Photo by Marit Tynning Henriksen
Oslo: The coolest small capital you didn’t see coming
Once overlooked, Norway’s capital is now a cultural and culinary force you’ll want to explore before everyone else does. Not loud, not showy, but full of substance, style and surprises.
Oslo is the smallest Nordic capital, but it might just have the biggest personality. It’s got buns that break the internet, a live music scene with serious groove, and world-famous cultural icons hiding in plain sight. Add some serious outdoors activities – summer and winter, and you’ve got a city that’s cooler than it lets on. Here are 5 curated Oslo highlights to get you started.
1. Oslo’s bun boom goes viral
Photo by Christine Baglo | Visit Norway
Forget about Copenhagen’s Danish pastries and Vienna’s Sacher-Torte. In Oslo, yeast dough is like religion, and the bakers get up by the time you go to bed. Queues form early outside Lille Betong (Operagata 77D) in Bjørvika and @dejligbakst's pop-up inside Paleet. Why? Because the buns – glazed, stuffed, swirled, and often starring in viral videos – sell out fast.
Photo by Christine Baglo | Visit Norway
Oslo’s bun boom is a case study in how social media can revive a yeasty tradition and turn pastry into performance art. Influencers like @theasmaker have sent crowds scrambling for “Høye skolebrød” (yeasty buns filled with yummy custard and topped with icing dipped in dessicated coconut).
Photo by Fredrik Ahlsen | Visit Norway
The old-school patisserie culture is still very much alive in Oslo, try Halvorsen’s Conditori (Prinsens gate 26) for an old-time favourite. Don’t be shy, go for a slice of marzipan cake (marsipankake). It may be a blast from the past, but you won’t find a Norwegian birthday, baptism or wedding without one.
If you prefer a more modern twist, try Mjøl (Parkveien 6A), Le Bakeri de Jean (Bentsebrugata 11C) and Encore (Pilestredet 75C). You’ll find that Oslo’s bakeries are like edible fashion shows.
Photo by Christine Baglo | Visit Norway
2. Big sound, small stages
Photo by Foap | Visit Norway
Oslo’s live music scene is buzzing and intimate. Major acts regularly play venues like Rockefeller, John Dee and Sentrum Scene, where the crowd feels close enough to touch the stage.
Add underground gems like Jæger (for international DJs) and Herr Nilsen (for jazz aficionados), and you’ve got a capital that punches way above its weight musically. Even The Times of India took note, calling Oslo “Europe’s most underrated music city” back in 2017.
Photo by Marit Tynning Henriksen
But the music isn’t just in the clubs and arenas, it’s in the air. The City Hall bells chime recognizable tunes throughout the year and on special occasions. When David Bowie passed, they played “Changes”. When Lemmy of Motörhead died, it was “Electricity.”
One particularly rainy summer, Oslo’s City Hall cheekily responded with “Raindrops keep falling on my head.” Pay attention, as this is the voice of the city. You’ll actually see Oslo folk stop, listen, smile and look up at the 49-bells-carillon as they are played – by hand.
Photo by Marit Tynning Henriksen
3. Icons you didn’t know were Norwegian
Photo by MUNCH Museum
Today, Oslo is finally giving these giants the spotlight they deserve. The striking MUNCH museum in Bjørvika honours Edvard Munch’s raw emotional legacy, set against sweeping views of the fjord. Even before you step inside, Tracey Emin’s nine-metre sculpture The Mother hints at the loss and longing that shaped Munch’s work.
Photo by Bob Engelsen
Nearby, the Ibsen Museum & Teater delves into the mind of the man who reshaped modern drama, always with a sharply feminist point of view. Ibsen remains the world’s second most staged playwright, after Shakespeare, thanks to his timeless themes and razor-sharp character studies.
Even Grieg, Norway’s romantic musical genius, is finding new audiences as modern composers reimagine his work. And if you’re still awake at midnight, listen closely – you might hear his Watchman’s Song played from the City Hall bells.
Photo by Didrick Stenersen | Visit Oslo
4. The opera house you can walk on
Photo by Bob Engelsen
No visit to Oslo is complete without stepping onto the Opera House. Designed by legendary architecture firm Snøhetta, this gleaming iceberg, rising from the fjord, invites visitors to walk its angled, marble-clad roof for panoramic views of the city and water.
Opened in 2008, the Opera House set the tone for Oslo’s architectural reinvention – sleek, accessible, and grounded.
Photo by Bob Engelsen
Whether you attend a performance or just climb it at sunrise, this building embodies Oslo’s approach to culture: no barriers, no velvet ropes. Just show up and enjoy.
Photo by Didrick Stenersen | Visit Oslo
5. Nature on your doorstep
Photo by Ina-Cristine Helljesen
In Oslo, nature isn’t a distant escape - it’s part of daily life. A short (and spectacular) metro ride takes you to Frognerseteren, where ski trails and winter hiking routes begin just steps from the station.
Rent a toboggan and race down Korketrekkeren – the old Olympic bobsleigh track turned public sled run. It’s fast, fun, and free (aside from the metro ticket that gets you back up).
Photo by Fredrik Ahlsen | Visit Norway
In summer, the Oslo fjord becomes the city's unofficial playground. Locals swap office wear for swimwear and island-hop to Hovedøya, Gressholmen and beyond, grilling dinner by the water before the sun finally slips behind the horizon.
Photo by Didrick Stenersen | Visit Oslo
And don’t overlook Ekeberg, where locals lace up for runs through sculpture-dotted forest paths with sweeping views of the fjord. In Oslo, access to nature isn’t a luxury – it’s a way of life.
Photo by CH | Visit Norway
In short - whether you're here for the buns, the bells, or just the buzz of something quietly brilliant, Oslo deserves more than a stopover
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