Opera House – Norwegian National Opera and Ballet

Opera House is usually the quickest accessible destination upon your arrival in the city. It is a 5 min walk from the central station.

Built from 2003 ’til 2007, the Opera House was the winner of the 2009 Mies van der Rohe award, the European Union prize for contemporary architecture. It is currently Norway’s biggest culture and stage institution.

It is meant to resemble a ship and the coolest thing about it is that you can walk up on the roof and see a lovely panorama over the city of Oslo and the fjord. I also get to see random street shows or gatherings or simply enjoyed the sun and the cool air, since it has been build right by the water.

For art lovers, it also offers a wide variety of shows from Ballet, Opera and concerts but also a multitude of exhibitions. Plus there’s a souvenir shop located inside. And if you’re more curious, take a trip around to have a peek inside the rooms where the scene settings and costumes are being manufactured. But the trip to the top of the roof is my absolute favorite thing about the Opera House.