meat is rather popular in this part of the world as well, and Reindeer meet is always a safe option- the taste is not so strong.

Norway is a fishing nation, and has been for centuries; it’s only natural to indulge in fish when you’re in Oslo. Cod, coalfish and salmon are most commonly found on the menu, mostly served as fishcakes or poached. But for the adventurous, try the “lutefisk” or Iye fish if you can.

Drinks are expensive in Norway in general, so don’t go overboard lest you find yourself unable to carry on your journey, heavily in beer debt. Beer is more popular here than wine, and the most common type of beer found here is the pilsner.

If you must drink, then you must try the Norwegian akevitt, a flavoured, distilled liquor, ranging in 42 to 45 percent in alcohol. The color runs from clear to pale yellow, distilled from a fermented potato or grain mash, then flavoured with caraway seeds or cumin seed, which will set you reeling after a couple of shots.

Getting around in Oslo

Oslo’s has a comprehensive public transportation system, linking together a gigantic web of buses, trains, metro and boats. All of them run on the same fare scheme and ticket validity. One single ticket for a zone costs 28NOK when bought in advance or 440OK when bought onboard your transport. It’s definitely advisable for you to grab your tickets first. When stamped or validated, the ticket is valid for one hour of travel on any transport system. Other ticket types that are available include Day Pass and 7-Day pass. If you are lugging a bike around, it needs a ticket as well.

By metro

Oslo has one of the largest metro systems in Europe, known as the Tunnelbane or T-bane in Norwegian.

T- bane stations are easy to spot, look out for a blue and white logo with an encircled “T”. There are six lines, with all of them merging together to one single tunnel fanning through the city center before spreading into the suburbs. Interesting fact: Oslo’s metro used to be one of the most run-down in Europe, but today, it’s metro trains are engineered by Siemens and designed by Porsche.

By bus or tram
complementing the metro network are trams and buses, covering most of the city, and running from 5am to midnight. All tram lines run every 10 minutes in daytime, and every 20 minutes at night and early morning. For weekend mornings, it runs at 30-minute intervals. Trams are useful as the main lines cover parts of the city untouched by the metro. The central tram terminal is at Jernbanetoget, where all the tram lines converge.

By Taxi
With an extensive tram, bus and metro system, there really isn’t a need to take taxis in Oslo, also because they are quite expensive here. The minimum charge for most taxi companies are at least 80NOK, which can go up to 160NOK on weekend nights. If you, for some reason, desperately need one, then hunt for any nearby hotels or train stations, where they usually hang out. Taxi drivers’ name and licenses are not found anywhere in the taxi, which can be unsettling for some folks.

A place where modern meets medieval, contemporary versus culture, Oslo’s fascinating contradictions make it an interesting visit.

Mention Lillehammer and the first thing that popped into mind is most likely the 1994 Winter Olympic games. Nestled in the Gudbrandsdallen Valley of the Oppland County in eastern Norway, Lillehammer is a district better known for old mountain farms than modern skyscrapers.

Located at a magnificent mountainous region overlooking parts of Lake Mjøsa and the river Lågen, Lillehammer’s charm lies in its picturesque landscape.

Attractions

Beyond being known as an Olympic city, Lillehammer also offers a number of attractions worth visiting.

Maihaugen

The biggest open-air in Europe, Maihaugen is a must-see if you visit Lillehammer. Made up of close to 200 buildings and houses over 40 000 exhibits, it gives an insightful look at how the people of the Gudbrandsdalen Valley lived in the last three centuries. There is a set-up of the rural society, complete with intimate churches and homes furnished with beautiful antiques, as well as farmyards equipped with traditional farming methods. You also get to experience the daily life of the villagers and try your hand the handicrafts during this period.

If you step into the main museum, you can get a detailed look at Norwegian history. There are also recreated craft shops inside the museum, where you can spend some time, admiring at the details put into recreating them.

The museum is about a 20-minute walk from downtown Lillehammer. Walk up Jernbanegata, turn right at Anders Sandvigs gate and left up Maihaugvegen; bus 007 to Nybu also stops at the museum.

