RAW TRAVELS | Oslo Norway 🇳🇴 |Opera House, Oslo Fjord, Bjorvika, & Royal Palace

Oslo welcomed us with a combination of modern architecture, waterfront scenery, Norwegian history and royal tradition. Our first look at the city included the Oslo Opera House, where we explored the grounds and took in views across the Oslo Fjord toward the MUNCH Museum and the Bjørvika waterfront. The Opera House, designed by the Norwegian architecture firm Snøhetta, opened in 2008. One of its most distinctive ideas is that the roof is designed as a public space. The gently sloping surfaces allow people to walk up onto and across the building rather than simply viewing it from the outside. And it’s free to walk on the roof. We were there around 4 PM and were surprised to see people already gathering for the sunset. The building’s white Carrara marble, glass and distinctive angular surfaces create the impression of a landscape rising from the fjord. It has become one of the defining architectural landmarks of modern Oslo. From the Opera House grounds, we could also see MUNCH across the water. Both are part of Bjørvika, an area that has undergone a major transformation from a port and industrial waterfront into a modern cultural and residential district. On the following day, we visited the Royal Palace. The Palace was temporarily closed as Norway continued to mourn His Majesty King Harald V, who passed away on August 28, 2026. His funeral took place in Oslo on September 9, with the funeral procession traveling from the Royal Palace to Oslo Cathedral. Outside the Palace and around the statue of the mounted King, we saw flowers and small Norwegian flags left by members of the public. Many of the flowers were already withered, but they remained as visible reminders of the people who had come to pay their respects. For us, it was a poignant contrast: The Opera House represents a modern, forward-looking Oslo, while the Royal Palace connected us to Norway’s history, traditions and the recent national mourning for its King. This was our introduction to Oslo—experienced naturally, without trying to rush through every attraction. This is our Raw Travels experience in Oslo, Norway. No music—just the sights, sounds and moments as we experienced them. #RawTravels #Oslo #Norway #OsloOperaHouse #OsloFjord #Bjørvika #MUNCH #RoyalPalace #KingHaraldV #NorwayTravel #Scandinavia #TravelNorway #insta360x5 #retired #retiredcouple #retiredandlovingit #retireearly #retireelife #retireearlyandtravel #retirees #retiree