Help me travel in Oslo

[Foxy]

Hello everybody,

this year it has been opened a new low-cost flight from my city (Pescara) to Oslo. My boyfriend meant to inaugurate the new rout with a 3 days-lasting vacation in the Norwegian capital, as the flight costs only 10 euros (there and back, so 5 euros for a one way).
This would be the first time I go to Scandinavia. The period is in the middle of October. Any suggestions for accomodations and things to visit, eat and do?
And what about the climate in October there?
Most importang thing, what's the less expensive accomodation (hotel, B&B, hostel,...)? I've heard that Scandinavia is pretty expensive...

Thank you very much.

[Äike]

I do not know anything about Norwegian hotels, but I can say 2 things. Norway is one of the most expensive countries in the world and if you're going in October, then take lots of warm clothes with you. Warm hats and gloves are a must.

[poiuytrewq0987]

wrong thread

[Foxy]

they don't have euro. What a breaking of balls. :rolleyes2:
Well, I have found a residence whose price is 104 euros per person for three nights but it is a bit out of Oslo, in Scoyen...
The price is not bad.

Lenna, Italy is expensive too. For a night in a hotel in Pineto (a little town in my region) I paid the same price that I paid per night in a 3 stars hotel in Berlin. When I discovered it I went mad :mad:

The weather is the real problem. I don't have a very warm jaket, except the one I use to go to ski which makes me similar to the man of the Michelin.

http://www.derapate.it/wp-galleryo/pneumatici-motogp/bibendum_michelin.jpg

[Eldritch]

Well, in Norway there is no less expensive accommodation, there is only expensive and even more expensive accommodation.

But I'd suggest the Anker Hostel (http://www.ankerhostel.no/), it's fairly centrally located and not-horribly-expensive. It's also right next to the Grynelokka district, so you can visit an authentic Pakistani environment too.

Places to visit:

Elm Street Rock Cafe (http://www.elmstreet.no/).

The Munch museum (http://www.munch.museum.no/).

Restaurant Sult (http://www.sult.no/) ("Hunger", named after the novel by Knut Hamsun).

[Eldritch]

For a night in a hotel in Pineto (a little town in my region) I paid the same price that I paid per night in a 3 stars hotel in Berlin. When I discovered it I went mad :mad:

Berlin is dirt cheap -- Alexander von Schönburg, the broke-ass German count who wrote The Art of the Stylish Impoverishment, suggests in his book that it is the place for all impecunious nobility. :p

[Fortis in Arduis]

Staying in a hostel will save the money. There is a Hare Krishna temple restaurant which is good value for money and which was easily the best meal I had in Norway, not just Oslo.

I suppose you could save money by eating what you made yourself at the hostel, or what you can find to go in the shops or maybe street vendors and fast-food outlets.

My experience in Norway was less than pleasant for reasons unrelated to Norway (details not supplied!) but I did admire the architecture, and I saw a few galleries and wandered about in Oslo. I intended to get out as quickly as I could but I actually enjoyed Oslo. There is a fine harbour and I like smart city ports, so I was happy about that.

I would advise you to try and save some money to have at least one nice meal out, and book a table which will give you a view of the sunset, and do book a hostel in the city, because commuting in from the outskirts is tedious.

[Loki]

Best things to see in my opinion:

Viking Ship Museum (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Ship_Museum_(Oslo))

And the Norsk Folkemuseum (http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/) (where, unfortunately, you're more likely to be told about Saami than Nordic Norwegian people ... at least the old buildings are worth seeing). They should totally rename the place to be the "Saami Folkemuseum". :rolleyes: (Nothing against the Saami, but I think it's criminally dishonest to trivialize the history of over 90% of the country's population).

Other than that, Oslo is pretty boring. In fact, the most boring of the Scandinavian capitals, I'm afraid. Stockholm and Copenhagen are so much better. I think you will be disappointed. I was.

[Pallantides]

And the Norsk Folkemuseum (http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/) (where, unfortunately, you're more likely to be told about Saami than Nordic Norwegian people ...


