Oslo Cruise Port
Nobel Peace Center
After my brief sojourn in Stockholm, I took an SAS flight to Oslo—a modern metropolis with an intellectual bent. Situated at the head of the 13-mile-long Oslofjord, the sprawling city of more than half a million has, at first sight, a provincial air to it with its generous tracts of green park-like areas and rolling hills that rise around it.
But its city center belies this provincialism with its intellectual air perhaps because of its more than fifty museums, the national university and the Nobel Peace Center where the Peace Prize is chosen. And a vibrant arts scene. After all the country has had some notable writers, artists and composers—Ibsen, Strindberg, Munch, Grieg, This year a radically designed opera house opened to raves and provides a world-class venue for its national opera and ballet companies and visiting ones as well.
New Opera House
A walkable city, Karl Johans Gate is the main avenue and stretches from Oslo’s Central Station passing the Parliament, National Theater and the University to the Royal Palace and on to the seaport—easily an hour’s walk. Along the way observe the cosmopolitan chic of Oslo-ites as they gather at the cafes along the main street and at the seaport.
Oslo was founded in the 11th century by Harald III Hardräde and the Viking settlement progressively grew. It became the capital of Norway by the end of the 13th century and Häkon V built Akershus Fortress to defend the city. In 1348 a plague killed half the population and later Norway was annexed by Denmark which meant that Copenhagen remained Norway’s capital. The city was ravaged by a devastating fire in 1624. It was entirely rebuilt by the Danish king Christian IV near the Akerhus Fortress and renamed Christiania, a name it held until 1925. Following Norway's separation from Denmark (1814) and then from Sweden (1905), the city reverted in 1925 to its original Norwegian name of Oslo.
The first thing one should do upon arriving in Oslo is get an Oslo Pass which affords free entrance to countless museums, and free public transportation to get to them. Guided bus or taxi tours are recommended if you are short on time. I did cover a lot of territory by taking a private bus tour and the “inside” facts provided by the guide on the city’s historic sites were quite informative.
Another great way to see the city from the water is to take a cruise. I took an all-you-can-eat shrimp lunch cruise one day on a lovely refurbished sailing vessel (www.boatsightseeing.com ). There was no paucity of shrimp served onboard
Lunch cruise—lots of shrimp and water views
nor was one cheated of lovely views of the city and the islands that make up Oslo. Tiny getaway cottages used by the locals—with no sanitation or running water—dot the outlying islands that surround the city. Lots of aquatic fowl abound in these waters—perhaps because Oslo is Scandinavia’s sunniest capital with an annual average of nearly 1700 hours of sunshine and in winter has comparable temperatures to that of New York. This was a great way to get a better perspective from the water of what Oslo is all about.
Walking is yet another great way to tour Oslo as it is quite compact and one picks up the moods and flavors of the city. One of my favorite areas was Aker Brygge along the waterfront. The old warehouses have been converted into an ultra modern shopping and entertainment complex with lots of cafes and restaurants, boutiques and a couple of theaters.
The vitality of the neighborhood is especially evident at night when visitors and residents alike converge to have fun. This was especially evident when I dined at Klaipass 10, a converted fishing vessel specializing in seafood. When I ate there on a rainy evening, I had the specials: seared scallops with a pureed pea and red pepper colis appetizer, and salmon with risotto beautifully presented. A lemon tart with chocolate sauce complemented the dinner.
A few minutes walk away from Aker Brygge is the Nobel Peace Center (www.nobelpeacecenter.org ). When I visited one afternoon, a wonderful exhibition—The Places We Live—showing four urban slums selected by geographical location that challenges viewers to reflect on what it means to live in a
2007 recipients of the Peace Prize
city in the 21st century, was my introduction to the center. An extensive walk through the center gives the history of the Peace Prize and the backgrounds of the laureates, which can be quite inspiring to the viewer. Be sure to view the interactive book on the life of the peace prize founder Alfred Nobel that tells of his inventions and travels, and his commitment to peace through text, images, animations and sound as you guide your finger around the pages.
