OVERVIEW
Oslo is the capital of Norway with approximately 500.000 inhabitans, or a little over 10% of the country`s total population. About one third of the total population of the country lives around the Oslo Fjord area.
Oslo - The city of the Nobel Peace Prize, was founded in the year 1000 and has celebrated its 1000 years anniversary in the year 2000. Oslo City is locted as far north as St. Petersburg, Anchorage in Alaska and Kap Farvel in Greenland. Even though the city is situated so far north, its climate is temperate in the autumn and warm in summer. The winters last from 3 to 5 months with a very good skiing conditions in the hills around the city.
You need at last three days to explore this city. Oslo has a number of parks, museums, churches and other beautiful places: It’s a fun place to explore on your own. Hours can be spent strolling along Karl Johans Gate (the main street) to the Royal Palace and perusing the Edvard Munch Museum. The works of various other Norwegian painters can be viewed at the National Gallery. Other attractions in Oslo include the Vigeland Museum in Frogner Park.
SIGHTS
The sullen brickwork of the massive city hall, the Radhus, dominates the Fridtjof Nansens Plass. The city hall, opened in 1950 to celebrate the city's 900th anniversary, is the most distinctive part of Oslo's waterfront. In the first years many people complained about this 'modern' thing, but popular irritation has today moved on to other targets, its twin towers are now one of the city's main symbols.
The Domkirke dates from the late 17th century, though its heavyweight tower was remodelled in 1850. Plain and dour from the outside, the cathedral's elegantly restored interior is in delightful contrast: the low-ceiling nave and transsept awash with maroon, green and gold paintwork.
The Oslo Parliament building is an imposing chunk of neo-Roman architecture that was completed in 1866. The obligatory guided tours inside show only little more than can be gleaned from the outside.
Built between 1825 and 1848 the Royal Palace is a monument to Norwegian openness: no railings and walls outside. The castle's garden is freely open to the public. The daily changing of the guard at 1.30pm is a snappy affair, but worth a look.
GETTING AROUND
Its really easy to get around in Oslo because of the very good public tranportation systems. You can use buses, subway and trams. Every station has time tables. You can use all of them with the same ticket. You can buy one hour ticket, one day ticket, one week ticket or one month ticket if you are planning to stay in Oslo for a month.
GETTING THERE
By air: The Gardermoen International Airport (IATA designator 'OSL') offers excellent access to destinatons around the world. It is one of Scandinavian Airlines' international hubs, and is also served by several foreign carriers (including Air France, British Airways, Finnair, Icelandair, KLM, Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines and many more). The modern, elegant airport is located approximately 50 km north of downtown Oslo, but is easily reached by freeway, airport buses, or by Flytoget, a 20-minute bullet-train to downtown. (To downtown, the train is NOK 125 each way; the bus takes 40 minutes but costs less, NOK 65). Visitors leaving on early flights may wish to stay overnight at the airport hotel, which has direct access to the terminal building.
To the southwest of Oslo, the smaller Torp International Airport, located in the town of Sandefjord, often offers cheaper fares, in part because low-fares carrier Ryanair flies there (other carriers are KLM, Widerøe, Coast Air and a number of Charter Operators). The airport is located 120 km south of downtown Oslo, and services a number of other communities along the Western side the Oslo Fjord. It can be reached by airport buses (2 hrs) and local trains. Note: Torp airport handles limited domestic traffic. If you are connecting to other airports in Norway, chances are you must arrange for your own travel for the 175 kilometers from Torp to Gardermoen (by bus or train).
By boat: Oslo has ferry connctions to Copenhagen and Fredrikshavn (12 hrs) in Denmark and Kiel in Germany. The ferries are large and comfortable and offer TaxFree shops, Restaurants, Bars, and Danceclubs. They are quite popular with Norwegians, who board them for weekend trips to Denmark and Germany.
By Rail: From the Oslo Central Station ('Oslo S'), trains to Europe travel South-East along the Oslo Fjord, into Sweden. The Linx (www.linx.no) high speed train services link Oslo to Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö in Sweden, and Copenhagen, Denmark.
Within Norway, all trains are operated by the Norwegian State Railroads ('NSB') (www.nsb.no).
Fjord Tours (www.fjord-tours.no) offers many great sightseeing trips of Norway that, conveniently, can be purchased at the Gardermoen airport and the Oslo Central Station, among other places. Tours such as 'Norway in a Nutshell' use a combination of Rail, Express Boat, Coastal Steamer, and Buses to take you to the spectacular mountains, fjords, and towns in Norway. You are generally permitted to choose dates, length of stopovers, and direction of travel with no surcharges. The tours are competitively priced, but note that you must purchase your overnight accommodations separately (the Fjord Tours pass entitles you to a discount at many hotels).
By car: A series of large construction projects completed near the end of the 20th century has reduced driving times to Central Europe from Norway and the Scandinavian Peninsula. Almost all trips will go through Sweden, with which Norway shares most of its borders. Copenhagen is under 7 hours away (just over 600 km); Stockholm about the same travel time (about 530 km; but not very much as freeway); Berlin about 12 hrs including ferry between southern Sweden and Germany (about 830 km).
SHOPPING
In Oslo, you will find almost everything. Special items to take home are Norwegian Sweaters, Jewelry, Watches and handicraft from diffent areas in Norway. All shops in Oslo accept the international credit cards. Look for the Tax-Free Shopping signs, which offer all visitors from outside Scandinavia 11-18% cash refund upon departure for all purchases in one store exeeds NOK 308. The local currency is NOK - Norske Kroner.
Norway's leading shop when it comes to anything tobacco-related. If they haven't got it - you either don't want it or it can't be found in Norway. They've got it all - cigars (Cuban, Dominican, European, Norwegian), sigarettes (Nat Sherman, Davidoff, the classics), pipes and pipetobacco, cigar-related items etc.
NOTICE
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