A day in Oslo
(Want to download the full guide to your Smartphone? Download it from GuidePal City Guides.)See & Do
The Munch Museum
(c) Medioimages/Photodisc
A vast collection of work by Norway's most famous artist
Word to the wise: Get there early and head straight for 'The Scream' to appreciate it in solitude before the crowds gather.
The expressionist painter Munch, who worked in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, is Norway's most celebrated artist. The Munch Museum in Tøyen – a bohemian district favoured by students and immigrant communities – houses well over half his entire output, including versions of 'The Sick Child', 'Madonna' and 'Puberty'.But the star attraction is undoubtedly the Museum's version of 'The Scream'. The painting's tortured figure – one of the most reproduced and parodied in Western art - stands against a backdrop of the Oslo Fjord. Stolen by armed robbers in 2004, the painting was returned two years later and underwent extensive restoration before finally being put back on display in 2008.
Fee: Free with Oslo Pass
Adult: NOK 95, Senior (67+)/Student: NOK 50, Child (0-16): Free
Oct 1-Dec 30: Free
Open Hours: Oct 4-Dec 30: Mon: Closed
Tue, Wed, Fri-Sat: 10am – 4pm
Thu: 10am – 8pm
Sun: 10am – 5pm
See webpage for Christmas period/other dates
9-19 Jan, 16-26 Apr 2012: Closed during exhibition change
Address: Tøyengata 53
Phone: +47 23 49 35 00
Munch Museum's webpage
See & Do
Vigelandsparken
A fascinating outdoor art experience
Word to the wise: If you want to see more of Vigeland's work, don't miss the Vigeland Museum - it houses almost his entire output of sculptures, drawings and woodcuts.
Talk of the town: It took carvers 14 years to turn Vigeland's clay prototype of 'The Monolith' into granite.
Fee: Free Address: Nobels gate 32 Phone: +47 23 49 37 00
Know the City
Telthusbakken
Fairytale street brimming with history
Noteworthy for: The teenage Edvard Munch depicted Telthusbakken in a series of watercolors.
Talk of the town: The inhabitants of Telthusbakken publish their own newspaper.
To get here head to Vår frelsers gravlund, a 10 to 15 minute walk from Stortinget and Karl Johans gate. Telthusbakken is to the east of the cemetery.
Address: Telthusbakken Telthusbakken's webpage
Shopping
Freudian Kicks
Exclusive streetwear boutique
Talk of the town: Freudian Kicks is not your ordinary clothes store; it regularly hosts changing exhibitions of contemporary painting and photography, and it sometimes transforms into a nightclub.
One of Oslo's few truly independent fashion stores, Freudian Kicks is a streetwear boutique located in a district famous for its galleries and museums. It stocks casual clothing for men and women, with a focus on clean, subtle designs from brands such as Acne, Cheap Monday and its own eponymous label. The store has obviously been influenced by its neighbors – with a bright, airy space that looks more like a contemporary art gallery than a clothes store.
Open Hours: Mon-Fri: 11am - 7pm
Sat: 11am - 5pm
Address: Prinsensgate 10B
Phone: +47 22 42 93 00
Freudian Kicks' webpage
Shopping
Tante Guri
Arty gadgets and design items galore
Word to the wise: Nearby Kampen Park is a great spot for a picnic or afternoon stroll.
Talk of the town: Look out for Edward, the shop's basset hound.
Open Hours: Thu-Sun: 10am - 6pm Address: Sons gate 7, Kampen Tante Guri's webpage
Restaurants
Fiskeriet
Oslo's freshest seafood, served simply and quickly
Word to the wise: Fiskeriet's webpage has a handy calender to show what seafood is in season.
The famous Erling Moe fishmonger was an Oslo institution for over 70 years. Now it's home to Fiskeriet, a bar, restaurant and take-out that is serious about fish. For a quick fix of the freshest seafood, take a seat at the matbaren and watch as the expert chefs prepare fishcakes, fish soup, bacalao or sashimi while you wait.The real star of the show, however, is the fish and chips: market-fresh haddock encased in crispy batter, served with chunky slabs of fried potato.
