Port of Oslo, Norway
ABOUT
Initially known as Ánslo, the city was established around 1040, and later designated a bishopric and a capital. Following a devastating fire in 1624, it was rebuilt and renamed Christiania, later becoming Kristiania. Finally the city reverted to its original name, Oslo, in 1925.
The city’s return to its original name in 1925 marked a significant moment in its history. Oslo has since developed into a major cultural and economic hub, known for its stunning fjords, museums, and vibrant cultural scenery.
An important trading centre, today key industries include shipping, oil and gas and technology.
City population is over 720,000
Currency is the Norwegian Krone (NOK).
THINGS TO DO
There is a wealth of things to do in and around Oslo. Whether you are interested in Nordic history, museums or outdoor activities there is plenty to choose from.
As examples there are boat trips, hiking trails, a ski museum and visits to nearby attractions.
The Viking museum, Fram museum and Kon-Tiki museum are all within easy reach of the port. Well worth a visit. If visiting independently look out for discounts on purchasing tickets to all three sites.
Other attractions include Akershus medieval fortress, Vigeland Sculpture Park, the Royal Palace, the Nobel Peace Centre, Opera House, Munch Museum and much more.
We have visited Oslo on a number of occasions taking organised tours and explored independently.
Below you will find some of our finds in and around the city. Starting with a visit in 2022 aboard P&O Aurora.
OUR FAVOURITE THINGS TO DO
Drobak
We took a ship’s tour on this occasion. The tour called at a lovely little town called Drobak. Located about 30 minutes outside of Oslo, it is a bustling town with charming wooden buildings.
Drobak’s main claim to fame is being the official Norwegian address for Santa Claus. Chrismas mail from all over the world arrives here – and it is his official home. Whilst the shop was open, unfortunately Santa was busy elsewhere!
We were sorry to miss him, but it was such a lovely day we strolled through the town and stopped for refreshments in one of the many cafes.
Vigeland Sculpture Park
The Sculpture Park, situated in Frogner Park, contains more than 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland (1869–1943) in bronze, granite and cast iron.
Vigeland was also responsible for the design and architectural outline of the park, which is one of Norway’s top tourist attractions, with more than one million annual visitors.
The park is free to enter and open all year round, 24 hours a day.
We visited as part of a ship’s tour with a guide who was very knowledgeable.
Our tour took us through some very ornate gates at the far end of the park. This is deliberate as it gives a perspective of the enormous size of the area.
Gustav Vigeland and his Work in brief
Gustav Vigeland, born as Adolf Gustav Thorsen, was a Norwegian sculptor. He occupies a special position among Norwegian sculptors, both in the power of his creative imagination and in his productivity.
Born in 1869 was born to a family of craftsmen, he moved to Oslo following the death of his father and was determined to become a sculptor. In his 20’s he adopted the name Vigeland which was an area where he had briefly lived. The development of his career continued throughout Europe.
In 1919, Vigeland had a grand, outrageous idea. He wanted to build Norway’s largest and most intricate sculpture out of a single rock.
With the support of the City of Oslo and several private sponsors, he establishes a park in his own name with the 17 metre tall Monolith as its centrepiece. By doing this, Vigeland secures himself a place in history.
In brief these sculptures are a powerful and comprehensive exploration of the human experience. They encompass the full spectrum of life’s emotions, relationships and stages.
The park’s centerpiece, the 46ft high Monolith, symbolises the human desire for spirituality and the interconnectedness of life. Other sculptures depict themes like love, loss, anger, and the cycle of life, all rendered in naked figures to emphasise their timeless and universal nature.
The park is wonderful and the sculptures powerful. We would recommend a visit and would certainly suggest a guide of some sort to explain the work.
Sky Princess Visit
In spring 2025 we visited Oslo aboard Princess Cruises Sky Princess. For the first time we were docked in the outer reaches of the harbour. This meant either a reasonably long walk, or a shuttle to reach the centre of Oslo.
Along with friends, we opted for the former as it was again beautiful weather.
We had all decided to take a boat tour to see more of Oslofjord. So, with the aid of Google Maps, we made our way through the city towards the harbour area opposite the Opera House.
The area is largely flat and accessibility is good but it is quite a long walk to get to the other harbour. We saw parts of the boardwalk style harbourside we had never seen before together with renovated warehouses.
