🇳🇴 First Impressions of Oslo: Food, Trains, and Unexpected Moments

Oslo wasn’t supposed to be the highlight of our Norway trip.

In our heads, Norway was fjords, snow, tiny mountain towns, and dramatic landscapes. Oslo felt more like the place you start the adventure, not the adventure itself. But as it turns out, first impressions matter—and Oslo made a really good one.

🚆 Arriving at Oslo Sentralstasjon

Our first real taste of Norway started at Oslo Sentralstasjon, the main train station, and honestly? It immediately set the tone for the whole country.

Everything was clean, organized, and somehow calm—even with people moving in every direction. Trams, buses, trains, coffee shops, grocery stores… all flowing together without feeling chaotic. If you’ve ever arrived in a major city and felt instantly overwhelmed, Oslo is not that.

It felt… easy. And after a long travel day, that’s priceless.

🌮 Yes, We Ate at Los Tacos (and It Was Actually Good)

Look, I know. Going to Norway and eating tacos sounds criminal.

But Los Tacos kept popping up everywhere, so curiosity won. And shockingly? It was legit. Not “authentic street tacos in Mexico” legit, but fresh, flavorful, and way better than expected for something that felt like fast casual.

It also ended up being a great reminder that when you’re traveling, sometimes the best experiences aren’t fancy restaurants—they’re the places locals actually eat on a normal day.

🌭 Syverkiosken: Hot Dogs, But Make It Norwegian

If Los Tacos was accidental, Syverkiosken was intentional.

This little hot dog stand is one of Oslo’s classics, and for good reason. Quick, casual, and somehow still cozy, it felt like the kind of place you’d stop at after work or while running errands.

And honestly? There’s something kind of perfect about trying simple local food instead of chasing “Instagram meals” everywhere you go. It makes the city feel more real.

🏠 House of Lovisa: Slowing Down in the Middle of the City

One of my favorite stops in Oslo was House of Lovisa.

It’s warm, quiet, and feels more like you’ve stepped into someone’s home than into a café or shop. After the movement and noise of traveling, it was the perfect place to just sit, breathe, and feel like a human again instead of a backpack with legs.

This was one of those spots that doesn’t show up on every “Top 10 Things to Do in Oslo” list, but ends up being one of the places you remember most.

🧥 XXL Shopping: Real Travel Needs Are Still Needs

Not every travel moment is magical. Sometimes you just realize you need better gloves.

Enter: XXL, which is basically heaven if you’re outdoorsy or traveling somewhere cold. Norway is built for being outside, and this store proves it. Warm layers, boots, gear—everything you didn’t realize you should have packed.

It’s not glamorous, but it’s real. And honestly, travel blogs don’t talk enough about the practical stuff that actually makes trips more enjoyable.

☕ Atlas Brasserie & Café — and a Small-World Moment

We stopped at Atlas Brasserie & Café for food and warmth, and somehow ended up running into… New Yorkers.

On the other side of the world. In a café in Oslo. Because of course we did.

That moment perfectly summed up travel for me—how you can go thousands of miles and still find tiny threads of familiarity connecting people. It made the city feel smaller, friendlier, and weirdly comforting.

🏙️ So… Is Oslo Worth Visiting?

Absolutely. But maybe not in the way people expect.

Oslo isn’t about jaw-dropping landmarks every five minutes. It’s about:

Easy transportation
Walkable streets
Cozy food spots
And a calm, livable energy that makes you want to stay longer than planned

If you’re building a Norway trip around fjords and Arctic adventures, Oslo is the perfect soft landing before things get wild. It’s where you adjust, explore, and ease into the rhythm of the country.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what you need at the start of an adventure.

Coming Up Next: Bergen — Mountains, Snowshoeing, and Ghost Stories 👻

Next stop: Bergen, where things got colder, steeper, and significantly more haunted.

Trust me… that hotel alone deserves its own paragraph.

The Guiding Traveler