10 Free Things in Oslo

Every day at 1:30 pm, one of Oslo's best free events takes place. The royal guards you see at the Changing of the Guards in Oslo are called the King's Guard. These men and women perform sentry duty, guarding the royal residence around the clock.

There are several parks in Oslo that are especially popular in the summer - with free activities in the parks, outdoor events, or just for a relaxing afternoon spent sunbathing. My favorite parks in Oslo are Slottsparken and Vigeland Park, both quickly reachable on foot or by tram.

Hosting lots of ticketed events, Oslo also offers free events. Depending on your time of travel, I would recommend these:

• May 17 - Constitution Day with public events and processions.
• The Oslo Pride Festival in late June.
• Natural events like the Northern Lights can be enjoyed in the winter months.

So you won't get lost in the city center of Oslo, we've made a free street map of Oslo available for you to download and/or print. Happy travels!

During Oslo's summer, visit one of the local beaches in the Oslo area. Swimming and sunbathing there is free and it's a great way to spend half a day in Oslo that's free and very relaxing. Come early to get a good spot.

Oslo's free things aren't limited to summer. If you visit Oslo in winter, you can go ice skating for free at two rinks! If you don't have your own skates (and how many traveler would pack those?), you can rent them - not for free but for a very low fee.

How about free admission to more than 30 museums and attractions in Oslo, free public transportation and ferry, free parking, swimming, and other discounts? Even a free lunch cruise tour is included. Unfortunately, the Oslo Pass is not entirely free, but VERY cheap.

With the Midnight Sun and the Polar Nights affecting the hours of sunlight in Oslo, make sure you know what to expect when it comes to local daylight hours and temperatures. Here is a practical overview and monthly temperature chart for Oslo, in Fahrenheit.

Here's a great free language sheet for your Oslo trip, containing all the important words and phrases in Norwegian that you may need in Oslo. Just print or save the cheat sheet so you have it with you. Or read through it during your flight to Oslo!

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