Oslo Off The Beaten Path

The area of Grønland was reclaimed from the sea in 17th Century and from that time this suburb of Christiania started to develop inhabited by craftsmen, workers and tradesmen.

Today the area that starts eastwards from the shining skyscrapers of Radisson SAS hotel is also known as Little Karachi. Mostly inhabited by Oslo's vibrant immigrant community it is packed with small restaurants, shops and vegetable markets. Cafes along the Grønlandsleiret have vibrant scene and are popular both among the immigrants, students, artists and tourists looking for cheap beer. With the nearby Grünerløkka being more and more cleaned most locals think that Grønland will develop to a new hip area of Oslo.

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Walking distance from Oslo Sentralstasjon; or take tram #18, 19 to Bussterminalen Grønland or Munkegata.

Oslo's metro line number 5 hides one of the most unusual and most beautiful metro stations I've ever seen.

Built in 1976 by an architect Håkon Mjelva this metro station was carved in granite stone and located into one of the natural underground caves. Stones are left intact and where interventions were needed (roofs, galleries, passages) they were made in pure concrete.

Handrails and original signage is made of steel and colored in screaming red, making a great accent to prevailing grey colours of concrete and natural stone.

This is a must see for all "beton brut" lovers, as well as those interested in urban traffic. (As I belong to both groups Romsås was high on my list of must see places in Oslo).

To reach this station take metro #5 in direction Vestli. The ride from central Oslo takes 15-20 minutes.

Please visit my Romsås metro station travelogue for more photos.

The Olympics and Olympic history played a big part in our trip to Oslo. We saw the Sonia Henie memorial outside of Vigelslandparken. We travled to the site of the 1984 Olympics in Lillehammer. But one of the highlights of our visit to Oslo was the trip to the Holmenkollen Ski Jump. The Holmenkollen ski jump was the main arena for the 1952 Olympics in Oslo. The jump has been renovated and expanded many times over the years. There is a ski jump museum at the Holmenkollen site. We had a great time visiting here and enjoying the museum, the gift shop and taking too many pictures. I have some of them featured in a travelogue on this page. There is also an automated virtual ski jump ride you can enjoy at the museum. I decided to pass this by as I have a little problem with motion sickness from time to time and it looked quite wild.

one of the many beaches in oslo area , but this one has a great restaurant too
u have to drive out of oslo to get there ...about 30-45 min ...but its worth it....nice beach , padling boats for hire, diveing boards, restaurant and cafe

in the oslo forrest u can go cross country from cabin to cabin ....some have staff some dont, here is a map over them
http://www.aftenposten.no/nyheter/iriks/oslo/article974911.ece
u can start from diffrent place.....take a tram or train from the town center to ur starting point

This museum is in the 'museum area' near the contemporary arts Mus.

It is quite an impressive place, with a glass roof being strung over rows of old townhouses to create an impressive exhibition space.

Examples from all over the world are presented with drawings and models, from cutting edge skyscrapers, to a park and ride stations in Strasbourg and small scale community projects.

As it is free, it is worth a brief look, especially if you actually know some of the projects described.

I'm not going to have a go at architects, but if you descend to the lower floor and go to the men's loo - there is no bog roll holder. The paper roll is just left on the floor ! Attention to detail is supposed to be everything in the architectural world.

Kongens gate 4, 0153 Oslo, Norway

Many churches in Oslo have an impressively austere beauty. If you want to see the interior, an excellent opportunity arises when they host concerts of choral or instrumental music. Markus Kirke, in the St. Hanshaugen neighborhood, does not make a big fuss for itself on the busy street, but it is well worth a glimpse inside. On Ullevålsveien, just past Waldemar Thranes gate.

The woods around Maridalsvannet are a good place for a summer afternoon's walk. This lake - "Maridal's Water" - provides much of the drinking water for Oslo, and thus it's not possible to walk along its banks, but there are several nearby paths that offer good views. Take a 37 or 51 bus to Kjelsås; the Norsk Technical Museum is also near here.