The Norwegian Palace, Oslo

The Norwegian Palace is pretty much a must-visit for tourists and travelers in Oslo, and definitely something to do if you are spending a day in Oslo. It isn’t hard to find, either. The Royal Palace in Oslo is located at the end of the city’s main shopping street; Karl Johan. When you visit Oslo it’s sure to be on your list of places to go and things to see, so I won’t waste too much time telling you that you have to see it (but you do).

Out of all the things to do in Oslo, catching the Changing of the Guards is a must! The Changing of the Guards happens every day at 13:30. It isn’t too eventful, but it’s still quite fun to experience since you’re going to go see the Castle anyway. I took Andrea to see it, and after warning her that it wouldn’t be too exciting we were met with a couple hundred of the King’s Men. We quickly realised that it wasn’t a normal day for them.

It turned out that we had chosen to visit on the opening day of the Norwegian Parliament; Stortinget. Being Norwegian and all, I guess I should’ve known. But a girl can’t remember everything she reads in the news, right?

It wasn’t long until the King and Queen themselves show up, and we couldn’t believe our luck! I don’t really see the point of a Royal Family, but I’m still a huge fan of it. And how can you not love a King who once called his wife a troll on national television?

You can see the video of the infamous interview here, and then we can all agree that the King of Norway is a legend.

You could say Andrea’s visit to the Norwegian Palace was a success. Just like Buckingham Palace, the Royal Family doesn’t live there 24/7, but you can tell if they are there depending on the flag wavering on top of the building. In the summer months they do guided tours of the Palace, and I can’t wait to go on one as soon as May comes around. I’m a huge sucker for a nice castle, but aren’t we all?

You can find more information about the Palace here, and make sure you go visit when you are in Oslo. Tell Harald I said Hi!