Oslofjord Boat Cruise
We purchased our tickets in advance through Viator although you can purchase tickets on the quayside. Locating the starting point was very straightforward and we embarked the boat almost immediately.
We were very impressed with this particular boat. There is an indoor area with seating and a small cafe – ideal for those inclement days. However most surprising was accessibility to the upper decks. Usually we would expect some stairs but in this instance it was all ramped. Whilst there is no seating on the upper decks accessibility for those less mobile is excellent.
The trip cost us approximately £30 per person which we thought was reasonable for a 1.5 hour trip. We all took advantage of the good weather (and ramps) and headed to the top deck. It is a good place to get photos of the surroundings and see Oslo from a different perspective. As the boat went out across the harbour we saw our Ship, Sky Princess. Then headed around to see the area where the Flam Museum is located.
Rather than actually cruise along the fjord, the boat went round the immediate area very slowly to see the surroundings. We were disappointed in the route we took as whilst it was very attractive, we never actually went anywhere.
Walking Through the City
After our boat trip, our friends went in different directions whilst we meandered our way back to our ship. The walk took us past a number of interesting places.
We came across a street called Fred. Olsens Gate, one of a number of references to the company in Oslo. The Fred. Olsen Shipping company started in 1848 in the town of Oslofjord. It’s still a family owned business and has its holding company in Oslo.
There is a statue of Franklin D Roosevelt on the Akershusstranda. It was a gift to Norway from the United States to honor his support during World War II and overlooks the harbour.
Our walk also took us past the Nobel Peace Centre. This is quite a magnifient building and of course is the administrative and educationa centre for the Nobel Prizes. There are displays throughout the year and guided tours can also be booked. Entry tickets are currently Kr170 (12.50) for adults and Kr100 (£7.30) for students (under 17yrs are free). This gives access to the museum with exhibitions inspired by the peace prize laureate’s ideas and work.
Visit aboard Oceania Vista
During the summer of 2025 we again visited Oslo, this time aboard Oceana Cruises Vista. As she is a smaller style ship, we were able to dock in the harbour right opposite the Opera House.
Unusually we were docking overnight in Oslo this time, although the weather on our first day was rather dull and dreary.
We did take a stroll into the city but only really to get our bearings ready for our independently booked trip the following day.
The following morning found the weather improved, fortunately. We donned our lightweight jackets (just in case) and headed out into the city.
On our way we walked through the Spikersuppa Park. In the summer months this park sports fountains, however during the winter it is transformed into an Ice-rink. If you are there without your skates, don’t worry as they are available for hire.
Visit to the Royal Palace
Our visit today was to the Royal Palace of Oslo which is something Lindsey had been keen to do for some time. A little like Buckingham Palace, the interior of this Palace is only open to the public during the summer when the Royal Family are not in residence. This year the opening dates were from mid-June to mid-August. Other than that it is still very much a `working’ palace. Guided Tours can be booked on line (through Ticketmaster) and costs Kr220 (£16) per adult and Kr110 for children (approx £16/£8 respectively).
The Palace dates back to the first half of the 19th century as the Norwegian residence of the French-born Charles XIV John, who reigned as king of Norway and Sweden. Situated at the top of Karl Johans gate this neo-classical building is quite striking. It does of course have guards around it and there is a changing of the guard ceremony daily at 1.30pm.
There is no photography allowed inside the Palace. In fact bags, cameras, phones etc have to be placed in secure lockers prior to entry. You will also be required to wear provided shoe covers and they are strict about not touching items or leaning against anything.
It is very well organised and the guide we had made the tour very interesting. Well worth a visit.
Changing of the Guard
Making our way back to the ship coincided with the lead up to the changing of the guard at the palace. We were aware that this was not quite on the same scale as you would find in London, so had started making our way down the hill. This turned out to be a good move as the Military Band and officers marched past us headed up by mounted officers.
Final thoughts and Extra footage
We have been lucky enough to visit this beautiful city on a number of occasions and at different times of year. Oslo can be quite magical in the snow!
There is much to see and certainly too much to be covered here but hopefully this is enough to give some ideas of what to do on your visit. Below you will find a few extra photographs of our time in the city and videos of our visits.
Accompanying Videos
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