Hovedøya
A green island about 10 minutes by ferry from the city center, with a 12th-century monastery ruin, pebble beaches and forest trails. It is a summer picnic spot for Oslo residents.
Hovedøya is the island in the Oslo fjord closest to the city center, and the whole island is a nature reserve. It preserves the monastery ruins founded in 1147 by English Cistercian monks, along with 19th-century gun batteries and a powder magazine. Small pebble beaches on the south and east sides are good for swimming in summer. Motor vehicles are banned on the island. A walk around the island takes about 1 hour, and there is a café open in summer. Ferries B1, B2 and others run from the Aker Brygge pier beside City Hall or from Vippetangen pier, and a standard Ruter ticket is valid.
Opening hours
Open all day; ferry schedule varies by season
Nearby sights
- Akershus Fortress
- Sørenga Seawater Pool
- Oslo City Hall
- Nobel Peace Center
- Karl Johans gate & Royal Palace
- Aker Brygge
- National Museum of Norway
- Oslo Cathedral