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Visitors walking on the sloping roof of the Oslo Opera House

No. 57 Top 100 City Destinations 2025

Oslo

Norway

Norway's fjord-side capital of bold architecture, Munch, Vigeland's sculptures and forest trails.

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Photo: Beata May, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Overview

Oslo is No. 57 in Euromonitor International's Top 100 City Destinations Index 2025. Norway's capital lies at the head of the Oslofjord, surrounded by forested hills.

Its waterfront has been transformed by striking modern buildings, including the Opera House, the MUNCH museum and the National Museum, and islands, beaches and ski slopes are within easy reach of the centre.

Granite sculptures by Gustav Vigeland in Vigeland Park, Oslo
Granite sculptures by Gustav Vigeland in Vigeland Park, Oslo. Photo: Christian David, CC BY-SA 4.0, source

Best time to go

May to September brings long, light days, outdoor cafés and fjord swimming.

Winter is cold and dark but good for cross-country skiing in the hills above the city.

Top sights

  • 1

    Oslo Opera House

    Walk up the sloping marble roof for views over the fjord.

  • 2

    MUNCH

    A museum devoted to Edvard Munch, with versions of The Scream, in a tall waterfront building opened in 2021.

  • 3

    National Museum

    The largest art museum in the Nordic countries, opened in 2022, with Norwegian and international art and design.

  • 4

    Vigeland Park

    More than 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland in Frogner Park, free and open all the time.

  • 5

    Bygdøy museums

    A peninsula of museums, including the Fram polar ship, the Kon-Tiki raft and the open-air Norwegian Museum of Cultural History.

  • 6

    Akershus Fortress

    A medieval castle and fortress on the harbour, with walks along its walls.

  • 7

    Holmenkollen

    The famous ski jump on the hills above the city, with a ski museum and views.

Getting there

Oslo Airport (OSL) at Gardermoen is about 50 km north of the city. The Flytoget airport express train reaches Oslo S in about 20 minutes, and regular trains are cheaper.

Trains arrive at Oslo S from Sweden and the rest of Norway, and ferries sail from Denmark and Germany.

Getting around

Ruter runs the metro, trams, buses and local ferries; buy tickets in the Ruter app.

The centre and waterfront are easy to explore on foot.

Practical tips

Currency
Norwegian krone (NOK). Norway is almost cashless, and cards are accepted everywhere. Prices are high.
Language
Norwegian. English is very widely spoken.
Safety
Oslo is very safe. The emergency numbers are 112 (police) and 113 (ambulance).
Visa & entry
Norway is in the Schengen Area. Many visitors, including citizens of the US, Canada, the UK and Australia, can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. The EU's Entry/Exit System (EES) now records non-EU travellers' entries and exits at the border, and the ETIAS travel authorisation is due to follow. Check the official EU site travel-europe.europa.eu and your own government's travel advice before you go.
Power
230 V, 50 Hz; plug types C and F.

Official information: Visit Oslo (official tourism website). Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.

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