After spending time at the Center, I hopped on a ferry to Bygdøy peninsula to visit three more museums. The first was the Kon Tiki Museum (www.kon-tiki.no ) devoted to Norway’s Thor Heyerdahl who in 1947 sailed from Peru to Polynesia in a
Heyerdahl’s raft of balsa wood
raft made of balsa wood which he named the Kon Tiki. It was an exact replica of those made by South American Indians prior to the Inca era and is the central focus of the museum’s display. Heyerdahl’s Ra II boat made of papyrus that he used to cross the Atlantic from Safi in Morocco to Barbados is also on display.
The Fram Museum (www.fram.museum.no) presents the original polar ship Fram built for the Norwegian explorer Fridtjof Nansen to explore the North Pole. Leaving
The original Fram
Norway in 1893, the Fram reached the latitude of 86 degrees north and was immobilized by ice during three successive winters. The Fram also took Roald Amundsen to the Antarctic—the first man ever to reach the South Pole. (Today, a modern version of the Fram with 21st century creature comforts sails the oceans. Owned by the Hurtigruten cruise company, the Fram operates expeditionary cruises to both poles.)
The Maritime Museum/Norsk Sjofartsmuseum (www.norsk-sjofartsmuseum.no) houses various collections of ship models, paintings, and various archeological findings. It also displays the polar vessel Gjoa in which Roald Amundsen sailed through the Northwest Passage in between 1903 and 1906.
Another museum also located on Bygdov is the Norwegian Folk Museum (www.norskfolke.museum.no ), the first stop on the ferry boat I was on. It capsulates Norwegian cultural history as far back as medieval times. Considered one of the oldest open-air museums in the world, established in 1894, it comprises some 150 buildings of varying architectural designs, including the Gol stave Church pretty much the same as when it was built in the 13th century.
Also on Brydøy is the Viking Ship Museum (www.khm.uio.no) that I had visited the previous day on a bus tour. It houses the contents of three remarkably preserved Viking vessels that were discovered around the Oslofjord between1867 and 1904.
Viking burial vessel
The vessels were found in burial mounds where they had been placed more than a millennium before—a common practice in Viking times. The museum also displays the artifacts from the unearthed graves which represented the worldly holdings of the buried person. As you enter the museum, bilingual informative descriptions of Viking traditions and history that provide a good introduction to Viking life.
Vigeland Park (www.vigeland.museum.no ) was another of the main stops my bus tour made and it was truly an unforgettable experience. This formal 80-acre park was designed by native sculptor Gustav Vigeland (1869-1943), who worked on the project for four decades but died a year before completion. There are 227 monumental nude sculptures alluding to man’s destiny from birth to death. Along the walkway to a massive fountain, massive bronze sculptures of men, women and children are caught in different scenes of daily life, some of it horrifying. Beyond the sculptured fountain one walks up a terraced embankment to a central phallic-shaped monolith sculpted with massive intertwined figures climbing up
Massive column depicting mankind’s struggle
the column frantically trying to reach the top, symbolizing life’s struggle. Just outside the park, is the Vigeland Museum—the sculptor’s former studio house where he lived and worked while creating the park. It contains his drawings, plaster casts and the moulds for the park sculpture.
Time to see all the other museums or historic sites was running out. I missed the National Gallery of Art, Architecture & Design (www.nationalmuseum.no ) which has two rooms devoted to Edward Munch (The Scream); and the Munch Museum (www.munch.museum.no ) housing much of the artists works. Nor did I see the modern art center—the Henie-Onstad Kunstscenter (www.hok.no ). Located about five miles southwest of the city at Hovikodden, it was created in 1968 by three-time Olympic Gold Medalist skater Sonja Henie and her shipowner husband Niels Omstadt to house their impressive collection of 300 international works of art.
I briefly visited the the 13th century AkerhusCastle/Fortress (www.akershusfestning.no) that today looks more like a renovated Renaissance castle bearing traces of the original medieval fortress
Akerhus castle and fortress
overlooking the fjord and just above the cruise ship dock. Within the fortress walls is Norway’s Resistance Museum (www.nhm.mil.no) that recounts the strategic role the Resistance played in during World War II when Nazi forces occupied Norway.
On my way back to the hotel after my ferry ride to Bygdøy peninsula, I passed by the impressive red-bricked twin-towered City Hall (www.rft.oslo.kommune.no) overlooking Oslo’s harbor. Its interior is devoted to Norwegian modern art
City Hall and plaza with Vigeland scuplture
and it is here that the Peace Prize is awarded each December 10. And more Vigeland sculptures grace the plaza in front of the building where during my visit there was a King’s Guards review.
Also along my walk was the Royal Palace (www.kongehuset.no ) on Karl Johans
The Royal Palace
Gate built in the mid-1800s and the residence of the Royal Family. It sits close to Norway’s Parliament building (www.Stortinget.no ). Guided tours are offered during the summer at the palace and the changing of the Kings’s Guards takes place daily at 1:30 pm at the Royal Palace.
A special highlight during my stay was a tour of the newly opened Opera House (www.operaen.no ) located next to the Central Rail Station. Housing Norway’ national opera, theater and ballet companies, its radical design of glass, granite and marble stands out starkly. Inside the large mishapen building, local artists, including notable
Walking to the top for a water view—and perhaps a sun tan
sculptor Olaf Eliasson, have contributed to the décor of the opera house’s light oak interior. The massive building has three stages, workshops and rehearsal halls and uses advanced stage technology—16 elevators on the main stage can be moved up and down independently for set changes. Outside, visitors can walk on the slanted building’s exterior to the top for some great views of the city and waterfront—and a great tan on sunny days.
For my final evening in Oslo, I dined at the Holmenkollen restaurant (www.holmenkollen-restaurant.oslo.no just below the famous Holmenkollen ski jump. Only minutes away from the center of the city, this area was the scene of the 1952 Olympics; today the area is still used for important international ski competitions. At the ski jump, which will be torn down this fall and replaced with a modern one for the 2011 Nordic World Ski Championships, there is a an overall view of Oslo and its surroundings. A Skiing Museum detailing the history of the winter sport is also on the premises. As for the restaurant it is charming and offers native rustic food in cozy surroundings with great views.
Oslo is a likeable city and a fun one to explore. Hopefully, the city port will bring in more turnaround cruises in the near future so that passengers can have a longer pre- or post-cruise stay to explore the city’s many delights.
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Getting There
SAS Scandinavian Airlines provides inter-Europe and international flights to Oslo Airport Gardermoen (www.osl.no ), which is about 32 miles north of the city. Convenient airport express trains run frequently to Oslo that takes about 20 minutes. Bus and taxi services are also available. The only US airline directly servicing Oslo at this time is Continental Airlines out of New York/Newark Airport.
Ferries also bring in passengers from other European countries, such as the UK, continental Europe and points north. Many of the trips are overnight on passenger ferries that resemble cruise ships.
There’s a good railroad system in Scandinavia. For more information with regard to travel to Norway, visit www.nsb.no or visit Rail Europe www.raileurope.com for the rail pass, purchased in North America. It offers special rates on travel in Scandinavia.
Getting Around
A wise investment is the Oslo Pass (http://www.visitoslo.com/en/the-oslo-pass.49104.en.html ). It provides free travel on all public transport including the
island ferries, free admission to museums and sights, discount admission to Tusenfryd Amusement Park and many cultural venues. The Oslo Pass is valid for 24, 48 or 72 hours with varying rates for adults and children (15 years old and under). Available at three tourist information offices in Oslo; one by the Central Station (open 365 days a year), one by City Hall and one at the cruise ship terminal (open when cruise ships call). Pass comes with a handy pocket-sized guide.
