Ski Jumps and the Scream Painting in Oslo, Norway with Jonathan

I’m really excited to interview Jonathan Verhaeghe of Joney Talks about Oslo, Norway. Jonathan’s tips for the best things to do in Oslo are awesome because they help us explore the culture, diversity, and delicious food of Norway. Although it is cold in the winter, the summer days are long and beautiful so you have extra hours to explore without it getting dark.

Please take a moment to subscribe to our podcast. It is available on all of the major podcast channels, such as Apple Podcasts, Google, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, and iHeartRadio.

Make sure that you visit the National Museum to see the Scream painting. Admission is free.

Oslo, Norway

Oslo is the southern portion of Norway. Norway is one of three Scandinavian countries in the northern section of Europe. Norway is bordered by Sweden, the Norwegian Sea, and the North Sea.

Jonathan says that the best time of year to visit Oslo is from May through August. This way you can enjoy the outdoors and experience all of the outdoor events, such as festivals and concerts.

We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Visit Oslo, the local convention and visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.

When you visit, consider buying the Oslo Pass. It provides free entry to 30 museums and attractions, plus free travel on all public transport, entry to outdoor swimming pools, and walking tours. Passholders also receive discounts at many other attractions and restaurants.

Frogner Park in Oslo. The statues are without clothing.

Best things to do in Oslo

• Aker Brygge Marina (reviews) – The harbour called Aker Brygge is great to spend a sunny afternoon and enjoy a nice outdoor dinner/pleasant walk with an Italian ice cream from Paradis.
• Frogner Park (reviews)
• Holmenkollen Ski Museum (reviews) – Go to Holmenkollen: the ski jump, for breathtaking views of the city.
• Kon-Tiki Museum (reviews)
• Oslo Visitor Center (reviews)
• National Museum (reviews) – I am not a museum person, but the National Gallery is free. You can admire the paining the “scream”.
• The Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (reviews) – Check out the the Norsk Folkemuseum
• Tusenfryd Amusement Park (reviews) – There are more than 30 fun attractions with lots of great games, shops and places to eat. The park has attractions for all ages, including small and large rollercoasters, carousels, log rides, and much more.
• Vigelandsparken (reviews) – Visit the Vigelandsparken, the bizzare statue park.
• Viking Ship Museum (reviews) – Be sure to check out the viking museum

Best places to eat in Oslo

• Aku-Aku Tiki Bar (reviews) – Tasty drinks and good happy specials before 7pm
• Det nye Fisketorget (reviews) – This is where you can try whale sushi
• Dr. Kneipp’s Wine Bar (reviews) – A wine bar with excellent food. Try Entrecote.
• Fiskeriet Youngstorget (reviews) – For frugal people try Fiskeriet in the city center for seafood.
• Lofoten Seahouse (reviews) – Try seafood places around the harbour (Solsiden and Lofoten) expensive but worth it and fresh!
• Lysebu (reviews) – The restaurant in the Lyseby hotel is one of my best souvenirs as well. The breakfast and the lunch was A-MAZING.
• Paradis Gelateria Aker Brygge (reviews) – Grab an Italian ice cream from Paradis while walking along the Aker Bryge harbor on a sunny afternoon.
• Peppes Pizza Aker Brygge (reviews) – Enjoy a slice of pizza while waiting the boats in the marina
• Pizza da Mimmo (reviews) – Villa Paradiso and Pizza da Mimmo have the best pizza in town, tough battle here!
• Radio Løkka (reviews) – great happy specials before 7pm each night
• Restaurant Mother India (reviews) – The best Indian food – anything on the menu is great.
• Solsiden Restaurant (reviews) – Try seafood places around the harbour (Solsiden and Lofoten) expensive but worth it and fresh!
• Tim Wendelboe (reviews) – Jonathan says that he is one of the best baristas in the world.
• Villa Paradiso Frogner (reviews) – Villa Paradiso and Pizza da Mimmo have the best pizza in town, tough battle here!