Price sample: Fish and chips: NOK 79-119
Bacalao: NOK 99-159
Open Hours: Restaurant, Mon-Wed: 10am - 6pm
Thu-Fri: 10am – 8pm
Sat: 11am – 6pm
Fishing shop, Mon-Fri: 10am – 6pm
Sat: 10am – 4pm
Address: Youngstorget 2b
Phone: +47 22 42 45 40
Fiskeriet's webpage
Restaurants
Restaurant Ylajali
One of Norway's best fine dining restaurants
Word to the wise: The set menu can take up to four hours to get through, so make sure you have plenty of time.
Named for the enigmatic character in Knut Hamsun's book 'Hunger' – and housed in the 19th century apartments where the novel is set - Ylajali was once a popular but unremarkable neighborhood restaurant. Then chef Even Ramsvik took over - and today it stands as one of the best fine dining restaurants in Norway.Ylajali's modernist Nordic-influenced cuisine is best appreciated through the eight course tasting menu. And for the complete Ylajali experience, the restaurant's sommelier will match each course with a different wine.
Price sample: Six to eight course set menu: NOK 850-1,050
Wine packages are available with set menu
Open Hours: Restaurant, Mon-Sat: 5.30pm - 9pm (last reservation)
Matbaren, Mon-Sat: 5pm - 10pm
Matbaren is closed until 1 May 2012
Address: St. Olavs plass 2
Phone: +47 22 20 64 86
Ylajali's webpage
Restaurants
Lofoten Fiskerestaurant
One of Oslo's few exceptional fish restaurants
Popular plate: For guaranteed seasonality and variety, go for the chef's five course set menu.
For a harbor city, Oslo offers surprisingly few first-rate fish restaurants, but Lofoten is certainly one of them. Situated on the seafront in the bustling Aker Brygge development - a short walk from Karl Johans gate - Lofoten offers deftly-executed seafood dishes at top-end prices.The regularly changing menu of French-influenced classics makes use of the freshest fish from local markets and usually includes one or two traditional Nordic dishes, such as lutefisk - Norwegian salt cod - or preserved trout.
Price sample: Three to five course set menu: NOK 450-595
Main course: NOK 198-445
Open Hours: Mon-Sat: 11am - 11pm
Sun: 12noon - 10pm
Address: Stranden 75
Phone: +47 22 83 08 08
Lofoten Fiskerestaurant's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Bar Babylon
Friendly neighborhood bar with great music
Word to the wise: Bar Babylon deserves its "hidden gem" label – look for the big brown door around the corner from the Tekehtopa Café.
At Bar Babylon the emphasis is on having fun, not on being seen. Its informal, sometimes anarchic, atmosphere appeals to a friendly crowd of all ages. There are DJs every Friday and Saturday playing a truly eclectic selection of soul and hip-hop, with live bands once a month. The easy-going bar staff serve a range of drinks and cocktails, which are best enjoyed in the open-air courtyard.
Price sample: Beer: NOK 39-63
Age: 20
Open Hours: Tue-Wed: 4pm - 1.30am
Thu-Sat: 4pm - 3.30am
Address: St Olavs plass 2
Phone: + 47 22 20 33 23
Bar Babylon's webpage
Bars & Nightlife
Onkel Donald Ute
A downtown summer oasis
Popular plate: Anything from the barbecue is recommended, but the Cajun entrecôte with grilled vegetables and smoky BBQ sauce is particularly good.
Located right in front of the National Theatre, the open-air Onkel Donald Ute is where Oslo's fashionable young things come to escape the commotion of the city. With its soft sofas, pillows and parasols, it's the perfect spot for a relaxing drink in the sun, but things get livelier in the evenings when DJs play Balearic-tinged dance music. The bar serves a good – though somewhat overpriced - selection of beers, wine and cocktails, while food comes courtesy of an expertly-manned barbecue.
Price sample: Grilled burger: NOK 165
Open Hours: May-Sep, Mon-Thu: 3pm - 12midnight
Fri: 3pm - 3am
Sat: 11am - 3am
Barbecue opens 4pm daily, kitchen closes at 10pm
Address: Universitetsgaten 26
Phone: +47 23 35 63 10
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