Season guide · Oslo · Norway
Oslo in winter
December–February: weather, crowds, prices and the best things to do this time of year.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Unknown author, CC BY-SA 2.5
Quick answer
Cold, dark and often snowy, with ski trails reached by metro, Christmas markets and quiet museums. Expect highs up to 0°C (32°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 27 rainy days across December–February.
Key facts
- Months
- December–February
- Temperatures
- -6°C (21°F) to 0°C (32°F)
- Rainy days in the season
- About 27
- Sea
- 2°C (36°F) to 5°C (41°F)
- Crowds
- Quiet
- Hotel prices
- Low
Weather in winter
| Month | High | Low | Rainy days | Daylight | Crowds |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 0°C (32°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 10 | 6.7 h | 1/5 |
| February | 0°C (32°F) | -6°C (21°F) | 7 | 9 h | 2/5 |
| December | 0°C (32°F) | -4°C (25°F) | 10 | 5.9 h | 3/5 |
Compared with the rest of the year: average highs of 0°C (32°F) against a yearly 10°C (50°F), and 27 of the year's roughly 117 rainy days fall in these 3 months. Crowds rate 2/5 and hotel prices 2/5 on average.
What's on in winter
Recurring events; dates move from year to year, so confirm with the organiser.
- February: Winter school holiday week — Oslo-area families head to the slopes (usually late February)
- December: Nobel Peace Prize ceremony at Oslo City Hall (10 December)
- December: Christmas market at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (usually early December weekends)
Good choices for winter
Architecture · Bjørvika
Deichman Bjørvika library
Climb to the top floor for the view over the Opera House, then rest on the window benches with a coffee.
- Time needed
- 45 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Architecture
- Rainy day
- Views
Market · Grünerløkka
Mathallen Oslo
This food hall in a former industrial building at Vulkan, beside the Akerselva river, gathers Norwegian cheesemongers, fishmongers, charcuterie and bakery stalls with small restaurants and bars.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Low cost
- Food
- Rainy day
- Shopping
Museum · Kjelsås
Norwegian Museum of Science and Technology
Combine it with the Akerselva river walk, which starts just down the hill.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- History
.jpg){kind=link}
Museum · Bjørvika
MUNCH
The 13-storey MUNCH museum opened in 2021 to hold the huge collection Edvard Munch left to the city, including painted, drawn and printed versions of The Scream, which are shown in rotation to protect them.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- Art
- Rainy day
- Views
_(2).jpg){kind=link}
Museum · Aker Brygge
National Museum
Find the Munch room early in the day before it fills, then work through the design collection.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Iconic
- Rainy day
- Architecture
Day trips in winter
- Nesodden (About 25 minutes by ferry) — The peninsula across the fjord from Aker Brygge is a quick escape to coastal paths, swimming rocks and artists' studios.
- Kistefos sculpture park (About 1 hour 15 minutes by car) — 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.
What to pack
- A warm coat, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Shoes with good grip for icy pavements
- A packable rain jacket for showers
- Comfortable walking shoes
Other times of year
Questions travellers ask
+Is winter a good time to visit Oslo?
It is a trade-off: Cold, dark and often snowy, with ski trails reached by metro, Christmas markets and quiet museums. The best months overall are May–September.
+What is the weather like in Oslo in winter?
Highs of up to 0°C (32°F) and lows around -6°C (21°F), with about 27 rainy days over the season.