6 best day trips from Oslo

Day trips compared

The day trips

35 km · About 1 hour by bus, longer by summer boat

1.Drøbak

A white-painted wooden town on the narrows of the Oslofjord, with a year-round Christmas shop, a small aquarium and fjord-side restaurants. Boats cross to Oscarsborg Fortress, whose guns sank the German cruiser Blücher on 9 April 1940.

Getting there

Bus 500 from Oslo bus terminal, or a seasonal boat from Aker Brygge

Best for

Couples, Families, Quiet stays

95 km · About 1 hour by train

2.Fredrikstad

Fredrikstad's Gamlebyen (Old Town) is one of the best-preserved fortified towns in Scandinavia, with star-shaped ramparts, moats, cobbled streets and craft shops. A small free ferry crosses the Glomma river from the modern town.

Getting there

Regional train from Oslo Central Station

Best for

Culture, Families, Quiet stays

180 km · About 2 hours 15 minutes by train

3.Lillehammer

The host town of the 1994 Winter Olympics sits on Lake Mjøsa. Maihaugen is a large open-air museum of rural buildings, the Olympic ski jumps above town have a chairlift and viewpoint, and the pedestrian Storgata is lined with wooden shops.

Getting there

Regional train from Oslo Central Station

Best for

Families, Culture

10 km · About 25 minutes by ferry

4.Nesodden

The peninsula across the fjord from Aker Brygge is a quick escape to coastal paths, swimming rocks and artists' studios. The ferry ride itself gives a wide view back over the Oslo waterfront, and it uses a standard public-transport ticket.

Getting there

Ruter commuter boat from Aker Brygge

Best for

Quiet stays, Couples, Budget

75 km · About 1 hour 15 minutes by car

5.Kistefos sculpture park

A sculpture park set around a historic pulp mill at Jevnaker, centred on The Twist, a twisting gallery building by the architecture firm BIG that spans the Randselva river. Large contemporary sculptures are placed along the riverbanks and around the old mill buildings. The site is open mainly in the warmer months.

Getting there

Car, or organised transport in the main season

Best for

Culture, Couples

100 km · About 1 hour 20 minutes by train

6.Tønsberg

Often described as Norway's oldest town, Tønsberg has the ruins of a medieval royal fortress on the Slottsfjellet hill, with a lookout tower above the harbour. Its wooden waterfront wharf fills with restaurants and boats in summer.

Getting there

Regional train from Oslo Central Station

Best for

Culture, Quiet stays

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Bus 30 runs year-round from the centre to the Bygdøy museums, and buses fill the gaps between tram and metro lines.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask