What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Oslo, Norway.
Photo: Quistnix / Wikimedia Commons
Oslo is the capital of Norway. Its main sights are spread across a few areas. In Bjørvika, the Oslo Opera House and MUNCH stand on the waterfront. The National Museum is in Vika. Akershus Fortress and the Royal Palace are in Sentrum, and Vigeland Park is in Frogner. Bygdøy has the Norsk Folkemuseum, the Fram Museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum. You can also spend half a day on the Oslofjord islands. June and August are the best months to go.
Most sights take 1–2 hours, and the National Museum takes 2–4. The Norsk Folkemuseum and the Oslofjord islands each need half a day. Plan separate time for Bygdøy and the islands on top of the central sights.
Frogner
A large sculpture park inside Frogner Park, filled with Gustav Vigeland's granite and bronze figures of people at every stage of life. It is free and open-air, and the Monolith at its centre is one of the city's best-known sights.
Bjørvika
A white marble and glass building on the harbour edge with a sloping roof you can walk up for views over the fjord and city. You can visit without a ticket, or book a guided tour or a performance.
Bjørvika
A museum dedicated to Edvard Munch, with versions of The Scream among a very large collection of his paintings, prints and drawings. The upper floors also give wide views across the harbour.
Vika
Norway's main art and design museum, covering old masters, Norwegian painting, modern art, crafts and design under one roof. It is a good place to see Munch in the wider context of Norwegian art.
Sentrum
A medieval castle and fortress on a headland above the harbour, still used by the Norwegian military. The grounds are open for walking, with views of the fjord, and the site includes museums on Norway's defence and wartime history.
Bygdøy
A large open-air museum with historic farmhouses, town buildings and a medieval stave church moved here from around Norway. Indoor exhibitions cover folk costume, crafts and Sámi culture.
Bygdøy
Home to the polar ship Fram, which you can board and explore, plus the ship Gjøa and exhibits on Norwegian polar expeditions. It is a good choice for families and anyone interested in exploration history.
Bygdøy
This museum shows the original balsa raft Kon-Tiki and the reed boat Ra II from Thor Heyerdahl's ocean crossings. It sits next to the Fram Museum, so the two are easy to combine.
Sentrum
The official residence of the Norwegian king, at the top of the main street, Karl Johans gate. The surrounding Palace Park is open to walk through, and you can watch the changing of the guard outside.
Oslofjord
Local ferries from the harbour near City Hall run to small islands such as Hovedøya, with walking paths, beaches and old ruins. It is an easy way to get out on the water and see the city from the fjord.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C / -5°C | 12 days (73 mm) | 2.7 h/day | 1.3/10 |
| February | 2°C / -4°C | 11 days (60 mm) | 4.7 h/day | 2.0/10 |
| March | 5°C / -2°C | 9 days (58 mm) | 7.1 h/day | 2.9/10 |
| April | 11°C / 2°C | 8 days (50 mm) | 10.3 h/day | 4.8/10 |
| May | 17°C / 7°C | 12 days (78 mm) | 11.7 h/day | 6.8/10 |
| Best month: June | 21°C / 12°C | 12 days (86 mm) | 13.1 h/day | 7.7/10 |
| July | 22°C / 14°C | 13 days (112 mm) | 12.5 h/day | 7.4/10 |
| Best month: August | 20°C / 13°C | 13 days (94 mm) | 10.5 h/day | 7.5/10 |
| September | 17°C / 10°C | 11 days (102 mm) | 7.5 h/day | 6.9/10 |
| October | 10°C / 5°C | 12 days (83 mm) | 4.8 h/day | 2.9/10 |
| November | 5°C / 1°C | 12 days (80 mm) | 2.6 h/day | 1.2/10 |
| December | 1°C / -3°C | 13 days (67 mm) | 1.9 h/day | 0.9/10 |
Avoid. Highs of 0°C, lows near -5.3°C and 11.8 rain or snow days. Cold and dark, with a score of just 1.3.
Avoid. Highs reach only 1.7°C and nights drop to -4.2°C, with 10.7 wet days. Still deep winter, scoring 2.
Avoid. Highs of 5.2°C and 9.3 rain days. Days get brighter, but frost at night keeps the score at 2.9.
OK. Highs climb to 10.8°C and there are only 8.2 rain days, the driest month. Pack layers for chilly evenings.
Good. Highs of 16.5°C make the city pleasant, though expect around 12 rain days. Scores 6.8.
Best month, scoring 7.7. Highs of 21°C, long bright days and 11.7 rain days. Book early, as this is peak season.
