I was in the Nordics on business and had the opportunity to spend 2 days in Oslo, a city to which I had never been. It was just before the official start of summer and the solstice. The days were warm and long, with the sun rising before 4 am and setting around 10:45 pm. It was also the day before the kickoff of Pride week. I was in for a treat!

I arrived on train from Gothenburg and immediately went to Vinmonopolet in the central station; this is where locals and tourists in the know buy alcohol for their homes/hotels. Then after getting settled and to get my bearings, the first thing I did was an afternoon Hop On/Hop Off bus tour. This was a great opportunity to get an overview of the city. It was later in the day and most places would be closing soon, so after the bus tour I took a long walk up Karl Johans Gate. This is the main street in the city center, lined with parks, restaurants, bars, shopping… Really, everything! I walked the entire length which culminates at the Royal Palace. Indeed, it was closed, but I spent time walking around the beautiful gardens. There are also spectacular views of the city center below. I then had a late lunch/early dinner at Pink Fish, as I had evening plans at the opera. This restaurant is local seafood faire, casual dining or take-out; a bit on the pricey side, but the salmon is very good.

Two days in Oslo

The Oslo Opera House building itself is stunning: all white marble and granite, right on the water. It’s multi-tiered with walkways that go all the way to the rooftops- another opportunity for amazing views of the city, even if you don’t have opera tickets. I saw the Norwegian Opera performance of Rossini’s La Cenerentola. After the event around 10 pm, with the sun still shining, I decided on another walk, in search of some ice cream and people watching as a nightcap

I started day 2 early and went straight to what quickly became my favorite place in the city: Frogner Park. It’s a gorgeous park filled with sculptures by Gustav Vigeland. The Vigeland installation is awe-inspiring, and consists not just of the sculptures (the Angry Boy is the most famous), but fountains and obelisks as well. It is simply amazing. It’s open 24 hrs and entrance is free, so this is a not-to-be missed itinerary item under any circumstance!

Two Days in Oslo

Continuing with the cultural theme, I felt I needed a visit to see Edvard Munch’s “The Scream.” The National Gallery in Oslo is temporarily closed while a new building is being constructed, but there are multiple versions of this famous painting. I was able to see one at the Edvard Munch Museum. This museum was obviously full of his works, and the painting did not disappoint.

Next, I headed to the Oslo Cathedral. I always enjoy cathedrals wherever I travel; they are often essentially free art museums. However, the ones in the Nordic region are quite sparse. So it doesn’t take long to visit them, but the structures themselves are still quite beautiful. Now that I had atoned for my sins, it was time to hit Oslo Pride! It was opening nite of a week-long celebration, right in the heart of the city center at Studenterlunden Park, behind the Norwegian Parliament. The Pride festival was exactly as you might expect, which was comforting: the vendor tents, music stages, and fabulously gay crowd. The festival was one giant beer garden, and everyone was in great spirits. Gay Pride fever was everywhere, by the way: there were rainbow flags in every hotel and public building I visited, all over the city storefronts and restaurants, on the city buses, etc. It was a nice sight to see.

For my last dinner in Oslo, I wanted something nice and traditional. However, I’m not the biggest fan of dining alone, so I found a great compromise: Kaffistova. Meals are served café style, but in a nice and central setting. The reindeer meatballs were fantastic! And, since it was my last nite, I had to hit up their most popular gay bar, the London Pub. I feared that all the gays would still be at Pride, but I was wrong. There are many rooms in this large, somewhat dark bar (in fact, the crowd spills out onto the street to accommodate all the smokers), and they were filled much to my delight.

All in all, I absolutely loved Oslo, and I can’t wait to go back there with my husband. It’s a very walk able city, you don’t need to have cash, the food is terrific, the people are welcoming, and the men are hot. It’s a worthwhile destination, especially in the long days of summer! I hope everyone gets to enjoy it, should they so desire. My sole cautionary tale: beware of mayonnaise. They put gobs of that stuff on everything, even if it’s not printed on the menu!