Campervan Hire in Oslo

The Norwegian capital Oslo is located in the south of the country on the impressive Oslofjord. It is the largest city in Norway and a popular destination for Campervan travel. Domestic and foreign visitors are enthusiastic about the lively, multifaceted city. Enthusiastic campers take the opportunity to rent a Campervan in Oslo to explore the city and its surroundings.

In Oslo, there are unique sights to admire, a varied cultural programme and a wide range of leisure activities. Outdoor activities are particularly trendy, as Oslo offers numerous possibilities simply due to its location in the natural, hilly surroundings. In Oslo, for example, hiking, skiing or cycling, climbing, tobogganing, canoeing or golfing are very popular, and you can rent the appropriate equipment locally. It is possible to reach the recreational areas by public transport, but you can also rent a car.

Green Oslo

The city has countless parks and impresses with its well-kept green spaces. Visitors to the city can rent a bicycle and explore the city in an environmentally friendly way. Oslo is located in the Oslomarka and is surrounded by extensive forests, which are ideal for wonderful excursions by Campervan. Thanks to this unique location, Oslo is considered one of the seven greenest cities in Europe. In addition, there are good transport connections. A short metro ride is all it takes to get from the centre to the middle of the green belt that surrounds the city. These regions are very popular as recreational areas.

Camping in Oslo

Camping holidaymakers are welcome here, whether they arrive with a camper van or caravan or want to rent a camper van here. Oslo has several campsites. Not far from the Oslofjord, in the south of the city, is Ekeberg Camping. It is only about 12 minutes by car from the city centre and easily accessible. Ekeberg Camping offers spacious pitches for campers, whether they arrive by camper van or tent. Bogstad Camping is another campsite in Oslo, located in the north of the city. Campers with caravans, Campervans or tents are also welcome at this campsite.

Oslo has a temperate continental climate with four distinct seasons. Due to its location on the Oslo Fjord, there are maritime influences. The partly rather humid climate is characterised by mild winters and a rainy late summer with a barely noticeable transition to autumn. The summer is sunny and pleasant, the spring partly unstable. The temperature differences within the urban area are interesting. The outlying areas are significantly higher above sea level than the city centre, which lies directly on the fjord. It can happen that the temperature difference between the forests in the outskirts and the city centre is up to 10 degrees Celsius.

Best time to travel and temperatures

The coldest month is January, where the average temperature is around minus 2 to 7.4 degrees Celsius. The warmest month is July, with a peak temperature of 22.3 degrees Celsius. The best time for a Campervan holiday in Oslo depends on personal preferences, but the main travel season is the months from May to September. These are ideal for renting a Campervan in Oslo. The winter months are less suitable for a city trip, but you can still rent a Campervan at this time of year. Oslo has a lot to offer in terms of winter sports.

Trip to Holmenkollen by Campervan

The world-famous Holmenkollen ski jump is located just a few kilometres outside the city centre. You can rent a camper van and combine a visit to the ski jump with a trip to the Oslomarka. The Holmenkollen ski jump towers a proud 60 metres and offers an indescribable panoramic view with the viewing terrace at the top. The ski simulator allows visitors who are not quite as sporty to try out what a ski jump feels like. The oldest ski museum in the world is also worth a visit.

Autumn event

Outside the main tourist season, a regular event attracts many visitors in addition to the ski season: the film festival. It takes place every year in October. The best films from Latin America, Asia and Africa are presented in the various cinemas and attract numerous cinema fans. The event, also known as the "Films from the South" festival, is an enrichment of the city's extensive cultural offerings. It is also possible to rent a camper van in October and combine a visit to the festival with a holiday at one of the campsites in Oslo.

Award ceremony in December

Another off-season event attracts the interest of the world's public every year. In the town hall, which is one of the city's landmarks, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year on 10 December. The date is not chosen at random, but is the anniversary of the death of inventor and industrialist Alfred Nobel, who endowed the prize named after him.

A Campervan excursion with wonderful nature is an option if you decide to rent a Campervan in Oslo. The Sognsvann Lake, located on the outskirts of the metropolis, is particularly popular. The local recreation area stands for time out and leisure fun, not only with a Campervan. Those who want to rent a mountain bike, for example, can also easily reach the popular excursion destinations. In the summer, activities such as hiking, swimming and barbecuing attract visitors, while in the winter, ice fishing and skiing are on the agenda.

Sights in Oslo

Oslo offers numerous sights. One of the most famous attractions is the City Hall, which can be recognised from afar thanks to its unmistakable silhouette. The National Gallery, which houses a large collection of works by Scandinavian artists, is also well worth a visit. In addition to the basic exhibition, there are always changing exhibitions that cover interesting topics.

What you should definitely see in Oslo:

1) Akershus Fortress is an impressive fortress. The clear castle character indicates that the fortress was not only used as a fortress, but also as a residence. Originally it served military purposes. It was built in 1299, and extensions were soon added. The fortress is located on the Akersnest headland, which juts out into the Oslo Fjord. This gave it great strategic importance. In the 17th century, it was converted into a Renaissance castle, at which time Akershus served as a royal residence.

