3 Day Oslo Itinerary For First Time Visitors

Last Updated on 9th May 2024

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Oslo is one of the most unique capital cities in Europe and it’s the perfect all-year-round city break. We visited Oslo for three days in February when it was still the height of winter and the whole city was covered in snow, which made it one of the most picturesque city breaks I’ve ever enjoyed.

If you’re planning a trip to the Norwegian capital city and you’re wondering how many days should you spend in Oslo, or you’re just looking for a good winter city break idea, I’ve got you covered in my ultimate guide below about how to spend 3 days in Oslo Norway for the ultimate Oslo city break!

OSLO TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Flights: Kiwi.com
Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld
Transport: Flixbus
Activities/tours: Get Your Guide / Viator
Travel insurance: SafetyWing
Reviews: TripAdvisor
My backpacking essentials: Amazon

How to get to Oslo

We flew to Oslo from Manchester Airport in February 2019 and we managed to get super cheap plane tickets in the Black Friday sale, just a few months before our trip.

You can find flights to Oslo from the UK for as little as £20 return, even if you book last minute and you can be super flexible with your travel dates.

Find flights to Oslo here.

Getting around in Oslo

Oslo is a very walkable city and if you’ve got three days in Oslo, you can almost certainly see it all on foot.

If you want to visit some of the islands (more on that below), you can book a Sightseeing Cruise through Oslo’s Fjords which takes you on a round-trip excursion around the city’s waterways. This is an awesome way to see more of the city and its surrounding fjords and islands and for less than £35 per person, it’s a pretty affordable option, too.

Book a Sightseeing Cruise in Oslo here.

Alternatively, the Oslo 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus is also a great way to get around the city as it takes you to some of the best sights, including The Vigeland Sculpture Park, The National Opera House and The Viking Ship Museum.

Hop-on Hop-off buses are one of my favourite ways to explore a new city as not only do you get transported around the city while seeing all the best sights, but the onboard guide is also incredibly knowledgeable and you learn so much along the way!

Book your Oslo 24-Hour Hop-On Hop-Off Sightseeing Bus ticket here.

Where to stay in Oslo – 3 day itinerary

We spent 3 nights in Oslo at the Forenom Serviced Apartments which was a great place to stay in the city. They’re pretty centrally located so if you want to walk around the city on your 3-day itinerary in Oslo, you won’t have too much issue doing so.

Find somewhere to stay in Oslo here and check hotel reviews in Oslo here!

Booking.com

The best things to do in Oslo in 3 days

We spent pretty 3 full days in Oslo and technically almost 4 days as we arrived just after lunchtime on Friday and didn’t fly home until Monday night so we had plenty of time to explore the Norwegian capital.

If you’re looking for a jam-packed city break, then I think you can visit Oslo and experience pretty much everything it has to offer over three or four days.

If you’re wondering “is 3 days enough in Oslo?”, I’ve got you covered in my ultimate guide below all about what to do in Oslo, Norway in three days!

Royal Palace & Park – 3 day Oslo itinerary

Your 3 days in Oslo winter itinerary should begin with a visit to the Royal Palace for a wander around the picturesque grounds.

We arrived in Oslo just after lunchtime and couldn’t check in to our apartment until after 4 PM so we grabbed a bite to eat at a restaurant called Pizza Crudo, and then headed to the Royal Palace for a wander around the snow-covered grounds.

The inside of the palace is only open to the public during the summer months, but it was also just utterly perfect to wander around the gardens and the park surrounding the palace; there were areas where the snow was totally untouched and it looked so magical!

Read more: Where To Eat And Drink In Oslo, Norway – Ultimate Oslo Food Guide.

Karl Johans Gate

Karl Johans Gate is the main street running through the city of Oslo and is home to a plethora of shops, restaurants and cafes.

Despite it being the main street in Oslo and pretty much running all the way from the Royal Palace to Oslo Central Station, it was actually remarkably quiet. In most capital cities, you expect hundreds and even thousands of tourists to be swarming the main areas but Karl Johans Gate was pleasantly quiet.

Aker Brygge – what to see in Oslo in 3 days

Aker Brygge was actually our favourite neighbourhood in Oslo; it’s home to so many places to eat, numerous shopping malls and plentiful views of the sea and islands in the distance.

According to many blog posts I’ve read, Aker Brygge gets incredibly busy during the summer months and it’s not hard to see why; it’s such a stunning place with the sea, pier and many shops and restaurants.

