Post- Justin C. Blomgren

Hey everyone! This week I've decided to jump back in time to the Scandinavian vacation Harper and I took this past spring. I've been meaning to blog some tips from each city we visited, but so far I've only written a brief travel guide for Stockholm. Nevertheless, I'm back on it, and this week I'm bringing you my Top 5 Things to do in Oslo!

1. Stroll Along Aker Brygge/ Astrup Fernley Museum of Modern Art

Aker Brygge is a cute neighborhood/ shopping area located a little west of downtown Oslo on the waterfront. There were a lot of things we loved about the city of Oslo, but one of the main things was how easy it was to walk around. Oslo is actually quite small, which made it very easy to navigate and explore. We loved strolling along the water, and our first evening we caught the most stunning sunset over the beautiful Oslo Fjord. At the end of the neighborhood was a community of new apartments with a very distinct modern Scandinavian design that we loved. Next to these apartments we found the beautiful Renzo Piano designed, Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art (pictured below)

We came back to the museum the next day and saw a fantastic retrospective on the artist Murakami. I would definitely recommend wandering this neighborhood and checking out the museum. At the top was a great little deck which gives a great view over the entire city.

2. City Hall

Another must see spot is the Oslo City Hall. I was surprised at how much I loved exploring this building and learning about Norwegian history. Each room tells a story, as a different artist depicts an important aspect of Norwegian history. Take a look at some of these rooms!

We actually went back to City Hall two times because we loved it so much and wanted to take more photos.

3. Grunelokka

Grunerlokka (which I never learned to pronounce correctly) is a fun neighborhood just north east of downtown Oslo. If you need some good coffee or want to look at some hipster vintage shops, this is your spot. Some highlights were Tim Wendelboe Coffee and the NightHawk Diner.

Nighthawk is a classic American Diner inspired by The Nighthawks painting by American artist Ed Hopper. We were missing America at this point, and a delicious greasy cheeseburger and some french fries made us feel right at home.

4. Vigeland Park

You absolutely HAVE to vist Vigeland Park if you are ever in Oslo. It is one of the strangest and most beautiful collections of public art I have ever seen. It is a large park located on a hill, filled completely with artist Gustav Vineland's life work. Vigeland had a very distinct style of sculpture, all depicting themes of family in the nude. Here are some of my favorite pieces from the collection.

Very strange and creepy, but also a marvel to look at!

5. Oslo Opera House

Last but not least, every visitor of Oslo should definitely take a walk, or spend a whole day wandering the area around the Oslo Opera House. This modernist opera house sits on the water with slanted roofs that allow you to walk all the way to the top. I love how it works as a public space, bringing both locals and tourists together. It is located in a newly developed part of town, nicknamed the "Barcode", and when you look at the pictures you will see why.

The inside of the building is just as beautiful as the outside, featuring a giant wavy wooden wall. There is also a sculpture floating in the water that resembles a crystal iceberg. Very beautiful.