Have you ever visited a city and felt like something was missing? You’ve toured the touristy areas, you’ve seen the sights, but somehow you’re not sure how it all fits together, what’s between those landmarks and what ‘lies East’. Or maybe, you haven’t captured the atmosphere of the city, how it grew and the way the locals actually live, work, and play.
Basically, you haven’t scratched beneath the surface.
This is what happened to me in Oslo.
It was my second time in the city but I still had pretty much everything left to discover. My first visit had been in winter to celebrate New Year’s Eve with a group of friends, and given the snowy/freezing weather, the lack of daylight (night fell around 2-3pm) and our lazy festive mood, aside from a day of sightseeing along the Aker Brygge harbour area to take in the Museum of Modern Art, the old sea fortress, and the opera house, I had spent most of my time helping watching my friend prepare reindeer steaks (really!) and chocolate mousse for our NYE meal, and drinking aperitifs by the fire.
So, I was glad to have a second opportunity to explore the city, and I spent my first day back in ‘the North’ completing my rounds of Oslo’s must-sees.
I made the most of the splendid weather by walking around Vigeland Park, one of the world’s largest sculpture parks, which features sprawling green lawns and more than 200 sculptures by Gustav Vigeland representing the ‘human condition’ at various stages of life.
Basically, it’s both a great place to relax and an open-air museum.
I then walked to Bygdøy Peninsula to visit the Viking Ship Museum – which, as its name suggests, houses three Viking ships unearthed by a local farmer. The ships were used as graves, and the stories of the bodies they guarded and of the objects found inside are shrouded in mystery and rather fascinating.
Yet, after all this sunny sightseeing, it seemed like I hadn’t really got a ‘feel’ for the city.
We tend to think of Scandinavian countries as the (slightly annoying) ‘perfect students’ who top the livability, happiness, and other ‘social progress’ rankings – modern, proper, rich, expensive…and, well, maybe a bit too square. But was there another side to Oslo?
I decided that the best way to find out was to join an alternative bike tour of Oslo with AlternativOSLO.
AlternativOSLO is the smallest company offering city tours of Oslo, and the only one that proposes bike, tram, and walking tours. As it provides a more personal treatment and focuses on off-the-beaten-path areas, it seemed like the perfect fit for me and I was quick to say yes when the owner suggested I join the Akerselva Bike Tour scheduled for a few days later!
I was well-inspired to grab my rain coat on a last-minute impulse, as it started pouring down as soon as I met our guide Graciela outside Oslo’s main train station. From there, we caught our bikes and jumped on a train to Maridalsvannet, Oslo’s drinking water reservoir and the start of the Akerselva river.
The concept of the tour was simple: follow the course of the river over 8km from source to mouth, passing through industrial history, waterfalls, recreation areas, fishing spots and forests along the way, and taking in some of the bordering neighborhoods. Cycling down the Akerselva is also a journey through time, from the 19th-century factories to the modern buildings on the banks of the Oslo Fjord.
After donning our biking and rainproof gear, we entered the river area, which is now a big Ecopark.
Our ride in the park was punctuated by brick factory buildings and some of the 23 waterfalls on the Akerselva.
Did you know that before the Norwegians discovered oil, Norway was a rather poor country whose economy was dominated by the wood industry? Tree trunks were transported on the Akerselva and processed in factories around the river, and those factories and mills also used the current from the river as a power source. The workers were housed in nearby residences, eating and sleeping in collective areas.
Some of the abandoned factories and old workers’ quarters have now been taken over by artists, and are being used as workshops, galleries, and cafes.
After a few kilometres of cycling next to the Akerselva, we left the river and Oslo’s industrial past behind to explore the young, bohemian boroughs of St Hanshaugen to the West and Grünerløkka to the East.
These areas are home to design collectives, music venues, and Nordic microbreweries. Stops included the trendy Vulkan Mathallen covered market to sample local cheeses, squats converted into ‘art factories’ and street art, as well as preserved, stuck-in-time little streets. Unfortunately, my camera was drowning by then, so the photographic evidence kinda dried out (pun intended).
Rejoining the river, we reached central Oslo via Grønland, an ethnically diverse immigrant area with markets and restaurants, to end up at the very modern iceberg-shaped Oslo National Opera House, our last stop on the tour.
