A weekend in Oslo
 

Hello from Istanbul!

I am very new in the forum, but it looks facinating. You are anwsering all questions and helping everyone. This is great!

Now I need your help and suggestions.

On 5-7 May 2000 will fly to OSL from IST with a Lufthansa FlySmart Award Ticket. I will stay in a friend's home. I will have only two days to visit city.

05MAY00 LH3481 ISTFRA 1810/2015
05MAY00 LH3102 FRAOSL 2145/2340
07MAY00 LH3117 OSLFRA 1840/2050
07MAY00 LH3470 FRAIST 2135/0125+1

Where should I visit? Where should I eat? What are "must"s in Oslo???

And my connection time in FRA is only 45 min. on the way back. What if my OSL-FRA is delayed in OSL? LH will book me on Monday morning flight and give me hotel, right? Or no hotel because my ticket is free??

Oslo has burned down so many times that it doesn't hold much architectural interest. You can take a ferry over to the Viking ship museum, which is interesting. Also the Viegland sculptures at Frogner Park are fun. Eat cloudberries if they're in season when you're there.

Vigeland Park is facinating. Find some tour group and listen to the guide for a while: every sculpture has a meaning. Without knowing it you might walk right by and not appreciate the beauty of bodies of stone. I could never imagine that one can express so many emotions in stone!
For fun and people watching try one of the waterfront restaurants.
We loved Oslo!

Be prepared for the expense !

Oslo is expensive !

Rozy:
You've chosen one of the better seasons to come to Oslo; spring will be in full bloom and temperatures should be fairly comfortable (12-15C) during the day.
1. Some of the "must sees" have already been mentioned like the Viking ships and definetely the Vigeland Park. Holmenkollen Ski jump combined with lunch at the nearby hotel or Frognerseteren is ok.
2. Where to eat..
Oslo has one of Scandinavia's two Michelin** restaurants; Bagatelle (+47 2244 6397) if you're in to very high quality cooking and exceptional service Also there's a more down to earth alternative in Palace Grill which will serve you extreme combinations of different tastes, all of high quality, but come early!! (+47 2256 1502 reservations not accepted). Bølgen & Moi is situated about 10min. drive outside of the city center within the Henie Onstad Art Museum, and the restaurant part is great for dinner (+47 6752 1020).

The price level of these restaurants is generally faily high, but in my opinion have a far better price/quality ratio when compared to similar venues in e.g. London, Germany, USA or Italy. Wine pricing will, due to extreme taxes on alcohol, be through the roof.
I believe that the Holmenkollen Stafett (Similar to a national relay running championship through the streets of Oslo) is scheduled for the 7th of May. It is quite a spectacle but also limits freedom of movement by car within the city; beware!
Enjoy your stay.

Thanks a lot for the great replies.

I am going to have printouts of these pages and take it with me. Thanks a lot for the great info, The Viking.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Rozy beware:
Due to wage conflicts different worker's unions are striking as from May 3rd. For the 1st week the strike is supposed to be fairly limited, but it will affect the hotel and transportation industry to a certain degree, have your friends in Oslo check it out for you.

My friend did this itinerary for me: "Saturday morning, after breakfast, we can walk from my house down to the ferry (15 min). Then take the ferry over to the Viking ship museum, stay there for some time
before we take the ferry back. Then we can take the tram/or walk to the Viegeland Park. We can bring with us lunch and have a picknick after a round tour among the sculptures. (The park is only 5 min walk from my place). After lunch we can take the subway to Holmenkollen, In the evening we have dinner in the city. Later, I'll show you some of Oslo's nightlife. Sunday morning we can visit the old city and do whatever you want to do till your flight time."

I will stay in my friends home. Do you think the transportation strikes will effect this itinerary?

And one more question: If my flight to Oslo will have delay, I'll miss the last train to city. Then I have to take a taxi, right? Any other options?