Best places to stay in Oslo

Here are the best places to stay in Oslo.

• Hotel Bristol (reviews) – As a local I have not slept at many hotels in Oslo, never the less my parents have enjoyed the Bristol hotel
• Lysebu – I have had the chance to sleep at the Lysebu hotel outside the city centre in the Frogner area and I would definitely recommend those places
• Clarion Collection Hotel Gabelshus (reviews) – I have had the chance to sleep at the Clarion hotel in the Frogner area and I would definitely recommend those places.
• Cochs Pension (reviews) – For a tighter budgets, check out airbnb or Cochs Pensjonat or Anker hostel
• Anker Hostel (reviews) – For a tighter budgets, check out airbnb or Cochs Pensjonat or Anker hostel.

Getting around Oslo, Norway

The local airport is Oslo Airport, which is 50 kilometers northeast of the city center. It would take approximately 40 minutes to drive. Or you can take the express train and be there in about 20 minutes. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.

Jonathan says that, if you’re staying downtown, there’s no need to rent a car. Uber Black is available, but the more economical versions are not. The city center can easily be explored by walking or using public transportation. The Oslo Pass provides free travel on all public transportation.

If you need to rent a car, click here for the best offers from Avis, Budget, or Hertz.

If you only need a car for a couple of hours, you can rent by the hour with Zipcar. Join now to get $25 loaded into your account.

Traditional costumes of Norway

Places we talked about on the podcast

Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Jonathan Verhaeghe about Oslo, Norway. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.

• Red dots = best places to eat in Oslo, Norway
• Green dots = best things to do in Oslo, Norway
• Yellow dots = best places to stay in Oslo, Norway

Who is Jonathan Verhaeghe?

Jonathan is a procurement professional who is currently living in Luxembourg. He came to Oslo after finishing his college studies to start his career as an intern for an IT company. Jonathan lived in Oslo for 10 years and loved the outdoors and variety of activities.

In his spare time, Jonathan blogs about personal finance on his website Joney Talks. His website is a blend of personal finance articles, money book reviews, and discussions about blockchain & cryptocurrency (e.g. Bitcoin).

Jonathan at a Norway National Day parade

Here are a couple of articles that he’s written:

• How to figure out the value of your time?
• The one financial lifehack you need to start applying today
• The book I wish I´d read in my 20s

As you can tell, his writing is a valuable resource for anyone that is interested in personal finance and life hacks to improve your money situation.

You can connect with Jonathan Verhaeghe at his website and on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Click here to download our one-page guide of Jonathan’s tips for Oslo.

Big thanks to today’s affiliate partner – CLEAR

Don’t you just hate waiting in line for security at the airport? Me too! Even the PreCheck lines are slammed most of the time.

That’s why I use CLEAR to skip the lines and get to my flight quicker.

For my listeners, I’ve worked out a special deal where you can try CLEAR free for 2 months. This is a limited time offer, so go to WeTravelThere.com/clear to sign up today.

Stay tuned for our next episode

Listen to the next episode when Whitney Hansen of The Money Nerds Podcast floats down the river with us in Boise, Idaho. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.

What’s your favorite part of Oslo, Norway? Let us know in the comment section below or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!

Please take a moment to subscribe to the podcast via Apple Podcasts or Stitcher so you don’t miss the next episode! While you’re at it, give us a rating and Tweet the podcast to your friends.

To see which cities we’ve interviewed and scheduled, please visit WeTravelThere.com/map. If you’d like to be a guest on the show, please submit an application at WeTravelThere.com/guest.

Related episodes

For other interviews in the northern Europe region, please listen to these episodes:

• Island Fortress, Nuuksio National Park & Fiskars Scissors in Helsinki, Finland
• Berlin Wall, Brandenburg Gate & Berghain Night Club in Berlin, Germany
• Mermaid Statue, Tivoli Gardens & Copenhill Skiing in Copenhagen, Denmark