8 of the best · Oslo, Norway
Parks, Sculpture Parks and Swimming in Oslo
Vigeland’s park and Frogner Park, the sculptures of Ekeberg and Tjuvholmen, the Botanical Garden, the Akerselva, Nordmarka and the harbour bath at Sørenga.
Our 8 favourites, listed A–Z · Updated October 2026
What's onThis week in Oslo
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Insiders' picks
Three of our favourites from this list, vetted by people who know and love Oslo.
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More than 200 sculptures
Vigeland Sculpture Park
Gustav Vigeland’s park inside Frogner Park: more than 200 sculptures, the Monolith and the Wheel of Life, open round the clock.
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Art on the hill
Ekebergparken
A sculpture park in the woods on the Ekeberg hill, with works by Louise Bourgeois, James Turrell and Damien Hirst, and views over the city.
The full list: Parks, A–Z
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Parks & nature 8
Green space, art and water.
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Eight kilometres through the city
Akerselva
The river that divides east and west Oslo: eight kilometres from Maridalsvannet to the fjord, past waterfalls and old mills.
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Art on the hill
Ekebergparken
A sculpture park in the woods on the Ekeberg hill, with works by Louise Bourgeois, James Turrell and Damien Hirst, and views over the city.
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Norway’s biggest rose collection
Frogner Park
The largest park in central Oslo, with 14,000 roses of 150 species and Norway’s biggest playground.
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The city’s forest
Nordmarka
The forest above Holmenkollen: trails in summer, ski tracks in winter, a T-bane ride from the centre.
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Swim in the city
Sørenga sjøbad
The harbour bath at Sørenga, beside the Opera: swim in the fjord in the middle of the city.
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Palm House of 1868
The Botanical Garden
The university’s garden at Tøyen: an arboretum of about 1,800 plants and glasshouses from 1868 and 1876.
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By Renzo Piano
Tjuvholmen Sculpture Park
Sculptures by Louise Bourgeois, Antony Gormley and Anish Kapoor at the tip of Tjuvholmen, with a small city beach.
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More than 200 sculptures
Vigeland Sculpture Park
Gustav Vigeland’s park inside Frogner Park: more than 200 sculptures, the Monolith and the Wheel of Life, open round the clock.
