Oslo

After travelling through beautiful Oslofjord, cruise ships berth in central Oslo. Most use Revierkaia opposite the Opera House, while some call at Filipstadkaia, which is a little farther away but still within walking distance of the town centre.

The port has views of City Hall, the Opera and the Nobel Peace Center.

Oslo Airport Gardermoen is 50km away, or 19 minutes on an Airport Express Train.

Carry a printable map while exploring.

See the Revierkaia Port Location on Google Maps.

See the Filipstadkaia Port Location on Google Maps.

Oslo has more than 50 different museums and a wealth of galleries, an impressive total for a city of its size.

Independent exploration in Oslo is very straightforward. The compact, small city places almost everything worth seeing within a short distance. For Kontiki and other outlying museums, use the Hop on/off bus or ferry service.

A visitor-information desk awaits at the cruise port as soon as passengers leave the ship, offering free maps and tourist brochures.

A recommended outing is the Båtservice ferry to the Bygdøy peninsula, home to some of Oslo's most celebrated museums. These include Norsk Folkemuseum - Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, the Vikingship museum, closed till 2026 for renovation, the Kon-Tiki museum, Polar Vessel FRAM and the Norwegian Maritime Museum.

Vigeland Park is the world's largest sculpture park created by one artist and one of Norway's most popular visitor attractions. It remains open throughout the year. Tram 12, available 500m from the terminal, travels there. Gustav Vigeland's singular park is his life's work, containing more than 200 bronze, granite and wrought-iron sculptures; he also designed its architecture and layout. Most of the park was completed between 1939 and 1949.

Do not miss the guards changing every day at 1:30 PM. at The Royal Palace in the town centre.

Another essential Oslo sight is Holmenkollen Ski Jump, Norway's most visited visitor attraction. Perched above the city amid beautiful natural surroundings, it commands a fantastic outlook across Oslo and Oslofjord. Take Metro Line 1 from city hall and purchase a ticket at the nearby 7-11 shop.

Also visit the Nobel Peace Center beside the harbour and City Hall.

Oslo is exceptionally easy to explore on foot.

Oslo has an effective public transport system. Details of trains, trams, buses, ferries and the underground are available on this website or from tourist information on the pier. Bus 30

Use Hop On/off transport to cover the principal sights quickly. Every cruise berth has a dedicated hop-on point, never more than a few metres away.

Oslo is an excellent shopping destination, with shopping centres, engaging boutiques, specialist shops and appealing antiques stores in the city centre.

Best of all, you will receive a refund of the Norwegian Value Added Tax (MOMS) when leaving the country. For further information

Opposite the port, the former shipyard at Aker Brygge contains more than 60 shops and 35 restaurants, making it an excellent place to buy quality gifts and souvenirs.

Remember that you are probably in the world's most expensive capital. Oslo is not inexpensive.

About 8 NOK equals 1.00 EUR. The 1/100th of a krone is called øre; Norway's currency is the Norwegian crown (norske krone), abbreviated kr.

Norwegian ATMs are known as Minibank.

Nearly every shop and tour accepts major credit cards, including Mastercard and Visa, as well as euros.

English is spoken widely.

Free WiFi and an internet terminal are provided at the tourist office immediately behind city hall.

Many fast-food restaurants also give customers free WiFi.

Norwegian opening hours have improved, but many small shops still shut early on Saturday, typically at 1 PM or 3 PM, and almost everything closes on Sundays. Door signs often show times as “9-21 (9-18)”, meaning 9 AM to 9 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 6 PM on Saturday.