How to Take a Walking Tour of Oslo
The capital and largest city in Norway, Oslo is a beautiful old world city nestled against the majestic fjords of Scandinavia. As one of Europe's least populated cities, Oslo is filled with large parks and greenbelt areas that make this city feel less urban. Walking around the streets of this town will take you back to a quieter time.
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Instructions
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Self-Guided Walking Tour
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Buy a comprehensive travel guide of Oslo. A good guide will have detailed maps of the city and public transportation. It should also have a bit of history about each landmark as well as descriptions of Oslo's culture and people.
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Peruse the guide looking for points of interest that appeal most to you.
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Make a list of the places you would like to see then find them on the map.
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Decide how much time you have to spend and plan accordingly. Most walking tours, even when you're setting your own pace, will take at least 2 to 3 hours. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!
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Highlight each point on your map and plan out the best route to get from A to B to C. Then, find a suitable place to begin your tour. Remember you're on foot so plan tours of sights that are reasonably close together. In Oslo most main sights are within walking distance of the city center.
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Read about each location's history in your guide as you walk from point to point.
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Take pictures of each landmark. Try taking pictures of things from unusual angles and distances to add interest to your photos.
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Keep a journal of your tour, making notes about each place. Write down your first impressions, what feelings a particular place evoked or what you liked most about something as a way to remember the experience.
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Repeat the process as many times as you'd like, changing the route and destinations each time.
Professional-Guided Tour
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Research Oslo before you go so you know what parts of the city you most want to visit.
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Find a tour agency that provides walking tours. This is easily done by searching the Internet for walking tours. Most agencies offer various tours that cover different parts of the city. Some of the tours have themes, as well.
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Book the tour of your choice. Generally these tours can be booked online in advance, or you can often meet at the starting point and pay on the spot. Most tours are reasonably priced and offer discounts for students and children.
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Get directions to the starting point of the walking tour and be sure to arrive on time so you don't miss the guide.
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Take your camera and your travel journal to record your walking tour experience.
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Tips & Warnings
The advantage of a self-guided walking tour is that you get to set the pace and choose the specific destinations. You don't have to wait for a group, so if you find a particular location interesting you can spend as much time as you'd like, and you can move on quickly from the spots that are less appealing to you. If you like exploring on your own, a self-guided tour is the best choice.
The advantage of a professionally guided walking tour is the expertise of the guide. Not only does the guide know the city well, so you won't get lost, he also knows the history. If you're a history buff and love listening to stories from bygone eras, a professionally guided tour is the best choice.
Some travel guides are available online and provide suggestions and maps for walking tours. They also give background information on each landmark you visit. This is a good way to do your own walking tour without the cost of hiring a tour guide but with the same expertise. "Frommer's" is an excellent guide book for this type of tour information and is available in both print and Internet forms.
Norway is probably best known for its skiing. You can also go ice skating and tobogganing and participate in various other winter sports at this world-class locale.
The Nobel Peace Prize is another hallmark of Norwegian tradition. The prize ceremony is held each December in the Oslo City Hall. The ceremony itself is by invitation only, but there is a concert performed the next day that is open to the public. Also there is a new Nobel Peace Center where you can learn about the various Nobel laureates, listen to lectures and participate in other cultural and artistic activities.
