The Norwegian capital has really a lot to offer, and travelers often struggle to choose what attractions to see (especially if they have a very limited time in the city). However, there is also a different type of wanderers: those who prefer to travel off-the-beaten-path and see the things that most travelers overlook. Exactly for such visitors, we have created this article with genuine hidden gems of Oslo.

Damstredet District

On your next visit to Oslo, don’t hesitate to venture to stroll some 10-15 minutes from the center and arrive at the beautiful Damstredet district and the nearby neighborhood of Telthusbakken.

Unlike the edifices you get to see in the city center, these houses date back to the 18th century, when this area was an impoverished town that consisted of dire hovels. Today, Damstredet is a popular space for artists and is, indeed, an agreeable contrast to a more formal city center. Wandering in this at times stunning, at times cozy neighborhood is one of the most off-the-beaten-path things you could do in the Norwegian capital!

Holmenkollen

If you are staying in Oslo for at least a couple of days, don’t miss a chance to catch a metro train to this special neighborhood. Holmekollen is an area of Oslo that is most famous for its large ski jumping hill, known as Holmenkollbakken. The ski jump was opened in 1892 for the first time and underwent a major renovation in 1928. This jump is believed to be the world’s oldest ski jump and, notably, it has been upgraded 19 times throughout its history. In 1952, Holmenkollen even hosted the Winter Olympic Games.

Today, it is worth to visit this place not only because of the ski jump, but because of the stunning view of the city you would get from the Holmenkollen tower viewpoint! As you will access the complex, you will pass through the ski museum – a statue of Fridtjof Nansen, a famous Norwegian polymath and humanitarian (who also was an avid skier), stands near the entrance to the museum.

The Holmenkollen Ski Museum houses an impressive collection of artifacts dedicated to this sport. If you have an Oslo city pass, a metro ride and access to the entire Holmenkollen complex (including the tower viewpoint and ski museum) are gratis.

Ekeberg Park

Gustav Vigeland Park is a sculpture park that is famous worldwide and attracts hundreds of thousands of travelers every year. However, this city has a couple of other, lesser-known sculpture parks – Ekeberg Sculpture Park is one of them.

Christian Ringnes, an art collector, established and financed the creation of this park. The sculpture park was opened to the public in 2013, and it had a total of 31 sculptures. Visitors can enjoy here the works by Salvador Dalí, Gustav Vigeland, Auguste Renoir, Lynn Chadwick, and many other renowned artists.

Nordmarka

Oslo is a city that has ample opportunities for outdoor activities and recreation in nature. And, indeed, Nordmarka, a big forest region to the north of the city, appears to be a great area for outdoor activities both in winter and summer.

During the winter season, you can enjoy cross-country skiing across Nordmarka. Currently, this region has over 450 km of marked trails, some of which are even illuminated in the evening. And, obviously, this is the best place for cross-country skiing, a sport that can deservedly be called “national” in this country, in the vicinity of Oslo.

In summer, there are some decent hiking trails (marked with blue signs), so you can have an enjoyable walk in nature. Besides, these routes are also perfect for cycling! On top of all that, this area has some lovely lakes, in which you can swim.

Given that the area of Nordmarka is around 430 square km, you can drop in one of the cabins located in this region. They are open to the public, and you can just have a break/meal there or even spend a night.

Emanuel Vigeland Museum

Emanuel Vigeland, a younger brother of the famous sculptor Gustav Vigeland, constructed this edifice back in 1926. Initially, he conceived this building to be a place for exhibiting his sculptures and paintings, but later decided to turn it into his tomb. The main attraction of this place is the famed dark room that is completely decorated with frescoes on all sides.