If you have an eye for art, do not miss the Lillehammer Art Museum, one of Norway’s reputable visual arts museums, showcasing the works of Norwegian artists such as J.C. Dahl, Hans Gude, Adolph Tidemand, Frits Thaulow, Edward Munch, Christian Krough and more. With over 1400 works dating from the 1800s to present day, the museum is an exquisite visual feast. It doesn’t matter if you are not familiar with all the artists, all you need is a guided tour, and you’ll be kept up-to-date.

Winter Sports and Olympic sights

Skiing is all the rage in winter. The Hafjell Alpine Center offers the ideal snow conditions that offer ski slopes in both high mountain and forest terrain that each comes with magnificent views of its surroundings. A truly all-rounded ski center, the Hafjell Alpine Center offers an exhaustive slope range, catering for varying skiing proficiency, and providing skiers of all ages with different challenges.

Winter Olympic fans will have a few places to gawk at in Lillehammer. The first is the Lysgardbakken Ski Jump Arena, a hallmark during the 199 Winter Olympics. It was used for both the opening and closing ceremonies of the games. The peak of the Ski jumping tower offers a breathtaking view of Lillehammer and is one of the most popular tourist spots of the city.

Up north of Lillehammer, some 15 km away lies the Lillehammer Olympic Bobsleigh and Luge track. Those seeking winter thrills can attempt the taxibob- a 4-man bobsleigh ride with an authorized pilot. The bobsleigh will take you zipping down the bob track at speeds up to 120 km per hour, fulfilling your lust of speed. However, if you’re not fond of high speed bobsleighs, there is an alternative- bobrafting, also known as the family bob. Riders will sit on a large rubber bobsleigh that can take up to five passengers and reaches up to 80 km per hour.

If you’re not the outdoors-type of person, but would still like to get into some Olympic action, you can always visit the Norwegian Olympic Museum. It’s the only museum in Northern Europe that showcases the Olympic history from ancient to present times for both Summer and Winter games. There is even a Norwegian Sports Hall of fame with a dedicated section on the Lillehamer ’94 Olympic Wintergames. Featuring over 7,000 Olympic items, Olympic buffs can pore through all things Olympic, dating from 896 through texts, videos and sound recordings.

Food and Shopping in Lillehammer

It’s not just sports and arts in Lillehammer. Visitors to the city can also enjoy some pretty good shopping at the city center, at a brimming shopping precinct known as Storgata. With over 250 shops, it might take you a while to comb through the stretch.

For items with a more local feel, the old industrial area of Mesna Brug might fill your needs, here, you can find local handicrafts and knitwear, and if you’re looking for unique souvenirs, visit the glassblower’s cabin and candle shops. Not only can you find one-of-a-kind products, you can even see how the products are being crafted.

Pubs and clubs are dotted all over the city, and usually open till two in the morning. If there’s one pub that you have to visit, it’s the Felix Pub and Scene. There’s a juke box at the corner of the place, pool tables and dart boards dotted around. It’s a really neat place to just relax and soak in some of the local flavour. There’s also an area for gigs, if you’re in the area, check out the performance schedule for any interesting bands.

Food in Lillehammer is diverse; one can find anything from Chinese cuisine to Italian fare. If you’re into hamburgers and pizzas, you can find plenty of them in the city. Most eateries are found along the main streets of Storgata, and Elvegata Street.

Getting around in Lillehammer

If you are wandering in downtown Lillehammer, it’s possible to be on foot. Places like Maihaugen and the Art Musuem are all within walking distances from each other and the downtown.

Lillehammer Skysstasjon is the main transport terminal for buses, trains and taxis. Rail services run four to six times daily north to Hunderfossen, Kvitfjell, Ringebu and Vinstra. Buses leave the Lillehammer town centre about every 30 minutes to most of the local attractions within Lillehammer and Hafjell/Hunderfossen.

From Lillehammer there are also ski buses going to and from Hafjell, Skeikampen, Kvitfjell and Nordseter/Sjusjøen skiing areas in winter. In summer there are buses going to and from Hafjell, Hunderfossen, Skeikampen and Nordseter/Sjusjøen.