Weekend break: A family trip to Oslo

There are no black cabs you can push the buggy into. Most cafés and restaurants will make you park the buggy on the street. But taking a weekend break to Oslo is still not such a bad idea.

It’s Norway’s National Day today, and with me and Daddy T both being Norwegians, this is the day we’re extremely proud of where we’re from. That’s why I figured it was the perfect opportunity to write a short guide to our favourite places in Oslo.

Brunch
We love the Sunday brunch at Bølgen & Moi Briskeby. I’m usually not a buffet-style person, but this is a delicious buffet it’s worth going to. It’s relaxed, but high-end, and the restaurant is located in a desirable area of the city. There are often buggies parked outside, but you can also leave the buggy in the cloak room. When Baby Girl was little we parked the buggy base in the cloak room, and took the carrycot with us to the table.

Cafés
Oslo’s café culture is what I like best about the city–despite the lack of babyccinos. In between meals, or for a quick breakfast, one of the two Kaffebrenneriet cafés in Frognerveien are brilliant places to hang out. Both branches have tables outside, which are very popular on sunny days.

Another Frognerveien favourite is Kolonihagen, where we’ve sometimes had a salad, but more often we go for a coffee in the cobbled courtyard. Chic and rustic.

Pizza restaurants
Norwegians love going out for a good pizza, and there are a number of brilliant pizza restaurants in Oslo. The trendy Olivia restaurants at Aker Brygge, Tjuvholmen and in Hegdehaugsveien, which offer al fresco dining, are good choices, and other favourites include the intimate Pizza da Mimmo at Frogner and popular Villa Paradiso at Grünerløkka.

For the ultimate family-experience, go to one of the city’s traditional pizza restaurants Peppes Pizza. I can’t wait to take Baby Girl to one, as we used to go as kids, but we now often order take away from Peppes Pizza when we’re back in Oslo instead.

The flight is around 1 hour and 50 minutes long, and Norwegian, Scandinavian Airlines and British Airways all fly from London to Oslo’s main airport Gardemoen. Oslo’s new design hotel The Thief is perhaps the hottest place to stay at the moment, but another popular choice is Hotel Continental if you ask for a new room.

(The picture above was taken in Holmenkollen in winter)

Tags: 17 May, Bolgen & Moi, British Airways, Holiday destinations, Hotel Continental, Kaffebrenneriet, Kolonihagen, Norway, Norwegian, Olivia, Oslo, Peppes Pizza, Pizza da Mimmo, Scandinavian Airlines, The Thief, Travel, Villa Paradiso, Weekend break