Aker Brygge

Oslo’s lively waterfront

Aker Brygge is Oslo’s bustling waterfront area. By day, you can browse shops and enjoy a bite to eat in a café. By night, there’s a host of bars and nightclubs to choose from if you’re looking for a party! It's a popular starting point for ferry rides to the small islands and communities within Oslofjord, including the Bygdøy peninsula, where you can find many of Oslo’s most popular museums.

Nearby is the City Hall (“Rådhuset”). Completed in 1950, the interior of this seemingly plain building is lined with beautiful murals by local Norwegian artists. You’ll also find the Nobel Peace Center, which showcases the works of Alfred Nobel and former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, along with fascinating exhibitions focused on peace and conflict.

A short walk to the other side of the water brings you to Akershus Fortress (“Akershus Festning”), built around the year 1299 to protect the city from intruders. During WWII, this protective symbol took a ghastly turn as the site where several Norwegian resistance fighters, and later the traitorous Norwegian chancellor, were executed.

The Norwegian Resistance Museum (“Norges Hjem-metfrontmuseum”) and the Armed Forces Museum (“For-svarsmuseum”), both located on the fortress grounds, offer more information about this dark period as well as defence history dating back to the Viking era.