Maybe they had a special Saami exhibit when you visited.
If you look at their webpage there is one page dedicated to Saami
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-1/Sami-baptismal-boots/
and six pages about Norwegian subjects.
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-1/The-Stave-Church/
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-1/Childhood/
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-2/The-museums-first-artifact/
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-3/Brides-headdress-/
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-3/Living-history/
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/en/Stories/Set-3/The-fisherman/

[Foxy]

Other than that, Oslo is pretty boring. In fact, the most boring of the Scandinavian capitals, I'm afraid. Stockholm and Copenhagen are so much better. I think you will be disappointed. I was.

:eek: Th-thank y-you... So have I to take with me also a gun if I plan to suicide during my permanence?

1) is cold
2) is expensive
3) is boring
4) i go there with my bf so I can't neither go in search of a Viking...

then...

I remain home.

If some Norwegian wanna come to Pescara this is the city

http://www.viaggi.blogup.it/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/pescara-12.jpg

and until 2 am the old borough is full of people, clubs and locals, plus we have some discos:
http://www.primadanoi.it/FOTO/GENERICHE/fiaccolatastupro.jpg

eh eh

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_2i1YOMeag3E/S_o_1QasKnI/AAAAAAAAAF4/KIM4JEzhOt8/s1600/miss-mediterraneo-2009.jpg

[Loki]

^^ Looks much better than Oslo.

[Foxy]

^^ Looks much better than Oslo.

don't tell me so... it is the worste way to start a travel :shakefist
(Pescara is called "little Riccione" anyway. But I suggest you to visit it in summer. Cheap flights to Pescara are also from London, Eindhoven -Amsterdam, Barcelona and Frankfurt).

[Loki]

Don't worry, you will enjoy it. ;) A foreign country is always fun to explore. Everything is different. :) Especially those museums I mentioned, check it out.

Holmenkollen's ski jump is also an idea. Empty outside of winter, though.

There's a nice hotel in Holmenkollen (http://www.holmenkollenparkhotel.no/), by the way. I stayed there and it was very good.

[Pallantides]

I'd recommend visiting Frogner and the western parts of Oslo.

http://media.aftenposten.no/archive/00833/_mnyh7hovedbilde210_833658x.jpg
http://folk.uio.no/toanders/images/Frogner_1.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b8/Frognerveien_20080420-5.jpg/800px-Frognerveien_20080420-5.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Frognerveien_20080420-2.jpg/800px-Frognerveien_20080420-2.jpg
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/fc/Frogner_Hovedg%C3%A5rd_X1.JPG/800px-Frogner_Hovedg%C3%A5rd_X1.JPG
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/13/Frogner_Hovedg%C3%A5rd_X8.JPG/800px-Frogner_Hovedg%C3%A5rd_X8.JPG

Ahmadiyya Muslim mosque in Frogner(:D):
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5c/Ahmadiyya_mosque_Oslo.jpg/800px-Ahmadiyya_mosque_Oslo.jpg

[Loki]

Maybe they had a special Saami exhibit when you visited.


No, they have an entire section dedicated to the Saami ethnic group (but none to the Germanic Norwegians as such). I've been there more than once.

Once they had a display about "Invanndring" (immigration), and told about the wonders of immigrants to Norway. Yet not a thing about ethnic Norwegians (other than old buildings). And this museum is supposed to be about the Norwegian people! Infuriating.

I even asked them about it. They were very clueless. In fact, they told me that such a thing did not exist (ethnic Norwegians). They told me Norwegians are not an ethnic group, but Saami were. :coffee:

[Osweo]

I went the other year, and had a wonderful time. :)

Me and two Russians went to camp up in the fjords, but we stayed in Oslo for a night at the beginning and end of our trip. Our campsite was in Ekeberg - a hill overlooking the town in the southeast, which we walked to from the main railway station (in the middle of the night, through a wood and up a steep hill :p). Norway has wonderful laws about being able to pitch a tent almost anywhere you please, and we even heard of people doing it on the beach not far from the station. HOWEVER, you are not going in August, and would freeze to death if you're not accustommed to 'roughing it'! :D Sadly, it's one of the most expensive places on Earth, so I'd recommend following the advice of those above on hostels, AND buying cheap ingredients to cook food for yourselves. I emptied my bank account when I was there. :eek:

ANYWAY, me and my friends took a boat from the quay in front of the town hall, and sailed to Bygdøynes, just across the bay.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bygd%C3%B8y
My friends are very interested in explorers, so we went there to see the ships of Thor Heyerdahl (the Kon-Tiki and the Ra, in which he proved that ancient peoples could have sailed across the Pacific and Atlantic), and the ship Fram of the Arctic explorer Amundsen. (Perhaps never in your life you will go to the North Pole, so this museum is the next best thing - there are huge stuffed polar bears... ;))
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kon-Tiki_Museum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fram_Museum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norsk_Sj%C3%B8fartsmuseum

A short walk through the same neighbourhood brought us to the Viking Ship Museum, where some amazingly preserved dragonships and carts and other amazingly carved works of art are kept. We did all that in one day, but didn't have enough time to see the Viking ships properly - Norwegians seem very strict about rules, and when they say it's 'closing time', they mean it! We were almost thrown out of the place! :eek: :D
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viking_Ship_Museum_(Oslo)

Apart from that, we just wandered up and down the streets looking at the nice buildings. :)

I wanted to see the sculptures in the Vigeland Park, but we didn't have enough time. :cry2
http://www.museumsnett.no/vigelandmuseet/index.htm

As for clothes, I don't know; perhaps you should buy a good coat. However, I lived through Russian winters in a relatively thin Kashmir overcoat, but just with lots of layers of jumpers and suit jackets or cardigans. A big furry hat is a must, though.

It's a shame you're not going to see the wild places of Norway,
http://img519.imageshack.us/img519/3640/20090719norge0244.jpg (http://img519.imageshack.us/i/20090719norge0244.jpg/)
but it seems you only have time for a city-break, so enjoy!


EDIT:

I remain home
WHAT??!! NO YOU DON'T!!!
Ten Euros!??
You're going, girl, or else!

[Pallantides]

No, they have an entire section dedicated to the Saami ethnic group (but none to the Germanic Norwegians as such). I've been there more than once.

Once they had a display about "Invanndring" (immigration), and told about the wonders of immigrants to Norway. Yet not a thing about ethnic Norwegians (other than old buildings). And this museum is supposed to be about the Norwegian people! Infuriating.

I even asked them about it. They were very clueless. In fact, they told me that such a thing did not exist (ethnic Norwegians). They told me Norwegians are not an ethnic group, but Saami were. :coffee:



Atleast 'Norsk Folkemuseum' have one of the vastest archives of old pictures from Norway.:)
...most people are clueless Loki, even Norwegians.:p

[Tyrrhenoi]

Hello everybody,

this year it has been opened a new low-cost flight from my city (Pescara) to Oslo. My boyfriend meant to inaugurate the new rout with a 3 days-lasting vacation in the Norwegian capital, as the flight costs only 10 euros (there and back, so 5 euros for a one way).
This would be the first time I go to Scandinavia. The period is in the middle of October. Any suggestions for accomodations and things to visit, eat and do?
And what about the climate in October there?
Most importang thing, what's the less expensive accomodation (hotel, B&B, hostel,...)? I've heard that Scandinavia is pretty expensive...

Thank you very much.

October is not a good month I think - I went there in July and the weather was reasonable the first 4 days - after that it rained day after day :)

The harbor of Oslo is fantastic, there is a little boulevard with many good restaurants (the prices are extremely high) - the centrum is very nice, the royal palace is a must see - the port of Oslo is protected by a high stucture who looks like a castle (Akershuis) - it's very karakteristic!

If you want to make an expensive buy (like a watch juwelry etc. ) - then Oslo is cheap, there are many tax-free jewelrystores! At night Oslo is fantastic, there are many bars (not like the Italian ones) and clubs you can enjoy (watch out alcohol is very expensive) -

Porta indumenti impermeabili e qualche ombrello

[Loddfafner]

I have not been to Norway but if I ever make it to Oslo I plan to see the Gol stave church that was moved to the Folkmuseum: (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gol_stave_church)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/88/Gol_Stave_Church.jpg

I remember reading somewhere that a couple of other stave churches are easily reached from Oslo via local bus. Heddal (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heddal_stave_church), the largest, may be one of them.