You can also catch a number of ferries that will take you around Oslo Fjord and to various islands located close by. We ate in Aker Brygge a couple of times and we may have also looked in a few estate agents’ windows to get a feel for how much we’d be paying for a rooftop apartment overlooking the fjord…

Nobel Peace Center

The Nobel Peace Center is a museum dedicated entirely to the Nobel Peace Prize. There are numerous exhibitions, guided tours and events that you can visit and enjoy inside the Center.

During our time in Oslo, we did go inside the Nobel Peace Center building (and have a hot chocolate!) but we didn’t actually walk around the museum.

The building itself is beautiful and imposing and resides just before the bustling area of Aker Brygge, with views straight out onto the harbour.

The Oslo Pass is a great purchase during your time in the city as it grants you access to more than 30 museums and attractions in Oslo, including the Nobel Peace Center. You can purchase a 24, 48, or 72-hour pass which gives you the chance to explore some of Oslo’s top sights.

Book the Oslo Pass here.

Oslo City Hall – 3-day Oslo itinerary

When we first saw the Oslo City Hall, I honestly didn’t pay too much attention to it; while it’s impressive in size, its exterior architecture isn’t particularly attractive.

However, once you wander inside (free entry), you’re sure to be captivated by the stunning works of art surrounding the walls in the main hall.

It would have been good to explore more of City Hall but there was a wedding going on just as we went in so we were prohibited from seeing more of it.

Stortinget Parliament

The Storting is the Norwegian Parliament, with its headquarters located right in the centre of Oslo.

The parliament building is beautiful and could even pass for some kind of palace, it’s so beautiful and grand.

There are guided tours inside the parliament building but only from 16th February until 15th June so we just missed out when we visited Oslo but I’m sure it’s well worth doing as it’d be fascinating to learn more about the Norwegian Parliament.

Akershus Fortress

This medieval castle dates all the way back to the 1200s and most of the fortress still remains in pristine condition.

Akershus Fortress is free to walk around the complex itself, with free tickets available to go inside the buildings. You can also get guided tours of the complex during the summer (a lot of things are closed in the winter).

The Oslo Pass also grants you access to explore Akershus Castle, as well as many other attractions in the city, including the Museum of Oslo, the Fram Museum and the Kon-Tiki Museum.

Most of the fortress was also still covered in snow so it made it look even more impressive and mysterious when we visited.

Get the Oslo Pass here for entry to 30+ attractions and sights in the city.

Oslo Opera House Rooftop

Climbing up to the roof of the Oslo Opera House is no easy feat at any time of year but during the winter with huge piles of snow everywhere was certainly a mighty task!

Thankfully, it was entirely worth it for the remarkable views of the city. You can spend a good half an hour wandering around the rooftop, admiring the city below from different angles.

As there was so much snow on the ground of the roof, Matt and I thought it entirely appropriate to indulge in a snowball fight which was so much fun!

The Barcode Project – 3 day Oslo itinerary

Completed in 2016, these brand-new, modern high-rise buildings are built upon a former dock and industrial land in the centre of Oslo.

While there’s not exactly much to do around this particular area, it’s still worth having a nosy at the relatively new buildings as they make for a good Insta shot!

Admire the ‘She Lies’ sculpture

You can catch a glimpse of the ‘She Lies’ “floating” sculpture from the top of the Oslo Opera House.

While the sculpture isn’t actually floating, from a distance it would appear that your eyes deceive you and it looks like huge shards of glass floating in the water.

Island Hopping

Our island-hopping adventure in Oslo was actually a spur-of-the-moment decision; we planned to go to Hovedøya Island anyway, but we thought we’d just head straight there on a ferry rather than sailing around numerous other islands in the fjord too.

It turns out that booking a Sightseeing Cruise was one of the best decisions of our whole trip as it really was otherworldly to sail around the likes of Lindøya east and west and Nakholmen.

The views from our little ferry were like out of a scene in a book or a movie and the postcard-perfect islands made for the most idyllic pictures. I imagine that island hopping around the Oslo fjord at any time of the year would be incredible but there really was something so magical and mystical about seeing the different islands covered in snow.

Book a Sightseeing Cruise through Oslo’s Fjords here.

Hovedøya Island – 3 day Oslo itinerary

Our stop off on Hovedøya island was arguably my favourite thing that we did during our entire visit to Oslo.

We were the only ones on the island (not entirely true – there are a few people who live on the island, but we didn’t see another person while we were there apart from when we went to catch the ferry back) and the whole place was like a scene out of Game of Thrones.

It had such a unique and slightly eerie feel to it, especially around the ruins of the Cistercian monastery which dates back to 1147!

Matt and I spent ages frolicking around the ruins and with absolutely everything covered in snow, it really was one of the most beautiful and surreal places I’ve ever visited. I even teared up at one point as I was just so overwhelmed that somewhere so amazing existed!

