Things to Do and Thumbs Up for the Thon Hotel in Oslo, Norway

The Thon Hotel Oslo: A Full Kitchen and Balcony Overlooking the Capital City of Norway.

I spend a lot of time in hotel rooms. It’s a breath of fresh air, then, when I check into a hotel that feels more like an apartment! That was the case when I arrived at the Thon Hotel Panorama in Oslo, Norway.

Thon Hotel, Oslo
I walked into my room to see hardwood floors, bar stools at my desk, a full kitchen, a balcony, a living room with a sleek couch and flat screen TV, and a bedroom with – what I would find out later – an extremely comfortable bed.

I sat down on the couch, put my feet up on the table and then gave my head a shake: my name was on the screen. Although the rest of the message was in Norwegian, I’m pretty sure it was a warm note welcoming me to Oslo. How nice. And initially startling.

Norway's Opera House: The Theatre Walls Spiral Up in Oslo.

Things To Do in Oslo, Norway
After prancing around my new apartment for a few minutes (although the ¾ curved shower glass was mind boggling… and very impractical), I went to check out the city. Here are a few of my recommendations:

No trip is complete without heading to the Vigeland Sculpture Park on the west side of the city. It’s “the largest sculpture park made by one single artist in the world.” Gustav Vigeland spent his life creating sculptures and the ones here represent the circle of life and are incredibly moving: a mother playing joyfully with her child, an elderly and young man looking intently at each other, and the people with trees around the fountain provoke so many questions.

I took a quick peek into the Viking Ship Museum, which was pretty neat, although jam packed on a rainy day. Large Viking ships discovered around the country are on display, the two oldest in the world coming from the 9th century.

Lit Up Displays of Winners at the Nobel Peace Center in Oslo, Norway.

Ah, the opera house. From the ship coming into Oslo I saw the magnificent Opera House. After walking on the roof, I walked around inside for a bit to be wowed by the extraordinary architecture and crazy white diamond-shaped walls that lead to the washrooms. I wish, wish, wish I could have seen a performance here…

Finally, spend some time in the Nobel Peace Center. It’s fascinating to look back at all the winners of these prestigious awards and really think about how their work has affected us all. A fantastic exhibit on Barack Obama is currently running. The gift shop is one of the best I’ve ever been to. If you’re looking for responsible gifts, save up for this shop.

Oslo Restaurant: Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin in Norway's Capital City.

Oslo Restaurants
The oldest restaurant in Oslo is Engebret Café, hailing from the 1700s. I had a freshly caught salmon from that day and a wicked spread of dessert (chocolate fondue was just the beginning).

Another good one is in the new waterfront area that is being created, Aker Brygge. Called Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin, this fresh fish restaurant has glorious views through its floor-to-ceiling windows. It had a very Vancouver feel to it, which I loved.

Read more articles about Norway here.

(I travelled as a guest of the Eurail Group, Visit Norway and Visit Oslo.)

Tags: Aker Brygge, Barack Obama, Engebret Café, Nobel Peace Center, Norway, Things to Do, Thon Hotel Oslo, Tjuvholmen Sjømagasin, Vigeland Sculpture Park, Viking Ship Museum