Good. The warmest month at 21.7°C, but also the wettest, with 112 mm over 13.1 rain days. Scores 7.4.
Best, scoring 7.5. Highs of 20.4°C and 12.6 rain days. Warm evenings for time outdoors by the fjord.
Good. Highs of 16.6°C and 11.3 rain days, but 102 mm of rain. A calmer choice, scoring 6.9.
Avoid. Highs fall to 10.1°C, with 11.6 rain days and much shorter days. The score drops sharply to 2.9.
Avoid. Grey and wet, with highs of 4.7°C and 12.1 rain days. One of the weakest months, scoring 1.2.
Avoid. The lowest score of the year at 0.9. Highs of 1.2°C, 13 wet days and very little sun.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Norway →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, short stays
The city centre around Karl Johans gate puts the Royal Palace, the Parliament and the main station within walking distance. Trains to the airport and most trams and metro lines start here, so getting around is easy. Some streets near the station feel busy and scruffy late at night, and the main shopping streets get noisy.
Good for culture lovers, waterfront walks
This rebuilt harbour district east of the station holds the Opera House, the Munch museum and the Deichman library. It is modern and close to the main station, which helps with early trains. Much of it is new office and apartment blocks, so it can feel quiet and a little empty in the evenings.
Good for nightlife, cafés, younger travellers
A former working-class district north-east of the centre, now full of cafés, bars, vintage shops and small parks along the Akerselva river. It gives you a more local feel and good evenings out, with trams into the centre. Weekend nights can be loud, and it is a longer walk to the harbour sights.
Good for families, quiet
A calm, leafy residential area west of the centre with grand old apartment buildings and Frogner Park, home to the Vigeland sculptures. It suits travellers who want peaceful nights and green space for walks or running. Nightlife is limited, and you will rely on trams or longer walks to reach the main sights.
Good for repeat visitors, transport links
A lively residential and shopping area north of Frogner, built around a major metro and tram hub. It is handy for trips up to Holmenkollen and the forest trails, and for Frogner Park on foot. It is outside the historic centre, so evenings in the old town or harbour mean a metro or tram ride back.
A hot dog wrapped in lompe, a thin, soft potato flatbread instead of a bun. Locals grab one as a quick, cheap snack from kiosks, petrol stations and convenience stores.
A sweet, caramel-coloured cheese made from whey. Norwegians cut thin slices with a cheese slicer and eat it on bread or crispbread, often at breakfast.
Soft, heart-shaped waffles, usually topped with jam and sour cream or with brunost. You find them in cafés, at events and at home with coffee.
Often called the national dish: lamb and cabbage stewed slowly with whole black peppercorns and served with boiled potatoes. It is mostly eaten in autumn, at home and in traditional restaurants.
Norwegian meat patties in brown gravy, served with potatoes, mashed peas and lingonberry jam. It is everyday home cooking, and traditional restaurants in Oslo also serve it.
June and August are the best months to visit Oslo. June scores 7.7 out of 10 and August 7.5. Highs reach about 21°C in June and 20.4°C in August, and nights stay mild at 12–13°C. June has the most sunshine of the year, with 13.1 hours a day. July is similar and slightly warmer at 21.7°C.
Yes, summer is Oslo's wettest time. July gets the most rain, with 112 mm over 13.1 rain days. August has 94 mm and September 102 mm. Showers are frequent but come with long, sunny days, often 10 or more hours of sun. April is the driest month, with 50 mm over 8.2 rain days, but highs only reach 10.8°C.
Yes, September is a good month for Oslo, with a score of 6.9 out of 10. Days are cooler than in summer, with highs of 16.6°C and lows of 10.1°C. Sunshine drops to 7.5 hours a day. It is a fairly wet month, with 102 mm of rain over 11.3 rain days, so pack a rain jacket.
Oslo is cold and dark in December and January. December has only 1.9 hours of sun a day and rain or other precipitation on 13 days. January highs are around 0°C, with lows of -5.3°C. This month scores lowest for sightseeing. Travellers who like a quiet winter city can spend long hours indoors at MUNCH or the National Museum, which each take 2–4 hours.
Plan several days to see Oslo's main sights at a relaxed pace. Bygdøy alone can fill a full day: Norsk Folkemuseum takes half a day, the Fram Museum 1–2 hours and the Kon-Tiki Museum 1 hour. In Bjørvika, MUNCH needs 2–3 hours and the Opera House 1 hour. Add half a day for the Oslofjord islands and 1–2 hours for Vigeland Park.
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