Scandinavia capitals by Eurail Select Pass: Oslo
Scandinavia truly stands apart from the rest of Europe and is a great reason to buy a Eurail select pass to explore its countries. Scandinavia is made up of Norway, Sweden, Finland and Denmark and with a select pass you can plan your trip around this beautiful region. I’m going to give you some popular tourist attractions if you decide to stop in Oslo. This is the capital and largest city in Norway, and is also the major cultural, scientific, economic and governmental center. It gets well below freezing in the winter, but hovers in the mid-20s (Celsius) during the summer. The summer months are quite warm considering how north Norway is and a great time to visit, which also comes with very long sunny days to enjoy.
Holmenkollen is the world’s most famous ski jump arenas and one of Oslo’s top attractions.. It was actually built in the 19th century, but received large upgrades in 1952 for the Winter Olympic Games. Holmenkollen sits at over 1000 feet above sea level, with the actual ski-jump another 200 feet above that, providing spectacular 360 views of the area. The history of skiing in Norway goes back an impressive 4000 years, and you can take it all in at their skiing museum. These attractions are open year round.
The Royal Palace still has its kings and queens and this is where they reside. The Royal Palace was built in 1824 as the residence of Charles III with extensive renovations in the 1990s by King Harald V, the current monarch. The palace, situated on a small rise at the end of Karl Johansgate, Oslo’s principal artery, is open for public tours during the summer months, June-August.
The Vigeland Sculpture Park is situated within Frogner Park and is known for its wealth of granite and bronze sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, one of Norway’s most famous sculptors. There are more than 200 Vigeland sculptures here, and there is also a museum with Vigeland’s work located just across from the park, open to the public Tuesday to Sunday year-round.
The National Museum of Art is home to one of the world’s most famous paintings: Edvard Munch’s Skrik, also known as The Scream. This museum holds extensive collections of both Norwegian and International art. Note this museum has free admission.
Munch Museum is devoted to Norway’s most famous artist, Edvard Munch, one of the pioneers of Expressionism. This museum has hundreds of Munch’s paintings, which he donated.
The Oseberg Viking Ship Museum houses three of the world’s best-preserved Viking ships. The ships are more than 1,100 years old and were found nearly a century ago near Oslo. The museum also features all kinds of Viking artifacts and history.
Oslo’s Opera House was completed in 2008, making it a new $700 million addition to the city that is a must-see. It is made of granite and 36,000 slabs of white marble. It is partially submerged in the sea, appearing like a massive sheet of ice, with its angular slabs, like giant ski slopes, surprising at every level. The opera house is home to both the Norwegian National Opera and the Norwegian Ballet.
Akershus Fortress, also known as Akershus Castle, is important part of Oslo’s history. It was originally built as a royal residence in the 14th century by King Hakon V, when Oslo first became the capital of Norway. It was rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the early 17th century by King Christian IV, when a fire destroyed much of the city. Today, you can tour both parts of Akershus: Akershus Slottet, which is the castle itself, and Akershus Festning, the area surrounding the castle.
Oslo City Hall’s claim to fame is it’s the location where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year on December 10, being the only Nobel Prize to be presented outside Nobel’s home country of Sweden. It also offers a great view of the harbour.
Oslo Parliament is worth a stop for new visitors to the city. It is a unique 19th-century neo-Romanesque building was designed by Swedish architect Emil Victor Langle in 1866.
So if you are visiting the Scandinavian region, the Eurail select pass is a perfect way to traverse this majestic country while taking in the sights, at an affordable price. Hope you enjoyed this tourist itinerary of Olso, Norway.
Click on the links below to learn about other train tours to Scandinavian capitals:
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