Oslo is Norway's capital and largest city, with 700,000 citizens in the city proper and about 1.5 million inhabitants in greater Oslo. It is in the East of the country in the Oslofjorden fjord, extending over an inlet of the Skagerrak strait. It is spaciously laid out and surrounded by green hills and mountains and includes 40 islands and 343 lakes. Oslo offers ski slopes for alpine skiing and ski trails for cross-country skiing in the winter. In the summer, the temperature in Oslo may make it comfortable to swim.
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Oslo is the demographic, economic and political centre of Norway. As the capital of Norway, Oslo hosts several national institutions within government, education, culture, sports and transport. The city has a good selection of cultural institutions and a good selection of restaurants, some world class but most ordinary, as well as night life in general. While it is an expensive city for some overseas visitors, many of the best things are free of charge, notably Oslo's proximity to wild nature, inner city parks and variety of outdoor activities. Metropolitan Oslo also includes most of Akershus county and the line between these is so blurred that the two is seen as one city.
There is a comprehensive public transport system in Oslo, consisting of buses, trams, local trains, metro (T-bane) and boats. The public transport is planned and coordinated by Ruter. The five metro lines have numbers 1 through 5, the six tram lines have numbers 11 through 19, buses have labels from 20, while boats (ferries) are B1, B2 and so forth. Local trains operated by Vy are covered by Ruter ticket system. The local public transport of Oslo also covers the suburbs in Akershus, notably Bærum in the west, where the tram and metro cross the county line. Ruter Service Center (formerly known as Trafikanten) is the information centre for public transport in Oslo.
Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles Architecture in Oslo may at first seem dull. Compared to Stockholm and Copenhagen, downtown Oslo has much less historic architecture. Most of the historic buildings are located along the Parliament-Palace axis (upper part of Karl Johan Street). This central area and the public buildings there were designed after Oslo became the capital of Norway in 1814. The charm of Oslo can also be found in the affluent inner-city suburbs of for instance Frogner and Fagerborg as well as above St.Hanshaugen park. The districts surrounding the very centre is characterised by the city's rapid expansion after 1850.
Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles Visit the local city district Grünerløkka, (tram 11, 12 and 18 to Nybrua, Schous plass, Olaf Ryes plass or Birkelunden, tram 17 or bus 30-31 to Heimdalsgata or Birkelunden, or bus 21 to Sannergata). A part of the city filled with cafés, bars, small fashion and designer shops, nice parks. The river Akerselva runs on the west side, with a selection of (well hidden) bars, clubs and cafés nearby. Explore the archipelago of the Inner Oslofjord. Islands with many beaches, hiking trails and sites of cultural heritage are just waiting to be discovered.
Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles There are a lot of both expensive and cheap places to eat in Oslo. The cheapest restaurants are Asian restaurants which, in many cases, serve good food at low prices. Check the menus on the door. Even though you should always use your eyes (and nose) in any food establishment, Norwegian Food and Health regulations are very strict and enforced effectively, so eating out in Oslo is safe. Street snacks are also available throughout the city, but they're usually more expensive than in comparable cities elsewhere. The locals use Vink from Aftenposten and the business daily DN for curated restaurant reviews – they're well worth a trial s…
Individual listings can be found in Oslo's district articles For more information on drinking in Norway, see the section Drink (Norway) Beer at 4.75% or below can be purchased in supermarkets at a price of 30–50 kr for a 0.5L can. Supermarkets stop selling beer after 20:00 each day, 18:00 on Saturdays, and 16:00 on holiday weekends. It is not possible to buy beer in a shop on a Sunday. It is illegal to drink in public areas. You will usually only get a warning if spotted by a police officer, if they even bother to bother you, but if you behave impolitely or they are having a bad day you can get a fine of 1,500 kr. However, in public parks during summer, laws are not enforced much at all.
Police (Emergency only), ☏ 112. If you are unsure which emergency number to call, 112 is the central for all such rescue services and will put you in contact with the correct department. Police (non-emergencies), ☏ 02800 (in country only)Country code missing, +47 22 66 90 50 (Oslo Police District). Fire (Emergency only), ☏ 110. Emergency Medical Services (Ambulance), ☏ 113. Oslo is generally a safe city, but as in any metropolitan area, some caution is warranted. Violent crime is rare, but not unheard of. Avoid getting in to quarrels in taxi queues after closing hours of bars. Avoid groups of drunk young men.
Guide content from Wikivoyage contributors (CC BY-SA) — abridged; the full article has much more.
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In Jul, Oslo typically sees ~24°C daytime highs and 15 rainy days.
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