We loved our 48 hours in Olso, however, it wasn’t quite what we expected on first impression. It’s beautiful by the fjord, and super easy to get around the city with lots to do. However, we just found it a little built up, and not quite what we would have expected of Norway. Maybe it was due to the storm and downpours of rain we experienced 🌧️. Having said that, the food scene was GORGE (check out our foodie post) where the local attractions and people did not disappoint.
Here is our 2 day itinerary of Oslo, and how we made the most of it!
Getting to Oslo Central
We actually ended up flying into Oslo Torp (cheaper tickets) which is further away from the city centre than Oslo airport. It does take around 1.5 hours by train to get to Oslo, but there is a free shuttle bus from the airport to the station and the trains were on time, as expected. You are well taken care of! There is also the option to take the bus with a similar travel time, we just prefer taking trains for the comfort and the views. If you are travelling into Oslo’s main airport, you can take the train and will be in Oslo within 20 minutes – the best option when only 48 hours in Oslo. You can book tickets for these on Vy website.
Where to stay
We feel a large part of any trip is food and accommodation, you want to be comfortable in your own cosy sanctuary after long days of sightseeing. We stayed in an airbnb in the heart of Grünerløkka, which was accessible by foot to all the happenings in the neighbourhood. Our airbnb was a magical find, the apartment was so creative and soulful, we can’t recommend staying here enough. If you are looking for a pleasant, quiet and charming area to stay, Grünerløkka is the place to be. We feel incredibly lucky to have found such wonderful accommodation.
Other areas that we would recommend staying, would be Majorstuen and Frogner. Depending on what type of trip you are looking for, these areas offer a quieter and more luxurious stay. Check out Oslo Neighbourhood Guide to learn more about the different areas in Oslo, to help you plan your trip.
TIP 💡We personally wouldn’t recommend staying in more central areas such as Bjørvika and Kvadraturen. Although extremely close to all central attractions, the real beauty and charm is found in the outside neighbourhoods of the city centre.
Things to do
When you are only 48 hours in Oslo, you can only do so much, however these are our top picks and highlights from the weekend.
Visit Libraries and Book Shops
For us, this is a big one. From avid book lovers ourselves, we were incredibly pleased to discover the robust literary culture in Oslo. With many famous authors from Norway, it is no doubt the city has a cosy bookshop or library on every corner. We visited Oslo Public Library and Prismatic Pages, to name a few. Oslo Public Library offers 6 floors of books and relaxed spaces. We were blown away by the interior, and wish we had a similar space to pause in the UK. Prismatic pages is a newly opened bookshop within 2 minutes’ walk from our airbnb in Grünerløkka. It is one of the few of it’s kind that sells English books and honestly the most gorgeous little find of our trip. A must visit – immerse yourself in the bibliomania.
Stroll around parks
Oslo has many green outdoor spaces to explore around the city. A standout for us, is the botanical gardens. Even in the rainy, gloomy weather this space was full of lush greenery and unique water features. If you love to harvest and grow vegetables, they even have their own veg patch. The garden boasts multiple greenhouses with lily pads and all kinds of different plants and flowers. A lovely way to spend some time in nature. If you stay in Grünerløkka, there are also plenty of little parks and seating spaces by the river to inhale your daily dose of nature. These parks include Birkelunden and Sofienberg Park.
Walking tours
This is something we do on almost every trip. Walking tours are a great way to see a city (or an old town), as you are accompanied by local tour guides who know all corners of a city. They often take you to cobbled streets you would never discover alone, also they are great people to ask for food recommendations. Additionally, these tours are always free, with an optional tip at the end. Check out our Oslo food scene post to explore our food experience! This is a great option when you want to maximise your sightseeing when only 48 hours in Oslo.
Galleries and Museums
Oslo is well known for it’s history of art and incredible architecture. Although mostly modern, the city does have some archaic buildings and features that give it so much character. The standout attraction is, of course, the Oslo Opera House. Designed to resemble an iceberg, this building has been meticulously created so that you can walk all the way to the top. Offering some spectacular views, we would also highly recommend attending an opera if within budget, it was an experience like no other.
Neighbouring the Opera House, is the well renowned Munch Museum. This museum is dedicated to the life and works of the Norwegian artist Edvard Munch. This is not an average art museum, as it offers multiple immersive exhibitions and of course, all 4 of the original The Scream paintings. We don’t always prefer to spend all our time in museums when on such a short trip, but there are plenty of options in Oslo if this is your scene. Check out visit oslo’s page to find out about all the attractions on offer. We would recommend booking these attractions in advance. You are eligible for discounted entry with an Oslo Pass, however, we didn’t find this to be affordable for our trip.
Fjords Boat Tour
We opted to do a boat tour around the Fjords. This is a trip that takes approximately 1.5 hours on an all-electric boat that takes you on a circular trip around the Fjords. Although very peaceful and beautiful, we didn’t quite experience the hype. Plus, for the cost of the tour, we expected a little more. Be sure to wrap up warm as it can get very windy and cold when we went in September! We booked our cruise through Get Your Guide and believe that you do get discount if you have purchased an Oslo Pass. If you will only be 48 hours in Oslo, like us, we probably wouldn’t recommend.
Floating Saunas
Last but certainly not least, the floating saunas located along the Fjord. Urban sauna culture is a huge part of the lifestyle and society in Scandinavia. Originating in Finland, this healing culture is utterly addictive once you dip your toes in (no pun intended) and overcome the initial anxiety. It is no surprise that these countries are the happiest in the world, with such an enriching hobby as part of their daily routine. You need to book a minimum of 1.5 hour slots, but trust us when we say, the time flies by. With multiple saunas to choose from and the ability to dip in the cold Fjord, you will be nothing other than 100% soul nourished by the time you finish. You leave feeling as though you are walking on clouds. If you do anything for yourself in your 48 hours in Oslo, it MUST be this.
TIP 💡We found it somewhat confusing booking the floating sauna session. With multiple to choose from in different locations, we wanted to ensure we picked the correct one. If you book through KOK (Langkaia), you will be using the saunas in front of the Oslo Opera House. If you book through Oslo Badstuforening (Sukkerbiten), you will be a little more secluded in Bjørvika, and away from all the watchful eyes of the tourists.
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