Oslo's hipster neighborhoods
Trendy bars, microbreweries and hangouts.
Tøyen
The Tøyen area, to the east of the center of Oslo, has traditionally been – and still is – home to many low-income families. The Municipality of Oslo, in partnership with the government, is in the process of giving the area a facelift. The library in Tøyen has become a meeting place and playcenter for younger people, while many exciting restaurants and bars have also opened in Tøyen.
Brutus
Eat at Brutus, which serves delicious Nordic food.
barbrutus.no
Barcode
It’s just a 10-minute walk from Tøyen to Barcode, the newest district in Oslo that overlooks the fjord. Barcode is as amazing in real life as it looks in photographs. In addition to the spectacular architecture, there’s plenty going on inside the buildings in Barcode too, not least at the Deichman Public Library.
Clarion Hotel Oslo
The Clarion Hotel Oslo displays a regularly refreshed art collection.
nordicchoicehotels.no
Nodee Sky Bar
Take the elevator to the Nodee Sky Bar for a fine view of the Barcode area’s landmark architecture.
nodee.no/nodee-sky-nor
Torggata
Not so long ago, Torggata was a narrow street with a few nondescript stores and kebab places. However, the streets and apartment blocks have since been redeveloped and smartened up and the Torggata district has several concert venues, including Kulturhuset. Check the program to see if there’s a band you’d like to see, or maybe just find a market to visit.
Kulturhuset
Crow Bar & Brewery
Try an imperial stout or a full-bodied red ale with a hint of sweetness. Cheers!
crowbryggeri.com
Grass Roots Square
Norway has a public spaces art program called KORO. Grass Roots Square is a beautiful work in Oslo composed of 50,000 tiny figures cast in bronze with a green patina. Designed to embody a grassroots movement, the varying ages, genders and ethnicities of South Korean artist Do Ho Suh’s figures also represent a united mass.
Tjuvholmen
This tiny island next to Aker Brygge is Oslo’s newly glamorous area. Tjuvholmen has its own sand beach where you can enjoy a refreshing dip.
The Thief
The Thief hotel is a beautiful, luxury hotel in Tjuvholmen where even your dog can have its own bed.
thethief.com
Text by Inga Ragnhild Holst