After a last group picture, we all headed home for a well-deserved hot shower!
Overall, the Akerselva Bike Tour was a great way to connect different offbeat sights and to learn more about the other sides of Oslo thanks to the wealth of information distilled by our guide. Although by no means physically challenging (the biking was almost 100% downhill!), the 4 hours of cycling still provided a bit of a workout and a fun way to spend a half-day… and I won’t spoil it all for you, but Graciela’s anecdotes really brought the city to life for me!
Disclaimer: I received a small discount from AlternativOSLO to take part in the Akerselva Biking Tour. However, I only partner up with companies I am genuinely excited about, and all opinions are solely my own!
What do you think of Oslo’s different facets? Do you like to dig deeper when exploring a city? Have you been on an alternative tour? Let me know in the comments below!
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Très joli, verdoyant, coloré. Et un récit qui donne envie de suivre à son tour cette promenade commentée, à bicyclette et en descente…
La promenade etait vraiment tres plaisante et permettait de rallier plein de sites mineurs qui demanderaient de prendre plusieurs transports en commun sinon. Meme si j’ai fini trempee apres 4 heures sous la pluie, j’ai beaucoup apprecie !
Camille recently posted…Bergen, Norway: a Photo-Essay
Great post, Camille!I’d love to visit Norway and the bike tour sounds like a brilliant way to explore 🙂
Secret Traveller recently posted…Things to do in Dublin – Dublin Castle
Thank you! Yes, cycling allowed us to easily take in a variety of scattered areas and sights that would otherwise require a HELL of a lot of walking or hopping in and out of public transport, so it was really convenient!
Camille recently posted…The Serious Business of Norwegian Summer ‘Hyttelivet’ (‘Cottage Living’)
Since markets, music venues, and microbreweries are a few of my favourite things, I’d love to explore St Hanshaugen and Grünerløkka! I generally picture most Scandinavian cities to be perfectly manicured, spotlessly clean and modern, so it’s refreshing to read about these more industrial and trendy neighbourhoods.
Ashley recently posted…Expat in Edinburgh: Month 2
I’m exactly the same as you Ashley, I like these things too and I had the same impressions of Scandinavian cities, so I really enjoyed discovering this other side of Oslo. Also, I realized that we don’t know much about those countries’ histories before they became the wealthy and socially-advanced countries that we know them to be today, so it was fascinating to find out about Norway’s industrial past. There were a lot more anecdotes that I didn’t recount in here – I learnt a lot!
Camille recently posted…Wanderlust Instagrammy Awards: Myanmar in 30 Amazing Pictures
Seems like you really found the proper edge of Oslo. I’ve been there myself a couple of times but never wandered far from the city center. I will for sure try one of those bicycling tours if I find myself in Oslo again 🙂 Riding a bike is definitely one of the best ways to discover a new place while travelling.
Btw. I envy your style of writing, it’s both witty and sharp, yet so informative!
Andri Wilberg recently posted…Your dream hotel in Myanmar Sule Shangri-la
Thanks Andri, you really made my day with your comment, this is one of the best compliments I’ve ever had! I think cycling is a particularly great way to discover Scandinavia as it is also the locals’ favourite means of transport, so you feel like you’re exploring the ‘typical’ way! 🙂
Camille recently posted…Blown Away at Torres del Paine, Chile
What an awesome idea for a tour. I love bike tours, but this one seems to really dig deep. I prefer when I can really sink my teeth into a city (food aside, of course..) and I definitely feel like something is missing when I can’t. I felt this way about Florence, Italy a lot. I did a lot of sightseeing, but I didn’t really “get it.” I think that’s why I prefer to either take longer trips or seek out tours like this. So cool! Thanks for sharing.
Amanda | Chasing My Sunshine recently posted…2015 Travel Plans
Funny that you should mention Florence, Amanda: I know that it’s supposed to be beautiful, but I don’t like classical/Renaissance art so I’ve been a bit reluctant to visit. Like you, I enjoy straying off the “touristy” parts of a city and seeing the areas that are actually more “lived-in” by the locals.
Camille recently posted…Wanderlust Instagrammy Awards: Bolivia in 30 Amazing Pictures
Interesting. Thanks for bringing up different sides of Oslo. I visited there but like a conventional tourist mainly went around to see mid-night sun. But in next visit i ll keep in my list the ‘alternates’ you uncovered. Good luck for future travels……..
