A Gay Guide to Oslo

Oslo is the capital city of Norway. It recently overtook London to become one of Europe’s top five most expensive cities. Oslo is a very cultured city with a long history. Standards of living are high. The city is packed with museums.

As Oslo is so gay-friendly, you’ll find most bars and clubs are mixed. You’ll see many LGBT+ people in straight bars and public displays of affection rarely cause so much as a glance. The Norwegians are too busy being rich to be homophobic.

Bygdøy Peninsular

You’ll find most of Oslo’s museums at the Bygdøy Peninsula, including the Viking Ship Museum. Bygdøy is a residential area. You’ll also find many trails and some beaches to explore. It’s considered to be the most fashionable part of Oslo. Bygdøy also has the most expensive property prices in Oslo. You’ll find some very swanky properties. It’s a great place to walk around and admire. An ideal place to start your Oslo adventure.

Gay bars in Oslo

Oslo doesn’t have a big gay scene but there are some decent venues to explore. Norway is a socially liberal country and homosexuality is widely accepted. Most of Oslo’s gay bars and clubs can be found in the city center.

London Pub is the biggest gay bar and club in town. It’s been going for over thirty years. Open from 3pm to 3am every day of the week, it’s a good place to start your gay night out in Oslo. It is - as the name suggests - modelled on British pubs. Elsker and Cesar Bar and also fun gay bars to explore.

Gay Cruising in Oslo

Supposing you’d like to play a bit harder, SLM Oslo is the main gay cruise club in Oslo. It’s open every day of the week from 11pm until the early hours. Check their website to see what themed events are on. You’ll need to be wearing the appropriate attire on themed nights. Cruise your way around the dark rooms and play areas and find yourself a nice Viking to play with.

There’s one gay sauna in Oslo. Saunahuset Hercules, to be precise. It’s a big sauna spread over four floors. As with most gay saunas, it depends what time you go. It can be quiet but can get much busier during Pride or at weekends.

Gay Pride in Oslo

Gay Pride usually takes place in Oslo over the month of June. It’s a ten-day festival with a parade, live events, club nights and plenty of action. The program changes each year. It always makes for a good party. Gay Pride in Oslo is very laidback and very visible.

Aker Brygge

A trendy neighbourhood with a boardwalk, Aker Brygge is a great place for restaurants and bars. In summer there are many al fresco dining options. You can stroll along the quay and do a bit of people watching. This is one of Oslo’s more upscale areas so you’ll find some very stylish restaurants. It was once a major shipyard. Today it can seat 2,500 outdoors. Aker Brygge is very much an area devoted to leisure and pleasure.

Akershus Fortress

Founded in 1299, Akershus Fortress is a striking medieval castle that withstood various sieges. It has been used as a prison, it was surrendered to the Germans during WW2 and it recently served as a government building. It’s seen many of Norway’s most dramatic moments. Several Swedish monarchs have been laid to rest at Akershus Fortress. Today it’s a popular tourist attraction. You can join a guided tour and discover much of Oslo’s history. The fortress managed to withstand every siege.

Royal Palace

Norway still has a monarchy. Unlike the British monarchy, the Swedish royal family doesn’t take the form of the world’s biggest soap opera. The building dates back to the 19th-century. You’ll find it on Oslo’s main thoroughfare. Like Buckingham Palace, it’s the monarch’s main residence and it’s where most royal business is conducted. You can join a guided tour of the palace and watch the changing of the guard daily at 1:30pm.

Oslo Fjord

Take a boat trip around Oslo Fjord and visit some of the surrounding islands. You can join a fjord cruise, try your hand at kayaking and even have a swim. There are more activities to choose from in summer. Ekbarg Park is by the fjord and it’s where Edvard Munch was inspired to paint The Scream.