Our ship was docked in the city centre, opposite the Opera House & Munch Museum and behind the floating saunas. Fabulous view from our balcony.

We came here back in 2011 on our very first Baltic Cruise and did the Kon-Tiki, Viking (which is currently under renovation until 2027) and Fram Museums, the Vigeland Sculpture Park and got ourselves around by ferry, tram and walking.

This time we took a free walking tour and learned more about Oslo’s history. We met at the Tiger statue near the Central Station, funnily enough there was a Hard Rock Cafe close by, so off we went to get a T-shirt before we started. Unfortunately, there should have been two guides, as we were a big group of 40+, but the other guide was sick, it was a bit difficult to hear at times, but it was too late to source an alternative.

Our guide was from the Czech Republic, who had fell in love with the city 8 years ago and never left. The city was founded around 1040 AD by Viking King Harald Hardrada and became Norway’s capital in 1299 under King Haakon V. A huge fire destroyed the city in 1624 and after being rebuilt, with the help of the Germans, Danes & Swedes next to the Akershus fortress, the “new city” was named Christiania after King Christian IV. The city’s strategic location of the fjord made it a great trading port.

Norway achieved full independence in 1905, and as the city grew, Kristiania absorbed old Oslo. However, they decided to keep their Royal family after a vote by the population at the time. In 1925 the name for the whole city was changed back to Oslo, the idea being that Kristiania gave tribute to a Danish king, and the Norwegians were now independent.

King Haakon, who was married to Princess Maud (a member of the British Royal Family), was exiled in the UK during the war, as he refused to bow to Germany’s demands, he was pivotal in uniting his nations resistance to the German occupation and returned in 1945.

Of course we finished off our day with a very expensive local beer on a side walk bar.