Pick up a copy of “What’s On Oslo” booklet put out by the Oslo tourist board that gives helpful information on Oslo and scheduled events in the city. Available at the Oslo Tourism Centers located by the Oslo City Hall and at the Oslo Central Rail Station as well as at hotels, the cruise center and the airport.
tourist centers, hotels, the airport and the rail station.
Guided Tours
For narrated bus or boat tours of Oslo, check out Batservice Sightseeing. Website www.boatsightseeing.com .
Hotels
Radisson SAS Plaza Hotel www..radissonsas.com Located close to the Airport
Express Train station and the new Opera House on Sonja Henie Plaza, it is Norway’s largest hotel and tallest with 37 floors. It has a roof top restaurant and bar, while its rooms offer sweeping views of the city. Easily accessible by foot or taxi to Oslo’s city center
Grand Hotel ( http://www.grand.no/en/introduksjon.asp). This five-star hotel first
opened its doors in 1874. Located at Karl Johans Gate 31, the hotel has been extended and modernized over the years, and today it has 290 rooms, including 52 suites, 15 conference rooms, and a number of restaurants and bars.
Grims Grenka Hotel www.grimsgrenka.no. Located near Akerhus this ultramodern designed hotel offers off-beat spacious accommodations. The 42-room, 24 suites hotel has a rooftop garden but it is the funky Ghost Lounge that is a new hot spot for Oslo’s nightlife scene. Check out its ginger lemon grass martinis.
Sightseeing
If you are short on time, best to take a guided tour by bus, which usually lasts three hours and provides a well-grounded intro to the city. Or you could take a cruise of varying lengths for a water perspective, or a combination of both. Batservice Sightseeing (http://www.boatsightseeing.com/ ) is one I recommend for both land and water tours.
Currency
The Norwegian krone (NOK)
Oslo Cruise Port
A major cruise stop, cruise ships navigate the 75-mile-long Oslofjord on the Aker
Sondre Akerhus quay with City Hall and Aker Bryyne to the left
River to Oslo. The city will see 153 cruise calls this season that now extends to December and an estimated 220,000 cruise visitors. Approximately 65 percent of the passengers are on Baltic cruises, and 35 percent are on Norwegian (fjord/North Cape) cruises.
Oslo has three dedicated cruise quays, the main one being the Sondre Akerhus quay near City Hall which can accommodate the larger ships. The other quays are Revierkai—better known as the Opera Quay—which is temporarily closed and is expected to reopen in 2009; and Vippetangen, next to Sondre Akerhus. All three are within working distance of city center. Occasionally, the container piers Sorenga in the eastern harbor area and Filipstad are utilized to handle cruise ships.
While there is no formal cruise terminal, a building at Sondre Akerhus serves as the tax free shopping center for passengers and provides tourist information. Port authorities would like to attract more turnaround cruises to Oslo and is looking into the feasibility of adding more cruise piers and building a proper cruise terminal for turnarounds in the future. A few short turnaround cruises were scheduled this year and in 2007, and the port put up a large tent at Sørenga to handle security, luggage and check in of passengers. The makeshift facility worked very well and RCCL has announced seven turnarounds in Oslo in 2009.
Satisfaction runs high with cruise passengers coming into the city, especially with the current three piers only a short walk to Oslo’s attractions. Website www.oslocruise.com
Helpful Websites:
Visit Oslo www.visitoslo.com
Visit Norway www.visitnorway.com
Oslo Cruise Port; www.oslocruise.com
Cruise Baltic www.cruisebaltic.com
Photos by PW Mooney and courtesy of Visit Oslo
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More information on Scandinavia at
Stockholm
Port of Stockholm
Copenhagen
Port of Copenhagen
