Sayang! I was really looking forward to our Oslo Trip but what can I do if the sightseeing tours and activities will be limited, all the shops are closed and approximately half of the restaurants will also be closed. Anyway, that is how Norway celebrates their Easter holiday, it is really time for family so the majority of Norwegians take their vacation leave to spend an entire week in the mountain cabin or travel outside the country.
Despite the limitations, we know that we can still enjoy our trip because there are still more interesting places that we can visit in the city. So for our Day 2 in Oslo Norway, we had our own version of DIY Walking Tour and we started our adventure from Cochs Pensjonat at 8AM. I mentioned in my previous blogs that our guesthouse is very near to tourist spots so we saved money on transportation.
Oslo Walking Tour
The Royal Palace Park
The Palace Park was opened in the year 1847 by King Oscar I and it was designed by the palace architect H.D.F. Linstow. This park is open to the public all year round, where you can see ponds, lawns, and trees that were planted since 1842. You can also see a lot of sculptures in the palace park like the Statue of mathematician Niels Henrik Abel, the Statue of the author, and defender of women’s rights Camilla Collett, the Statue of Queen Maud, Statue of Princess Martha, Roedeer sculpture, and Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s Sculpture Park.
Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s Sculpture Park
A sculpture park that has been created by children and for children on May 19, 2016. It was a gift from the Savings Bank Foundation DNB in honor of the 25th anniversary of the accession to the Norwegian throne of their Majesties King Harald and Queen Sonja. The park has twelve sculptures that are based on the designs that were submitted in a nationwide competition of grade 6 students. The permanent sculptures are geometric fox, rabbit in trouble, pillow man, and many more.
The Royal Palace
Det Kongelige Slott or The Royal Palace in English was built in 1824-1848 as the Norwegian residence of King Charles II John who was king of Norway and Sweden. This is also the official residence of the current Norwegian monarch. It is located at the end and top of Karl Johans gate.
We visited some of the castles and palaces in Copenhagen and Stockholm so if we will compare it to The Royal Palace, the Oslo palace looks simple. We were not able to witness the changing of the guards at 1:30PM and we were not able to go inside because the Royal Palace is only open during summer.
Karl Johans Gate
Karl Johans Gate is the famous main street of Oslo city, it was named in honor of King Charles III John also known as King Charles XIV John of Sweden. Walking on this street, you will pass other tourist attractions like the National Theatre, Parliament of Norway Stortinget, Eidsvolls Square, and the old University Building.
University of Oslo Building
It was renamed Royal Frederick University. The oldest university in Norway and it used to be the largest Norwegian institution of higher education in terms of size.
National Theatre
This building was designed by architect Henrik Bull and it is one of the largest and most prominent venues for dramatic arts in Norway. It is often considered as the home for Ibsen’s play.
Stortinget or Parliament of Norway
This is the supreme legislature of Norway that was established in 1814 by the Constitution of Norway.
Oslo Cathedral
Oslo Cathedral is also known as Our Savior’s Church, this is the main church for the church of Norway Diocese in Oslo. This is used by the Norwegian Government and the Norwegian Royal Family for public events like weddings and funerals.
Oslo Central Station
Of course the Oslo Central Station, the busiest main railway station and largest railway station within the Norwegian Railway system. Outside the train station, you will see statues of tiger and hammer.
The Tiger
Do you know that Oslo is also known as Tigerstaden or the Tiger City? So it is not surprising if you see the famous tiger statue outside the Oslo Central Station A 4.5 meter bronze statue made by Elena Engelsen.
Den Norske Opera & Ballet or Oslo Opera House
The Norwegian National Opera and Ballet is the largest music and stage institution in Norway. One interesting about this building is you can walk on the roof of the Opera House, it is like climbing the building so it drained our energy. Good thing that you have a beautiful panoramic view of Oslo city and fjord. We saw the DFDS Cruise Ship that we took when we went to Copenhagen Denmark.
Read: Cruise to Copenhagen
Akershus Slott or Akershus Castle and Akershus Festning or Akershus Fortress
This is the medieval castle that was built to protect and provide a royal residence for the city. It was used as a military base and prison. It contains banquet halls, Royal Mausoleum, a small church, and the government’s reception rooms. It is now a popular venue for major events like ceremonies, public holiday celebrations, and concerts.
After our half-day tour in Oslo City, we went back to Cochs Pensjonat for our late lunch. It was a tiring day so we called it a day. Tomorrow is another day to explore the city.
Read: Traveling to Oslo Norway from Stockholm Sweden
Where to Stay in Oslo Norway
Day 1 in Oslo Norway
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