What are your thoughts of Oslo as a tourist destination?

I just sat down to check what's up in Oslo, when I discovered that the official tourist office of Oslo has released this three minute video of Oslo, showing you everything there is about the city.

The Royal Palace in Oslo - Source: Pixabay

What a treat, I thought, and I sat down to watch it. It starts showing the fantastic panorama from the Holmenkollen Ski Jumping facilities, and it is beautiful. After that, the video start showing the attractions of the city, including the City Hall, the Karl Johans avenue (the main street), and the Royal Palace. These are all nice, but if this is the best the city has to offer, then you shouldn't come to Oslo because of the cities architecture.

In the end of the movie, they present some modern architecture (the Opera House) and museums, and those actually look nicer than the other attractions shown in the start of the movie.

Normally as you travel across Europe you will find that the old buildings are much nicer than the newer buildings. When you come to Oslo, it is the total opposite. The city doesn't really have any beautiful old buildings, but instead the newer look nicer. But, those aren't very nice either!

Modern architecture in Oslo - Source: Pixabay

This article isn't meant to be an Oslo commercial, but it is more about realizing what to expect as you visit the city. You do not come to Oslo to see beautiful buildings, you come to Oslo to experience the nation and it's atmosphere. You come to Oslo to see nature, go for a walk in the Holmenkollen area and enjoy the view, enjoy the statues in the Vigelands Park, and maybe do some excursions to other areas of Norway while in the country.

There are some beautiful buildings in the country, like the Nidarosdomen in Trondheim, and the tree churches here and there in the country. But, Norway isn't about architecture, it's about nature. That is important to know before you visit the country!

What are your thoughts about Oslo?

These are some of my thoughts about Oslo. What do you think about the city and the country? Is Oslo a city worth visiting? What did you enjoy in the city? Was there any positive or negative surprises? I would love to hear your thoughts!