Until a few months ago I had no idea there was even a place in the world called Oslo. I knew nothing about Norway (other than that it was super expensive.)

I was craving an escape from the crazy ‘non-stopness’ of London but still wanted somewhere with a bit of a vibe.  I got researching and booked super cheap flights to Oslo Rygge (about a 40 min train ride to the city center) and couldn’t believe my luck.

I stayed in a beautiful Air BnB in an area called Grünerløkka which was full of hipster type bars, pubs, brunch spots and boutique shops. This area was full of incredible interior design shops as well but super pricey.

My first brunch spot for the trip was Fruhagen. My friend got some incredible banana pancakes and I got a beautiful chevre salad with candied almonds…(mouth is watering just thinking about it). They also had incredible coffee which for us is always a big tick.

I then walked along the canal into town. Oslo is so amazing because you can literally walk everywhere. There is so much to see and it is surrounded by nature.

In the afternoon went and checked out the Opera House (not my photo below), had a beautiful Italian lunch and then hit up Frogner park.

Frogner park is incredible…see slideshow below! There is so much fantastic art and graffiti in Oslo a lot of it in this park. There is also a lot of nakedness (in the form of sculptures!)

On the second day I made my own breakfast using fresh dense local bread from a local bakery and wandered down to the incredible Museum of Contemporary Art.

The exhibition was based on the environment (as so many things in Oslo are) and I got treated to pictures, sculptures and videos depicting the influence of over fishing and jellyfish on our environment.

I then continued to wander and found myself at Aker Brygge which is by the water and would be incredible in the summer. Despite the cold it was still packed with people enjoying the local restaurants and The Museum of Modern Art. My friend and I found a food truck (which are also abundant in Oslo) and got ourselves some tasty lamb and vegetable soup for a fraction of the price of the restaurants.

My last stop before I rested my sore feet was the Nobel Peace Museum. Which was full of a lot of incredible stories of Nobel Peace Prize Winners over the years.

My friend and I spent our last night in Oslo popping round to all the bars and restaurants in the  Grünerløkka region. We tried out Vin and Vinyl a bar where they played old records and served incredible wine. We ate incredibly well seasoned tacos at Taco Republica and then spent the night drinking mulled wine in a number of tiny hidden pubs. We also listened to some live music at an underground hidden bar called Bla!

All in all Oslo is an incredible place full of environmentally friendly practices, the most kind and accommodating people you will ever meet, hipsters (and their cafes), bars and food trucks galore. I got through a fraction of the sites there was so much to see and were able to save some cash by making some meals ourselves.

If you are after a holiday in a city that is surrounded by nature and doesn’t have the hustle and bustle then I highly recommend visiting this beautiful place.