Who said Oslo didn't have amazing beaches?! Here are my top beaches in Oslo city center and outskirts.
I am Portuguese and going to the beach is something that I truly need! When I moved to Norway this was something that worried me, but I soon discovered that Oslo actually have great beaches!
I would say you have 3 types of beaches in Oslo:
The more Urban Beaches, where there is no sand and instead you have wooden decks, with chairs, stairs to reach the fjord water and diving platforms. You can expect younger crowds in these type of beaches.
The Natural Beaches, that are normally enclosed by a forest or field of grass and have sand and are very family friendly.
And the Lake Beaches, which I am going to save for another blog post.
In almost every beach in Oslo you will find: public toilets, showers, an ice-cream house and grill areas.
The water, it is normally nice and clear although closer to boat ports it can get a bit oily sometimes. The water temperature can vary a bit, but during the summer it is not that cold. Sometimes it is less cold than in Portugal.
Since humidity in Norway is quite low, with 20C you can already have a nice warm day at the beach.
CITY BEACHES
These are the two main places if you are fancying a swim while you are in the city center.
Tjuvholmen bystrand:
If you ever come to Oslo you will definitely visit this place even if you are not looking for a day at the beach.
Tjuvholmen bystrand is located in Aker Brygge, right next to the famous Astrup Fearnley museum. It is a very touristic place although the ones sunbathing are normally Norwegian.
There is a sand area next to the museum, and a wooden deck area on the other side, looking to the fjord.
It is quite close to the boat dock, so the water sometimes can be a bit "oily".
Sørenga Sjøbad :
This beach is located in a recently built part of the city, right on top of the fjord.
The area is connected to the opera house by a floating bridge, thus super convenient to use if you are in the city center.
Sørenga Sjøbad e composed solely by wooden decks floating in the fjord. You can access the water by stairs, ramps and jumping decks. It also has many wood built in seats and beds.
BYGDØY BEACHES
Bygdøy is a peninsula situated on the western side of Oslo. It is a popular recreation and where the most expensive properties in Country are found. It is also known by many tourists for it's famous museums. But for me, the best part of Bygdøy are the beaches and the nature.
Paradisbukta:
This one is my absolute favorite beach in Oslo, and definitely the one I visit the most.
To get there you will need to walk quite a bit, through a path in the forest, which I think it is part of it's charm.
The reason I love this beach so much is because it is surrounded by nature, has an amazing view to the fjord, a big bank of sand and a lovely ocean and forest smell.
You can stay close to the water on the sand or in the shadow under the pine trees.
Hukodden strand :
Huk must be the most trendy beach in Bygdøy, and maybe even in Oslo. I think what it makes it so popular is the green area before you arrive to the beach with a volleyball camp and a long grass field that stretches almost until the water.
Huk Naturist Beach:
Next to Hukodden strand you'll find a very popular beach among the Norwegians who prefer to go to the beach with no clothing at all. That's right! This one is a nudist beach.
Bygdøy sjøbad:
This one is a nice sandy beach, also surrounded by nature, but closer to the boat docs.
What I like in this beach is it's long U shape. Staying in one end of the beach is completely different than staying in the opposite end, in terms of view, sand, and even water. Here there are no rocks, and the water access is quite comfortable, perfect if you have small kids.
There is parking close by, you can arrive by boat (if you have one) or you can go on a 15 min walk though beautiful farm fields.
BEACHS in the OUTSKIRTS of Oslo
Kristiansand is the fifth largest city in Norway and it's very popular in the summer season due to it's good weather and nice beaches.
From Oslo to Kristiansand we took 5 hours (it would have taken around 4h without traffic)
Bekkelagsbadet:
It was only this year I discovered Bekkelagsbadet, and that is a good reason for that, it is completely new!
It's at a nice bicycle drive from the city center, or you can take the bus.
It has a nice park with grass and a beach volleyball camp.
It doesn't have sand. Instead you have a long wooden deck with stairs, ramps and jumping platforms to access the water.
The water is quite deep so here if you want to have a swim there no slow way to go into the water, you'll just have to jump.
Storøyodden Strand:
This is another of my favorite ones! It is located in Fornebu, a recently developed part of the city with a strong connection to the fjord and very close to the city center.
Here there wont be a lack of sand, and if sand is not your thing, then you have the whole Storøyodden park to take advantage of.
This is also one of the most well equipped beaches in terms of toilets, bars, beach sports, bicycle parking, etc. And overall very baby friendly.
Kadettangen:
This beach is more or less 30 min by train from Oslo city center.
If you like new, large and a bit more "modern" beaches, then Kadettangen is ideal for you.
It is part of a new landscape coastal project, with benches, sand, grass and a very popular jumping platform tower.
Kalvøya:
This island is located more or less 30 min by train from Oslo city center, and has a bridge connection to the main land. It is also right next to Kadettangen beach.
If you prefer smaller, more quiet and natural beaches then you have 3 options to choose from in Kalvøya: Båtbukta, Badebukta and Naturist Strand (nudist).
Walking around the island it is also very nice, and you have have a barbecue on their grill areas and lay on the huge grass fields.
Hvervenbukta
If I had to describe this beach with just one word it would be: Family-friendly.
I had never seen so many children in a beach in Oslo.
Hvervenbukta is quite big so there is space for everyone! It also has great quality sand, clear clean water, a delicious restaurant and toilets and showers.
If there was ever a beach where I felt more as in a "vacation place" this was the one.
If you are driving here, make sure to come early to get a parking space.
Katten
Katten beach is probably the furthest from Oslo center. Although I have never been to this beach, I have heard a lot about it! Very good thinks, and very bad things...
They say it is a beautiful beach with an amazing view but it has very sharp rock formations and some of my friends came out of there with quite deep cuts on their feet. So if you are planing to visit this beach, just have that in mind.
ISLANDS BEACHES
In Oslo fjord, closer to the city center, there are several small islands, accessible by boat from Aker Bryge. It is a great way to go to a different and more natural place without having to travel far. The boat trip also enhances the whole experience.
Langøyene Strand:
This island is famous for many reasons. Firstly because it used to be a landfill! Although it is forbidden to drink tap water at the island it is totally safe to swim.
The other reason is that this island is a free camping ground. So you can bring your tent with you, find a place you like, and sleep on the island. We actually did this and loved it!
The beach is amazingly big, with nice clear water and surrounded by grass fields and forest.
There is other islands in the Oslo fjord that have amazing bathing areas, either beaches with grass and sand, or rock formation along the water. I haven't been in any besides Langøyene, but I leave you here two other beaches in other islands that I've heard are really nice:
- Rambergøya Badeplass
- Hovedøya swimming area
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