NorwayExplainedOslo on a Sunday moves at an easier tempo, which can be just what you want on a city break. Church bells, long brunches, people drifting through parks, and a calm harbor set the rhythm. You will notice that shopping options are limited, but cafés, museums, and the outdoors step forward. If you plan with … Read more
The Fram Museum in Oslo is one of those places that surprises even seasoned travelers. Tucked on the museum peninsula at Bygdøy, it houses the original polar ship Fram inside a dramatic A-frame building, with a sister hall showcasing Amundsen’s Gjøa. If you’re curious about Norway’s golden age of exploration, or just want a hands-on … Read more
If you want to taste Norway without leaving one building, Mathallen in Oslo is where you go. Housed in a restored industrial hall along the Akerselva River in the Vulkan area, it’s a lively mix of small eateries, specialty shops, and passionate producers who care about quality. You’ll hear a dozen languages, see families, colleagues, … Read more
Floating saunas in Oslo have turned the inner Oslofjord into a year-round wellness playground. You step from a cedar-scented hot room straight into bracing saltwater, watch ferries glide by, and warm up again while the city skyline glows outside the window. As someone born and raised here, I’ve watched the sauna culture shift from winter … Read more
The Oslo Opera House is one of those places that quietly sneaks up on you. From a distance, it looks like a sheet of ice rising from the fjord; up close, it is a playground of sloping marble and glass where locals and travelers share the same rooftop. Home to the Norwegian National Opera and … Read more
Finding a parking spot in Norway is usually straightforward, but figuring out how to pay can be confusing the first time. Norwegian parking is highly digital, signage is precise, and rules can change from one side of a street to the other. In this guide I will walk you through the apps, machines, zones, and … Read more
Oslo is a compact city stitched together by trams, metro, buses, and ferries, which is wonderful until you turn up by car and wonder where to put it. Parking can feel pricey or puzzling in the center, but with a bit of local know-how you can land a spot that’s fair on the wallet and … Read more
Norway is a multilingual country hiding beneath a deceptively simple outer layer. Most visitors hear Norwegian on the street and English when they need it, but that is only part of the story. We have two official written standards of Norwegian, several indigenous Sami languages, minority languages with legal protection, and a wild collection of … Read more
If you’re headed to Norway and wondering how to get cash, the short version is: you’ll find ATMs when you need them, but you’ll probably use your card most of the time. Norway is one of the most cash-light countries in the world, so the trick isn’t finding money—it’s knowing when cash still helps and … Read more
Norway is a card-first country. From coffee stands in tiny fjord villages to taxi rides in Oslo and lift tickets in the mountains, you can tap or insert a card almost everywhere. Cash is rarely expected. Many shops do not even keep a cash drawer anymore, and staff will look mildly startled if you try … Read more