2) The Norwegian Open Air Museum presents the traditional Norwegian way of life. Visitors can experience how Norwegians lived in past centuries in 155 traditional buildings. Supporting programmes accompany the exhibition. The museum has a very special atmosphere, which is also helped by the fact that the staff are dressed in traditional Norwegian costumes.

3) A very special museum is the Viking Ship Museum. In Oslo, a city that is proud of its foundation by the Vikings, such a museum cannot be missing. The Vikings were warriors and seafarers, so the Viking Ship Museum houses some of the best preserved Viking ships. They were recovered from three Viking chieftain's graves and are more than 1000 years old. Interesting grave goods such as jewellery, household utensils or weapons can also be admired.

4) The Kon-Tiki Museum also has to do with shipping. The Norwegian Thor Heyerdal undertook a legendary ocean crossing in 1947. He started in Peru with the balsa wood raft, christened Kon-Tiki, and reached the Polynesian islands in the Pacific. Both the material for the raft and the conditions of the journey were modelled on the possibilities that had been available to people in prehistoric times. In doing so, he proved that the islands could very well have been settled from South America.

5) The Vigeland Sculpture Park is the pride of the Norwegian capital. It is located in Frogner Park, which was once part of a large estate. The sculpture park exhibits the works of the Norwegian sculptor Gustav Vigeland. There are 212 sculptures made of granite, wrought iron and bronze. The main motif is the life cycle of man, a self-contained group of figures. The 17-metre-high monolith of 121 stone figures is also impressive.

6) The royal palace is located on the boulevard Karl Johans Gate, which is considered Oslo's shopping and promenade. The royal ensemble impresses with the balance of its architecture. It is the residence of the royal family. King Harald V and Queen Sonja live in a flat in the south wing of the palace. The Crown Prince and Crown Princess, Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marie, also live in the palace. Nevertheless, the palace can be visited during the summer months, but only as part of a guided tour.

There is an endless amount to discover and experience during a stay in Oslo with a caravan or Campervan. One of the important experiences of a holiday with a camper van in a foreign country is getting to know the regional cuisine. Norway's typical culinary delicacies are worth discovering. Norwegian smoked salmon is legendary and an ingredient in many dishes. Norwegian home cooking includes hearty dishes of cabbage and lamb, fish soup or labskaus. The traditional cuisine has many nuances, including elk, reindeer and lungfish.

City Tour and Oslo Pass

A good tip is to use the hop-on hop-off buses. These buses can be used for a city tour to get an initial overview. Or you can use the stage option: the passenger gets on at any stop and travels to an attraction that he or she would like to visit in more detail. After the visit, the journey continues. The Oslo Pass, which is available for one to three days, is also a great deal. It grants free admission to many sights and discounts at many restaurants or shops. This also applies to some leisure activities such as the Oslo Climbing Park or the Tusen Fryd Amusement Park. The pass can be purchased directly in Oslo or ordered online before the holiday.

Transport connection

Oslo has excellent transport connections. The city can be reached by water as well as by bus, train or with your own vehicle such as a Campervan or camper. Camping enthusiasts who do not travel with their own camper can rent a Campervan in Oslo. Campervan rentals are in line with the national average. Those travelling by plane arrive either at Oslo-Gardermoen Airport, about 50 kilometres north of the city, or at Torp Airport, 120 kilometres south of Oslo. There it is possible to rent a car and drive into the city, where you can rent a Campervan.

The particularly romantic journey

Arriving by water is particularly beautiful. There are ferry connections with Copenhagen, Frederikshaven and Kiel. The journey through the legendary Oslo Fjord alone is an unforgettable experience. Shortly before the city, the fjord widens and flows into a large bay, and the mountains seem to recede. They reveal a view of the city, which stretches along the shore up to forested slopes.

Campervan hire in Oslo - note the local currency!

It is also important to know for Campervan rental in Oslo that Norway is not an EU country and therefore the euro is not the national currency. This means that the holidaymaker should stock up on Norwegian kroner. The cheapest way to do this is directly on site. It is also possible to exchange at the local bank in the home country, but this is an expensive option. It is better to go to an exchange office in Oslo or - the most convenient alternative - simply withdraw the required amount from an ATM. In this case, however, you should check the conditions of your local bank beforehand, as some banks charge expensive foreign currency fees.

Those who decide to visit the charming city on the Oslofjord should bring plenty of time with them. Not only the vibrant metropolis itself, but also the surrounding area offers attractive sights and excursion destinations. It is advisable to rent a car to be able to travel flexibly. Camping enthusiasts, however, are more likely to rent a Campervan in Oslo to combine the mobility offered by the vehicle with the pleasures of a camping holiday. Many visitors have fallen completely under the charm of this wonderful city, and are delighted by the charisma of the Norwegian capital.