A trip to Hovedøya should definitely be on your list of things to do in Oslo; if you visit in the summer months you’ll also be able to make use of the cafe located on the island. However, if you’d prefer to see the island in a more serene and peaceful state then definitely consider visiting in winter!

Vigeland Sculpture Park

Vigeland Sculpture Park was the most recommended place to visit in Oslo when I was doing my research before our trip.

However, the day that we visited, it was absolutely lashing it down with rain which meant our experience was ruined somewhat. It was actually remarkably hard trampling through melting ankle-deep snow and getting soaked from the rain.

From what we did see of the sculptures created by Gustav Vigeland however, we were pretty impressed.

Also known as Frogner Park, Vigeland Park is the world’s largest sculpture park containing the work of one single artist. It’s home to Vigeland’s lifework and features more than 200 sculptures made from different metals.

There are also various parts of the park to explore including the children’s playground, the bridge and the fountain; we barely made it past the main gate, however, as the entire park was covered in sludgy snow and lashing rain. I’d love to go back and visit properly in the summer months though!

Damstredet og Telthusbakken

This is potentially one of the smallest “tourist attractions” in the whole of Oslo but one that I’d definitely recommend visiting anyway, especially if you’re looking to snap some adorable pictures during your 3 days in Oslo.

The cobblestone avenues are home to wooden houses that are painted in a plethora of striking colours. Damstredet og Telthusbakken was covered in a smattering of snow when we visited but that didn’t dampen the aesthetic at all; if anything, it made it look even more alluring.

There are still people living in these houses, however, so if you’re heading for a visit (and a sneaky Instagram photoshoot) just remember to be respectful of the houses and surrounding properties.

Fram Museum – 3 day Oslo itinerary

The Fram Museum is the most popular museum in Oslo, closely followed by the likes of the Viking Ship Museum, National Museum of Art and the Kon-Tiki Museum.

All of these museums can be visited when using the Oslo Pass and if you’re visiting Oslo for three days, the 72-hour pass is the perfect option as it gives you three full days of exploring the city’s top sights and attractions.

I’m not really one for museums and whenever we go to a new city, we only pay a visit to the museums if they’re free as oftentimes they just don’t captivate my attention. I’m glad we did pay to visit this museum, however, as it was such an intriguing experience.

The Fram Museum tells the story of the Norwegian polar expedition and exploration. It essentially tells the stories of the thousands of men who’ve attempted to explore the poles, with more detailed recounts of the men who were actually successful and explored the north and south pole that we know today.

To get to the Fram Museum, you can take the bus or ferry from the City Hall harbour which will take you directly to Bygdøy.

Individual tickets to the Fram Museum:

• Adults: 140kr (£12.20)
• Children and students: 50kr (£4.40)

Purchase the Oslo Pass here for entry to 30+ museums and attractions in Oslo.

Admire the sea views from Bygdøy

Bygdøy is the place where numerous museums such as the Fram and Kon-Tiki reside and we didn’t even realise before we visited, but it’s also home to the most spectacular views of Oslo fjord.

This was also probably one of my favourite places in Oslo as the views of the sea and surrounding islands were ever so magical.

As the sun was shining brightly down on the sea, it cast picturesque shadows over everything and made the little “beach” light up brilliantly. If you make your way to one of the museums, make sure you leave enough time to wander around the shores of Bygdøy; you certainly won’t regret it!

Spikersuppa Rink – 3 day Oslo itinerary

Ice skating on Spikersuppa Rink was actually the very last thing we did in Oslo before catching our flight home and I’m so glad we managed to squeeze it in.

The rink is located in the middle of Karl Johans Gate, somewhere between the National Theatre and the parliament building and offers professional, beginner and inexperienced skaters the opportunity to whizz around the ice.

There were various people on the rink of all abilities when we visited, but it never, ever seemed to get too busy, which really is a relief if you’re not a confident and comfortable skater!

It’s open every day in winter from around 11 am until 9 pm, from November until March and is a great way to spend an hour or two in central Oslo.

You can hire skates from the Spikersuppa Rink pavilion for 150kr (£13) per day or you can bring your own skates and enjoy frolicking on the ice completely free of charge!

Spending 3 days in Oslo is easy enough if you have a detailed itinerary and a plan of the things you want to see/do so I hope this travel guide to Oslo has given you plenty of inspiration!

Don’t forget to buy travel insurance before you travel to Oslo!

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Have you ever been to the beautiful capital of Norway? Would you add anything else to this 3 days in Oslo itinerary? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter at @imjustagirl_16.