EVENTS & THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN OSLO

Oslo may not be a large city but there's plenty to see and do over the course of a long weekend. If you're visiting Oslo in 2007 here are a few events to look out for:

Winter Festival                                Summer Festival
27th Jan                                             8th & 10th June
Oslo Sentrum                                  Oslo Sentrum
Take to the streets in the heart of the city for one of Oslo’s twice yearly street parties. The winter festival features activities and competitions on real snow and ice while the summer festival offers a range of outdoor activities including a funfair, markets and live performances.
For more info visit www.osloarr.no

Anti-racist Celebration
17th May
Kuba, Grϋnerløkka
This free one day festival organised by the anti-racist organisation ‘SOS Rasisme’ celebrates and unites Norwegians of all ethnic backgrounds. Held in Kuba Park in one of Oslo’s hippest and most multicultural areas, the festival draws huge crowds of people with outdoor concerts, stands, entertainment and a relaxed atmosphere.
For more info visit www.sos-rasisme.no/17mfa

Norwegian Wood Rock Festival
14th – 17th June
Frognerbadet
One of Norway’s biggest music events, Norwegian Wood has a big following and over the years has attracted international performers like Jethro Tull, Van Morrison and Bob Dylan, as well as showcasing the best Scandinavian musical talent. The line-up for 2007 has not been confirmed but last year’s festival featured Lou Reed, Roger Waters and Gnarls Barkley among others. Located in the green and grassy Frognerbadet, the site also contains an outdoor swimming pool.
For more info visit www.norwegianwood.no

Oslo Gay Pride
22nd June – 1st July
Created to raise awareness and acceptance for Norway’s growing gay and lesbian population, the Oslo Gay Pride offers a wide range of cultural activities. There’s a film festival, concerts, art exhibits, shows and political debates - all within a huge designated festival area.
For more info visit www.skeivedager.no

Ultima – The Oslo Contemporary Music Festival
28th September – 14th October
One of Europe’s largest annual festivals devoted solely to contemporary music, Ultima features up to 90 concerts, performances, installations and exhibitions by some of the best largely undiscovered international musical talent.
For more info visit www.ultima.no

And here are a few of the fun things to do in Oslo at any time of year:

1. AKERSHUS CASTLE

Built in 1300, Akershus Castle is one of the oldest buildings in Oslo. This impressive medieval fortress now houses dungeons, banquet halls and the Armed Forces Museum.
For more info visit www.visitoslo.com

2. HOLMENKOLLEN - VIEWS - SKI JUMP

Use your Oslo Pass to hop on the metro to Holmenkollen where from the 60-meter high ski jump tower there are nothing but spectacular views of the city and fjord. The ski jump is also the venue for Norway’ s annual ski jumping competition.
www.visitoslo.com

3. VIKING MUSEUM

For a taste of history and excitement from the Viking age, take a trip to The Viking Ship Museum where three 9th century Viking ships that were discovered at the bottom of the Oslofjord have been preserved and displayed. Many of the vessels treasures have also been put on display to give viewers a real sense of the age.
www.visitoslo.com

4. VIGELANDSPARKEN

Northwest of the city centre is Gustav Vigeland’s (1869-1943) enchanting 80-acre masterpiece of a park that also contains 212 of his bronze and granite sculptures. Among the sculptures is an impressive monolith that is made up of 121 human figures carved from one single block of granite.
www.visitoslo.com

5. KARL JOHAN’S GATE – SHOP WINDOWS – GRAND CAFE

Finish off your sightseeing with a walk down Oslo’s main shopping street, Karl Johan’s Gate. Unwind and people watch at one of the streets charming cafes and take in all that is Oslo. The area also holds bars and clubs where you can experience some of the city’s nightlife.
www.visitoslo.com

Purchasing an Oslo Pass is also recommended. It allows you free travel on all public transport as well as admission to many of the city’s museums and attractions. A twenty-four hour pass costs around twenty-six Euros.

Amanda Hudson produced this report on Oslo. She and the team travelled to Oslo with norwegian.no (the Norwegian low far airline) and stayed at The Grand Hotel

To find out more about norwegian.no visit	To find out more about Oslo visit

To find out more about The Grand Hotel visit www.grand.no

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