Oslo - An unknown but welcoming city with a small gay community
Norway
One thing to keep in mind when you are travelling to Oslo is that the entire city does not really care about sexuality. Neighbourhoods are flooded with people from straight to gay, non-binary to transgendered. There may not be places that are called “gay neighbourhoods” because no one really cares about your sexuality. Everyone is welcome and the entire city is open to all. That’s what makes Oslo a beautiful place to visit on your gay holidays. You can feel comfortable in your own skin without anyone bothering you.
When it comes to sightseeing in Oslo, Norway, there are tons of places you can go to! If you’re into the outdoors, you need to check out the Vigeland Park, Huk, Oslo Winter Park, the Botanical Garden, and Palace Park. For the gay travellers who are interested in arts, museums, and culture, you can visit Viking Ship Museum, Oslo Opera House, Natural History Museum, and Oslo City Museum. There are tons of gay tourists who love to experience the historical side of Oslo, which is in great abundance. If you are one of them, you can check out the Royal Palace, Radhuset, Oslo Cathedral, Historical Museum, Storting Building, Norwegian Parliament, or Oslo Port Authority. Really, your options in Oslo are endless. There are so many things to see and do that your gay holidays would not leave you disappointed.
As mentioned before, Oslo doesn’t really have areas that are designated as Gay districts because there is no point in having them. This city is known for its open-mindedness and an inviting atmosphere. Every neighbourhood is gay and straight. However, there is a neighbourhood I would recommend visiting that is known as one of the trendiest areas in the city, the Grünerløkka neighbourhood. It is riddled with gay-friendly hotels and hostels, gay bars, gay clubs, and tons of incredible things to do. You will notice that, no matter where you are in Oslo, the city is decorated with rainbow flags everywhere.
Check out the rest of the recommendations below to know where to stay, where to go, and how to get there.
Before we book a holiday or a flight, check if we need a holiday visa or a transit visa (if we're not sure), just to have as little as possible unpleasant situation. The best you can check is on your embassy ( the origin of your passport), but other sites will also give you some ideas of how strong your passport is for free visa traveling; please check here.
I hope you have a wonderful time in Oslo, Norway!
Recommendations
Hotels
As far as I am aware, Oslo doesn’t really have hotels that are only for gay men. Though, there are tons of hotels and hostels that are very popular within the LGBTQIA+ community. If these recommendations are not to your liking, you have tons of other options to choose from. I said it above and I’ll say it again. Oslo is a gay city, every hotel and hostel in it is automatically labelled as a gay-friendly place. You are safe here and you will love every part of the city.
1. CityBox Oslo
2. The Thief
4. Saga Hotel
If the above hotels are not to your liking, check out the list below of some great websites where you can book your stays for your gay holidays. The first link is one of the best and most popular gay accommodation platforms:
1. Misterbandb
2. Booking.com
3. Agoda
4. Hostelworld
5. Hotels.com
6. Expedia
7. Wotif
9. Lastminute
10. Kayak
Bars/Clubs/Saunas
Oslo has something for everyone. If you’re the party animal, the chill type, or someone looking for some raunchy action, this city is welcoming to all types of interests and cravings. Check out some of the bars, clubs, and saunas below:
Gay Bars:
1. Elsker
2. Bob’s Pub
3. London Pub
Gay Clubs:
1. Fire
2. SLM Oslo – If you have a leather fetish, this is the place for you
Gay Saunas:
These are only a few of the options you have. Even if you find a bar or club that is not labelled as “gay” you can still enter and be yourself. That is the beauty of having your gay holidays in Oslo, Norway.
Transport
Oslo has three airports. The first one in the list below is the main airport that is used widely by gay travellers around the world. I would recommend you land in the first airport on the list if that is possible for you. It is the closest and will get you to the center of the city faster.
- This airport is 47km from the center of Olso.
- You can take the train service called Flytoget which will take you from the airport to Downtown Oslo in around 20 minutes. The trains are available all day long so they are incredibly reliable.
- You can even take an uber or taxi from Oslo Airport. Keep in mind that the price might be far higher.
- Buses are available from the airport. Make sure you take the FB2 bus or the FB3 bus that runs every 20 minutes.
- This airport is a whopping 110km away from Oslo. I wouldn’t recommend using this airport unless you had no choice. Even though the public transportation services are not that long, the other airports are far closer.
- Keep in mind that the public transportation services from Sandefjord Airport are not 24/7. During the weekdays they are functional from 4AM to 10PM. On the weekends, they are functional from 6AM to 10PM.
- Flytogetis available at this airport and it will take you around an hour and a half to get to Olso.
- If you want to go by bus, you would need to search for the TP and 32 bus services. They are only functioning from 8AM to 9PM on weekdays, and 8:15AM to 9:15AM on weekends. The bus is available every hour.
- You can always take a taxi, but with the large distance between the airport and the center of Oslo, I wouldn’t recommend paying the hefty price.
3. Moss Airport, Rygge Map
- Only 60km away from the center of Olso, Moss Airport can be a viable option.
- Public Transportation works 24/7 so you wouldn’t have to worry about that.
- Moss Airport doesn’t have Flytoget but there are NSB train services that will take you from the airport to Oslo in 50 minutes.
- To take the bus, Moss Airport has bus services that run every hour from 6AM to 11:30PM. Search for buses R100 and TE3\
There are tons of options for you to choose from. Research them well and manage your transportation according to your budget. I would recommend heading to the main airport, the first one on the list, and taking the train. It’s closer, will only take you 20 minutes, and is comfortable. Keep in mind that buses are far cheaper than taxis or trains. If that is what you need, go for that.
Below are some of the best airlines which connect Europe to the world:
1. British Airways - U.K National Airline
5. SAS- Scandinavian Airlines
3. Lufthansa- National German Airline
4. Air France- National French Airline
5. KLM - National Dutch Airline
Some of the most useful sites to book flights are:
1. Skyscanner
2. Kayak
3. Lastminute
4. Momondo
5. Opodo
If you need more help, please contact me!
Have a safe journey!
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