Thanks so much for your comment Naeem! There’s nothing wrong with covering the touristic must-sees first (I do it too!), but it’s nice to dig deeper sometimes when you stay in a place a little longer… And thank you, I have a lot of exciting current and future travels to write about on here!
Camille recently posted…Wanderlust Instagrammy Awards: Malaysia in 20 Amazing Pictures
This looks awesome! I always like to do a different kind of tour when I go away – it really lets you see a different side to the city which you might not usually x
Jasmin Charlotte recently posted…JC Tech: My Instagram Experiment – How I Increased My Followers by 25% in 1 Month
Agreed, I’m the same! This tour packed in a lot of different sights while also making us do a bit of exercise – win!
Camille recently posted…Finding the Edge of Oslo on an Alternative Tour
The alternative bike tour sounds good, I like these hands-on (or rather feet-on) experiences. And I enjoyed your photos from the Vigelund park because it was raining when I was there and your photos look so colourful and lively compared to mine 🙂
Patricia recently posted…Bumblebee
Oh that’s a shame! I was impressed by the Vigelund Park, but I was definitely lucky to see it on a good day 🙂 Not so lucky the day of the bike tour though…in fact, it’s a testament to the tour that I enjoyed it despite getting rained on for 4 hours straight!
Camille recently posted…Wanderlust Instagrammy Awards: Bolivia in 30 Amazing Pictures
I had a similar experience this past week in Buenos Aires. The city had so much to offer but I felt like I couldn’t really quite connect to it for some reason. I’m glad the tour opened things up for you a bit to get to know the city better!
Kacy recently posted…Balancing Work and Travel in Rio
This happens to me in a lot of places, Kacy. Most of the time I feel like something is missing if I don’t get to meet locals and see the city through their eyes…otherwise, it can sometimes feel like I’ve just ticked off a list of sights without really engaging! Luckily, I had a number of chance encounters in Buenos Aires that really made my stay – you can read about it here if you’re interested (just ignore the formatting problems, it’s an old post that I haven’t yet updated!): https://www.camilleinwonderlands.com/buenos-aires-encounter-palermo/
Camille recently posted…Wanderlust Instagrammy Awards: Bolivia in 30 Amazing Pictures
I wish I’d taken this tour when I was in Oslo! Even after visiting all the city’s main attractions, I still felt like I’d barely scratched the surface. Maybe it’s because it was over Easter weekend and all the locals had left town, but like you after your first visit, I felt like something was missing. Guess I’ll just have to go back!
Heather @ Ferreting Out the Fun recently posted…10 Highlights of the Louvre
Sounds like we felt the same way about it Heather! It’s always so much better to be shown around a city by someone who lives there and loves it, and this is exactly what this tour offered.
Camille recently posted…Wanderlust Instagrammy Awards: Bolivia in 30 Amazing Pictures
What a beautiful story! and what a colorful city! thanks for sharing!
Keep on travelling! Love from Greece
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We want you to be informative and helpful in our daily life.
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David P. recently posted…Hello world!
O artigo é uma leitura fascinante que nos transporta para uma jornada única e fora dos roteiros tradicionais. Fiquei encantado com a descrição detalhada e envolvente da experiência em Oslo, explorando lugares menos conhecidos e revelando uma perspectiva diferente da cidade. A narrativa é repleta de detalhes interessantes e curiosidades que nos envolvem e nos fazem sentir como se estivéssemos realmente lá, descobrindo os segredos escondidos e os encantos ocultos de Oslo. Além disso, a abordagem alternativa da excursão, fugindo dos destinos turísticos convencionais, permite uma imersão autêntica na cultura e na atmosfera local. A escrita é cativante, fluente e consegue transmitir a emoção e o entusiasmo do autor pela descoberta de novos lugares. Este artigo é uma fonte de inspiração para aqueles que desejam explorar além dos guias turísticos tradicionais e mergulhar nas experiências autênticas que uma cidade tem a oferecer. Recomendo vivamente a leitura deste artigo para todos os amantes de viagens em busca de novas aventuras.
This greenry and flowing water melts my heart. Such a beautiful nature.