Ahhh, Norway – land of the midnight sun. I must start by saying how wonderful the atmosphere is in Oslo – it is such a beautiful place with plenty of greenery, open space, parks and public artworks. It just feels so classy. Of course, with Scandinavian travel comes Scandinavian prices, but is it really as pricey as people say? Let’s find out..
I found Norway reasonably priced, which I wasn’t expecting. However, if you want to buy clothes then the prices seem incredibly expensive in comparison to the UK, but purchasing food actually seems quite affordable. I would say that a meal out is possible for about £15 but the prices will swiftly rise if you purchase drinks and snacks from the convenience shops like 7-Eleven or Pressbyrån. You can buy two 500ml bottles of Coke for £5 which would probably seem pretty steep for your average Brit, or at least I think so! Plus, you will be charged extra at the till if you buy a can or bottle. This is part of the infamous Norwegian recycling scheme in which you pay a deposit or ‘pant’ when purchasing bottles and cans. However, you will be refunded 1kr (approx. 1op) for each bottle or can you recycle, so it really does pay to recycle in Noway! These recycling stations are usually located within supermarkets which calculate your total refund and issue you a receipt to collect the money back at the till. This not only helps the planet but also creates an opportunity for those less fortunate to make some money, and so it is not uncommon to see people routing through bins – but the less plastic ending up in landfill, the better (although alternatively best not to buy plastic at all – you can see tips here on how to reduce your travel waste).
One thing I wanted to mention (and I have been debating this but felt it was important) is that I did encounter some quite aggressive begging. However, this was only one incident. I don’t want to put a dampener on the post, but this is something to be aware of – particularly outside the ‘Nationaltheatret’ station. I had a very uncomfortable experience in which a Roma lady begging for money approached me but she grabbed my wrist, which was slightly unnerving. Usually I have no problems but the persistence was incredible and I was unsure if it was just a tourist trap (as cynical as that sounds), especially being in an unfamiliar culture. I did some research into this after the trip and found many people on forums with a similar experience in Oslo, but whatever your view, just be careful. Although I find it really heartbreaking to walk away, you just don’t know where your money is going and you could be doing more harm than good, donating on the spot. Which brings me nicely onto…
Charity shops! Now I have not, as yet, found a country that beats Britain for its charity shops. Walking down my local high street, you would find charity shops aplenty and I have to admit that charity shopping is one of my past times! In Oslo, I found that the clothing was extortionately priced so second-hand is a great option and I do love to recycle (!) but the prices are still much higher than in Britain. You will find branches of ‘Fretex’ which seem to be the Norwegian version of ‘Salvation Army’ although I wasn’t successful in finding many others. This is a great little opportunity to find Scandi design at a fraction of the usual cost – and helping a great cause simultaneously.
Norway seems to be a canvas for public artworks and sculptures which was lovely to see. Almost everywhere you go, there is something intriguing to look at and at no cost at all! Here is just a taster of the other artworks to be discovered across Oslo:
Now onto the good stuff. Where should you go and what should you do? Well, here’s a handy list:
- Vigeland Park
Did you know that Vigeland made all his fascinating sculptures naked so that they would remain timeless as trends and fashions change? The park has so many sculptures, I’d recommend at least 1 hour to just stand in awe.
2. Oslo Royal Palace
An absolutely beautiful setting with so many surrounding plants, flowers and yet more sculptures. You will see the guards outside as well as a beautiful statue – definitely picture perfect for a quick snap!
3. Take a pit stop for some Norwegian delicacies..
In this case, none other than waffles and troll biscuits! What else?! See the list at the end of this page for other eateries and places for a quick pit stop.
4. Oslofjord museums (via boat!)
Located a short walk away from the Oslo Opera House you will find a little ticket hut available for purchasing a boat trip to the nearby Oslofjord/Bygdøy. The museums include The Norsk Folk Museum, Kon-Tiki Museum, Viking Ship Museum, Holocaust Centre and more. English is available within most of these places, although was limited in the Holocaust Centre as many of the displays had no translation.
5. Explore the city’s plentiful shopping opportunities
There are lots of places to shop in Oslo including a few big shopping centres. These include Arkaden, Byporten and Oslo City.
6. Oslo Opera House
You can climb the steep steps to the opera house roof and enjoy the views that greet you, overlooking the water.
7. Oslo Domkirke (Cathedral)
Take a moment to admire the beauty of Oslo cathedral, either on foot or in a nearby café. Stop for a ‘vegasnk frappino’ at the Espresso House opposite.
Places to Eat & Drink
- Funky Fresh Foods – absolutely delicious lasagna, would 100% eat here again
- Harald’s Vaffel – providing vegan (and non-vegan) waffles to the city of Oslo
- Espresso House – chain café serving some vegan options including wraps and salads as well as a ‘vegansk frapino’ drink a bit like a chocolate milkshake.
- McDonald’s – it’s true, the vegan nuggets are real and they taste good!
- Nordvegan – mix and match salads and Buddha bowls as well as hot foods
Useful Information
- Norway uses the currency ‘kroner’
- A map of tourist attractions can be found here
- Scooters and bicycles are available across the city to hire
- I tried to learn some phrases but I found the pronunciation very difficult and people weren’t understanding me! However most people do speak English.
The Solo Vegan 
