A weekend in Oslo: Inspiration for a girls trip

Does it feel like the days are just passing by, with too little time to nurture old friendships? Has it been a while since that last girls trip? How about a few days of long lunches, spa pampering and gallery crawls in a spacious and vibrant city? Oslo is waiting!

Small enough to navigate by foot, large enough to offer plenty of urban adventures and top-of-the-line hotels, restaurants and bars for those precious hours of talk and relaxation.

To inspire your planning, here are six great ways to celebrate a girls' weekend in the Norwegian capital.

Enjoy a long lunch

What greater luxury than to be able to sit, undisturbed, in the middle of the day and drink a glass of sparkling wine? A long and delicious lunch is also an unbeatable opportunity to catch up on everything that has happened since you last hung out. 

Why not go for the classics? Few places in Oslo say lunch with a style like Oslo's historic Grand Café, with traditions dating back to 1874. This is where world-famous artists Henrik Ibsen and Edvard Munch used to hang out, and now it's your turn.

The venerable Hotel Bristol is home to The Library Bar and Wintergarden, where writers, musicians and actors have gathered for inspiration since 1920. The menu includes afternoon tea (and deluxe afternoon tea!) served every day, as well as scrumptious sandwiches and pastries.

Across from Oslo's National Theatre you'll find another iconic lunch spot: Theatercaféen. The atmosphere is quite unique, and the lavish space includes a collection of portrait paintings of prominent people who were or still are regulars.

Discover the new Oslo

East of Oslo's city centre, the brand new neighbourhood of Bjørvika has emerged from the fjord. A real treat if you're into in architecture, and a wonderful place for taking a walk together while enjoying the sense of something entirely new.

Start by getting your coffee and donuts at the fabulous Talormade, where the line sometimes stretches so far out the door that you'd think you were in front of a famous New York cupcake bakery. It's well worth the wait, we promise. 

All set? Let's do some exploring! Make sure to snap a shot of the houses right in front of you, which with their whimsical look and narrow canals appear like a crossbreed of Venice and a modern Montmartre.

Visit the Deichman library! In addition to thousands of books, the building is filled with evocative art installations, secretive mezzanines, hidden reading nooks and narrow escalators that elegantly lift you up through the five floors. From the top level, you have a fabulous view of the Oslo fjord.

Oslo's Opera House has been in the area for a while, but a stroll on its world-famous marble roof remains a must. Strike a pose in front of the Munch Museum, and you'll have a perfect picture to send back home.

Stay at a special hotel

Nothing beats a night in a nice hotel in good company! It's of course entirely appropriate to watch TV in bed and order room service if you feel like it. Hotel breakfasts are amazing in Norway.

If you're looking for a truly memorable place to stay, the boutique hotel Amerikalinjen is a great pick. The rooms combine Norwegian design classics with modern comfort, and all have great views. Swing by the hotel bar Pier 42 for a Manhattan-inspired classic cocktail.

Design and elegance also come standard at The Thief, an award-winning hotel situated right on the fjord in the wonderful Tjuvholmen neighbourhood. The hotel restaurant Thief Foodbar will serve you exquisite food from local ingredients, and in summertime, you can enjoy drinks with a view from the hotel's rooftop bar.

If traditional chic is more your style, check in to Hotell Bondeheimen. The rooms are inspired by Norwegian traditions and materials, and the famous hotel restaurant Kaffistova offers no-nonsense Norwegian fare.

Grand Hotel is Norway's most famous hotel, and has welcomed international guests, celebrities and Nobel Peace Prize winners since 1874. An in-house spa, several restaurants and a rooftop bar are among the amenities, so you don't really have to leave the hotel at all.

Spend the day at a spa

Time to get pampered! A day at the spa is the perfect cure for tense shoulders and a high stress level. It is also a great place to move the conversations away from the noises of everyday life, and really pay attention to each other.

For a true spa retreat, venture a bit outside the city and to The Well. This is the largest spa centre in the Nordics, and gathers spa concepts from all around the world under one single roof. Getting here is easy: The Well bus express runs from Oslo three times a day.

In the city centre, Thief Spa promises a relaxing atmosphere inspired by the Nordics and Norwegian nature. The treatment menu is international, with spa favourites from several different countries.   

If you feel a bit more adventurous, you may also try a new local wellness favourite and rent some time in one of Oslo's many floating saunas.

Expand your horizons at an art gallery

It is nice to feel cultured, no? The Oslo art scene is in full bloom, so put on a pair of good shoes and get ready for a gallery crawl. Tjuvholmen is home to several galleries, and a perfect place to start.

At the Astrup Fearnley Museet you get to explore one of Northern Europe's most significant collections of modern and contemporary art, alongside intriguing rotating exhibitions. The airy museum building, created by the well-known Italian architect Renzo Piano, is an attraction in itself.

At Tjuvholmen you'll also find Galleri Fineart, where you can both admire and buy prints, photographs and other kinds of original art works by leading Norwegian artists.

Walk towards the city centre and through the Royal Palace Park, and you'll reach Kunstnernes Hus. The museum has set the stage for both highlights and scandals in Norwegian art history, celebrities frequent the cafeteria – and the exhibitions will get your thoughts going, guaranteed.

Go shopping together

No girls trip without shopping! Luckily, Oslo's got you covered!

The main street Karl Johan is among the city's most popular shopping streets, and stretches from the central station past the Parliament and up to the Royal Palace. A good place to combine shopping and sightseeing, in other words.

Øvre Slottsgate has recently turned into a high-end shopping district with several exclusive brand stores. And talking about exclusive: Make sure to swing by the stylish shopping centres Steen & Strøm, Promenaden Fashion District and Paleet.

Head west and you'll get to Frogner, a neighbourhood with a very different feel from the city centre, boasting several small and unique stores in beautiful surroundings. The area is also full of cosy cafes and eateries, so this is a good place for a coffee break.

A short walk away from Frogner lies the street Bogstadveien, where the new shopping centre Valkyrien has become a favourite.

Follow the tram tracks back down towards the city centre, and enjoy all the little gems you'll pass along the way. A tasty lunch at Litteraturhuset is a good way to end your spree.

Looking for the really great bargains? At Oslo Fashion Outlet in Vestby – just outside Oslo – you will find well-known brands at reduced outlet prices.