Oslo, Norway Travel Guide - Christiann Koepke

Back in January, I took my first trip to Oslo, Norway and I’m so excited to be sharing some of my favorite images with you alongside a travel guide for your own visit!

I’ll start by saying that I found an incredibly low priced flight from LAX to Oslo for under $200 direct, one way through Norwegian Airlines. Obviously, I had to make a stop through Oslo, while exploring the rest of Norway on this trip!

I stayed in an amazing district in Oslo, called Grünerløkka, and the area had everything I could have asked for: local boutiques, the city’s best coffee shops, magical thrift and antique stores…I could go on!

Getting Around Oslo

It’s about 40 minutes by car from the main airport, Gardermoen, or you can take the train which is super convenient. I actually wouldn’t recommend renting a car, as driving in the city is a little bit crazy and parking is nearly impossible to find!

My hotel couldn’t have been in a more perfect location. Right outside my door was Mathallen, a beautiful food court full of some of Norway’s finest purveyors. The surrounding area directly at the hotel base is known as Vulkan and the entire collection of shops and eateries was also just amazing.

Must See: Tim Wendelboe coffee + Oslo Opera House

Across the creek in the back, just a 4 minute walk away, was one of Norway’s most admired coffee shops, Tim Wendelboe. This small shop has been put on the map thanks to it’s countless awards, including multiple world championships.

I had the pleasure of working with Tim and the team during my stay, and the shop and their staff couldn’t have been more lovely. I miss my daily visits, and definitely need to look into ordering their beans fresh for my at home espresso – I brought a couple bags back and it was some of the best home coffee I’ve ever had.

Once you arrive at Tim’s shop, you’re suddenly in this huge area full of local shops, boutiques, eateries, cafe’s and more. I spent a couple days just walking, shooting, eating, drinking… it was perfect!

And can I just talk about the Oslo Opera House for a minute? Because oh my, it was a site to see.

The water was also quite incredible, with it partially iced over, it made for some magical photos. Perhaps it was because it was one of the first things we did when arriving in Oslo. I was with my mom and we drove down to the water as the sun was setting.

Off in the distance was the opera house, across the icy water with boats passing by. Just a beautiful moment!! Well and then there was this sculpture right out in the middle of the bay…seriously stunning.

The Best Oslo Destinations

Below I’ve pulled together a list of the best shops, cafe’s, and restaurants I learned about, many of which I visited, but of course I didn’t have time to see them all in my short stay! I hope you’re inspired to visit Oslo after seeing all this, you won’t regret it!