november-2010

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NORWAY Population 4,660,539 Currency Norwegian Krone (NOK) GDP
OSLO
† €41,385 Dialling code +47
Airport code OSL Flight frequency Three times daily Average temp (Nov) 1°C
At fi rst glance, November
might not seem like the
ideal time to visit Oslo,
as the days grow ever
shorter and the city
begins its descent
into winter. But with
mørketiden (the dark
time) on the horizon,
Norway becomes
increasingly active in late
autumn. Ian MacDougall
is your city guide
CENTRE
Oslo’s small size is a big plus when
the unpredictable weather sets in.
Shopping, dining and dancing are
all just a stone’s throw from the
Karl Johans Gate promenade.
SLEEP Affordable without skimping
on amenities, the Radisson Blu
(30 Holbergsgate, tel. 2329 3000,
radissonblu.com/scandinaviahotel-oslo,
rooms from €149/NOK 1,195) sits at
the very heart of downtown Oslo.
CULTURE In addition to its vast
collection of Norwegian art, the National
Gallery (13 Universitetsgata) currently
features a visiting exhibition of items
from the treasure chest of Czarist
Russia (until 16 January 2011).
SHOP November is a great time to check
out the selection of traditional handmade
knitted-wool sweaters and mittens at
the Oslo Sweater Shop (5 Tullinsgate).
LATER Take advantage of the on-tap
beer selection at Café Laundromat (2
Underhaugsveien) – including acclaimed
local microbrew Nøgne Ø – while you’re
drinking, you can wash your clothes at
this still-functioning laundromat.
TIP In the colder months, the best views
of the idyllic Oslo fjord are not from the
wind-bitten harbour, but from aboard
the heated commuter ferries that run
between the mainland and the fjord’s
inhabited islands for the meagre price
of a subway ticket.
Don’t miss the chance to hear
a concert at Oslo Cathedral,
reopened this year after renovation
INFO
Gardermoen
Airport is 45km
from the centre.
Train The airport
express train,
Flytoget, costs
€21/NOK 170, while
the NSB is slower,
but cheaper and
still convenient, at
€14/NOK 110. Once
in the centre, head
to the tourist offi ce
(below) and ask
about the options
for public transport
day passes.
Taxi A cab to the
city centre costs
around €86/NOK
690 before 5pm
and €110/NOK 890
after this.
Tourist offi ce
The offi ce is on the
plaza at the city’s
main train station
(1 Jernbanetorget,
tel. 8153 0555,
visitoslo.com)
YOUNGSTORGET
East of the centre, Youngstorget
Square is the place to go if you
want downtown atmosphere
without the crowds.
SLEEP The Anker Hotel (55 Storgata,
tel. 2299 7500, anker-hotel.no, doubles
from €106/NOK 850) combines
affordability with Scandinavian design.
CULTURE Check out the recently
renovated Oslo Cathedral (Stortorget),
built in 1697, for both its beautiful
interior and for the choral and orchestral
concerts that will feature every Sunday
evening this month.
EAT Norwegians love pizza, and there’s
nowhere better to sample the local
varieties than at upscale diner Hell’s
Kitchen (23 Møllergata, tel. 2211 2000).
SHOP Cubus (1 Stenersgata) designs
and sells fashionable yet reasonably
priced clothing for men and women
– including winter coats.
LATER With two floors – featuring
a bar upstairs and a dance floor in the
basement – Revolver (32 Møllergate)
is worth a visit whether you’re after
a drink, live music or a place to dance
off the autumn chill.
MAJORSTUA
Fashionable Majorstua is home to
a host of bars, restaurants and
shopping outlets, easily accessed
via the tramline that runs up the
main drag (Bogstadveien).
SLEEP You can find anything from simple
rooms to fully furnished apartments at
Catalina Apartments (11 Fuglehaugsgata,
tel. 2244 4014, catalina-eiendom.no,
rooms from €87/NOK 690).
CULTURE Warm your brain – and the
rest of your body – at Litteraturhuset
(29 Wergelandsveien), whose literary
salon-like style combines a café bar
with almost daily lectures and readings
from local and international writers.
LATER Eccentric nightlife mainstay
Den Gamle Major (66 Bogstadveien)
combines cosiness with items from
a gothic novel, including a bathroom
door disguised as a bookcase.
GRØNLAND
A recently revitalized mill district,
this diverse neighbourhood offers
some of the hippest fare in Oslo.
CULTURE The autumn exhibit at the
Munch Museum (53 Tøyengata) focuses
on the best-known work by Norway’s
foremost painter, including The Scream
and Madonna (until 9 January).
EAT Kampen Bistro (21 Bøgata, tel.
2219 7708) keeps things fresh with
a new menu every day. A little on the
pricey side, but it offers gourmet dining
in a cosy candlelit atmosphere.
LATER A converted mechanic’s garage,
Oslo Mekaniske Verksted (34
Tøyenbekken) has a wide selection of
beer and wine, and stylishly retro décor.
TIP Weather permitting, check out Oslo’s
best flea market (next to Grønland
subway station). Open all day on
Saturdays this month, it’s a great place
to find Norwegian antiques and gifts.
€99 *
FROM JUST
RETURN ALL-IN
Fly to Oslo from
just €99* return all-in.
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Brussels Airlines b.there! magazine November 2010 119