[Pallantides]

http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/Nyebilder/Pressebilder/Hallingkast.jpg
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/Nyebilder/Pressebilder/NF18117-001Setesdal.jpg
http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/Nyebilder/Pressebilder/Telemark.jpg

http://www.norskfolkemuseum.no/no/Malgruppe-Innganger/For-pressen/Pressebilder/Landsbygda/

[Foxy]

October is not a good month I think - I went there in July and the weather was reasonable the first 4 days - after that it rained day after day :)

The harbor of Oslo is fantastic, there is a little boulevard with many good restaurants (the prices are extremely high) - the centrum is very nice, the royal palace is a must see - the port of Oslo is protected by a high stucture who looks like a castle (Akershuis) - it's very karakteristic!

If you want to make an expensive buy (like a watch juwelry etc. ) - then Oslo is cheap, there are many tax-free jewelrystores! At night Oslo is fantastic, there are many bars (not like the Italian ones) and clubs you can enjoy (watch out alcohol is very expensive) -

Porta indumenti impermeabili e qualche ombrello

Na, I don't want warm days, wtf, I want to feel cold, I want the snow.
(The bars you refer to exist also in Italy, we call the "night locals" -locali notturni- and look this way
http://www.stylosophy.it/img/cavalli-club-firenze.jpg, though there are also others like this that are opened during the day and work like bars). The old bars you know are old fashioned. Only old people go there or people in the very small villages. :p
Anyway I am interested in natural landscapes and Viking stuff and to eat I'd like to try some local dish. So I see I have to start to save money.

[Eldritch]

Anyway I am interested in natural landscapes and Viking stuff and to eat I'd like to try some local dish.

http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/pilot_whale_hunt_22sfw.jpg

:hungry:

[Foxy]

http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/pilot_whale_hunt_22sfw.jpg

:hungry:

OMG, I had forgotten it. :mad::mad::mad:
THEY SHOULD NOT TOUCH WHALES.

Now I have an ethic dilemma: I had promised myself that I would not have gone to Spain until bull fight would be abolished. Now for coherence I should do the same with Norwey, or...?

*I am animalist, don't wear furs and don't go to countries where killing animals at risk of extintion is the national sport.

PS: BARBARS!!!

[Sahson]

:eek: Th-thank y-you... So have I to take with me also a gun if I plan to suicide during my permanence?

1) is cold
2) is expensive
3) is boring
4) i go there with my bf so I can't neither go in search of a Viking...

then...

I remain home.

If some Norwegian wanna come to Pescara this is the city

http://www.viaggi.blogup.it/wp/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/pescara-12.jpg

and until 2 am the old borough is full of people, clubs and locals, plus we have some discos:
http://www.primadanoi.it/FOTO/GENERICHE/fiaccolatastupro.jpg

eh eh

http://fotowireless.files.wordpress.com/2010/05/missmedfinaliste-e1274690357706.jpg?w=400&h=271

I'm there! and I want the one in the back row, 5th from the left :D

[Foxy]

I'm there! and I want the one in the back row, 5th from the left :D

You choosed the one who won the title Miss Mediterraneum :D

http://www.missmediterraneo.com/images/foto/2009/FinaleSharm/DiRuscioB.JPG

I know her name...

[Loddfafner]

If I had a few days in Norway, I would seriously consider taking the train to Bergen (historic port and a reconstruction of the stave church that some treacherous metalhead burned down) then up to Trondheim (Northernmost Gothic cathedral) and back to Oslo. I understand that from the train you could get a taste of Norway's magnificent mountain scenery.

[Eldritch]

I am animalist, don't wear furs and don't go to countries where killing animals at risk of extintion is the national sport.


Then you are in luck and can proceed with your trip with a clear conscience, because they quite obviously do not hunt endangered whale species in Norway.