Turkey - Here We Come!
But first... a few days in Oslo, Norway
"Getting There" to start the tour in Istanbul is described below.
The most affordable airfare to Europe from Denver is always found during one of Icelandair's frequent airfare sales. This trip to Turkey was no exception, so it was off to Europe on Icelandair to Oslo, Norway, for a short three day vacation in one of the most fun cities in Scandinavia. The flight was a 10-hour non-stop to Reykjavik, Iceland with a transfer to a short 2.5-hour flight to Oslo. After three days of exploring Oslo's museums, food, and entertainment, it was off to Turkey on a 3.5-hour non-stop flight on Pegasus Airlines, landing in İstanbul.
I was all packed and ready to leave Denver on a trek to Turkey, but first...waiting for the bus...and the train...and the airport shuttle...and the airplane...
The northern lights were on display during the overnight flight from Denver. If you are a fan of the aurora borealis, be sure to book a window seat on this flight.
Upon arrival at the airport in the outskirts of Oslo, a train will take you to the city center. The Oslo Pass provides a bit of a discount if you purchase the pass prior to buying your train tickets. The pass is not available at the airport, so if you want this discount, you will need to buy it online and then activate it online when you arrive at the airport.
Oslo's train station is right in the heart of the city center! A great tourist information center is located just inside the doors.
When it was time to leave Oslo, enjoyed one last dinner in Oslo at the Istanbul Restaurant, just before flying out to İstanbul, Turkey later that evening. How appropriate! After that, heading back to the airport from the train station in Oslo. Ready to fly south to İstanbul and the start of the "Best of Turkey in 13 Days" tour.
Museums, Artwork, and More in Oslo
There are probably about 500 things to do in Oslo during a three-day stint. I've highlighted some of my favorites, but there was so much more to see and do. Just a few highlights made the list below, but touring the city on foot and tram, led to many outstanding museums, artwork, sculptures, palaces, parks, historic buildings, food and more! Here is a small sample of what was a fun and enjoyable time in Oslo, Norway.
A must have for exploring on your own!
Rick Steves Snapshot - Norway. You'll find 80+ pages on Oslo alone, and I find the travel ideas in the book fascinating for planning future extended tours in Norway. Tear out the pages that are relevant to your current travels and put those pages in a Guidebook Page Binder and you'll lighten your load while zipping around the city. Find those binders here!
Thon Hotel Astoria
The Thon Hotel Astoria was home base for three nights. A great hotel to stay at in the center of the city for a very affordable price. Conveniently located two blocks away from the main tram stop and the central train station. Very nice rooms, comfortable, and included a great breakfast! Perfect for anyone that spends most of their time exploring the city and not a lot of time hanging out in a hotel room. This hotel is also recommended in the Rick Steves Snapshot- Norway Guidebook.
Vigeland Sculpture Park
This photo was taken at dusk. Located in Frogner Park, the sculpture park is beautiful, with hundreds of sculptures, botanical gardens, fountains and more. It is a must-see attraction and it conveniently located right off the Oslo Tram - board tram #12.
Nordic Bible Museum
Yes, included on the Oslo Pass was admission to the Nordic Bible Museum. Located right in the center of Oslo, this small museum is packed with Biblical history. There are Bibles on display from various regions and many are from centuries ago. In the museum there are over 5,000 Bibles in all, but don't worry, only the most significant Bibles are on exhibit. The museum provides a guided tour for free, to help you understand everything you are seeing on display. As you can see in the picture, I took to quill and ink and practiced scribing my own verse, just like it was done centuries ago. Unfortunately, I didn't have any divine inspiration, I was just hungry for lunch and ready to move on.
Munch Museum
The world-famous Scream painting is on display here. There are several different versions of this painting, and they do a great job of rotating the paintings on display throughout the day. The entire museum has hundreds of works by Edvard Munch. Located right on the harbor, and in a new building, this museum should not be missed.
Oslo Strawberries
Oslo is known for its berries and these strawberries were fantastic. They were found at a farmer's market in Stortorvet square across from the Oslo Cathedral. You'll also get to see the statue of Christian IV, the king who gave the name Christiana to this city until it was changed to Oslo in 1925.
Sailing to Bygdøy
One of the most fun things to do in Oslo is to take the ferry from the city center to Bygdøy. This roundtrip is also included in the Oslo Pass. Many of the museums mentioned here are accessible via this ferry, including the Norwegian Folk Museum, The Fram Museum, The Kon-Tiki Museum, The Norwegian Maritime Museum, and more. All are fun to visit and explore and the views from the ferry are outstanding.
So much to see and do!
There is so much to see and do in Oslo and it is all very easily accessible via public transportation. No need to rent a car unless you have plans that will take you out of the city. The Kon-Tiki Museum with its tribute to Thor Heyerdahl is incredible, as is his story. The City Hall is an art museum in and of itself, both inside and outside. The new National Museum is jam packed with artwork on the second floor and items from throughout history on the first floor. From sculptures and ancient pottery to modern dresses and household goods, they are all on display at the National Museum. You'll also find another Scream painting on exhibit on the second floor. The Fram museum honors the maritime explorers that opened the way to sailing to the Arctic. The Norwegian Folk Museum is massive and spans out across a huge portion of the bay with over 150 buildings, including the not-to-be-missed stave church. The Norwegian Maritime Museum houses many ships and boats that have found their way to Oslo. A few ship wrecks are on display as well. Back on the harbory, you can walk right on top of the Oslo Opera House and get some great views of the harborfront. All of these attractions are included for free on the Oslo Pass. A full three days in Oslo will give you time to explore these sights at your own pace without the stress of trying to see it all at once.
