10 Best Beaches in Oslo

Huk is a large outdoor area at the far end of Bygdøy with sandy beaches, green surroundings and all the facilities you need for a day out. This place is certainly the city's most popular bathing spot, but not the place for those looking for a peaceful spot on a summer's day. With a great view of the Oslo Fjord and excellent conditions for bathing for both young and old, this is still an exceptionally lovely place. Huk is less than half an hour by public transportation or bike from Oslo S, and also has a large carpark. The standard of the toilet facilities hasn't been great but is improving. An excellent street basketball court is a plus for many, and the option of some clothing-free sunbathing and bathing on Huk's naturist beach is also popular.

Paradisbukta is a bathing place on the west side of Bygdøy that offers slightly calmer and more remote beaches than, for example, Huk. You can only get here on foot or by bike, but it is only around one kilometer along lovely forest paths from Huk or Bygdøy. The beach itself has fine sand and lovely bathing conditions. Standard facilities are in place, with benches, bins and basic toilets. Bathers will appreciate the bathing ladder and raft, but daredevils would probably prefer to go elsewhere. The paths are well-signposted, particularly from the carpark in Huk. The best way to get here is by bike, which takes around 20 minutes from the center.

Sørenga Sjøbad has emerged as part of the development of the port of Oslo, and has brought increased wellbeing for residents and guests in the city centre. Located a few minutes walk from the Opera and the city centre streets, Sørenga is easy to get to if you want to stop by to cool off in the water and relax in the sun. A small part of the fjord is screened off by a sea groin, creating a small inner pool. The pool is surrounded by plenty of jetty and a kind of grandstand construction, which is a great place to sit and catch the sun's rays all year round. A small sandy beach has also been added here to provide safe bathing for little ones. Modern as it is, the facility is universally designed to the delight of people with reduced mobility.

Tjuvholmen city beach is part of the green area at the Astrup Fearnley Museum on Tjuvholmen in the middle of Oslo harbor. Tjuvholmen sculpture park opens into a small beach on the sunny side of the museum, which is suitable for families with small children. This is a shingle beach, which may not be as fun to play with as sand, but it's not uncomfortable to walk on and you avoid getting sand everywhere. The area by the very southern tip of Tjuvholmen is suitable for bigger and more able swimmers, with jetties that have steps leading into the water, as well as diving boards and lifebuoys.

Ingierstrand is a large outdoor area in the Oppegård municipality south of Oslo, with lovely grassy slopes, boulders, beaches and an elegant 10-metre high diving tower in a functionalist style. If you're lucky, you'll get to see some amazing dives from some of the more daredevil divers as they launch themselves off the top board. There is a lower board for younger divers. Other bathers can relax and enjoy the wonderful sand and clean, clear water. There is both a sandy beach and a shingle beach, and jetties where children can go crab fishing. It is very easy to get around here thanks to the walkways and steps. The wheelchair ramps increase accessibility and the lifesavers increase safety. The facilities could be better here, but you have all you need and the place is constantly being refurbished. One downside is that a automobile is essential to get here.

Katten is the bathing place everyone has heard of thanks to Lillebjørn Nilsen's song "Bysommer", where he guarantees at least eighteen degrees in the water on a lovely summer's day. Other than that, Katten may not have a lot to offer beyond what is expected from a bathing place by the Oslo Fjord, but it does have a nice sandy beach, fairly new toilets and showers plus a kiosk and a couple of diving boards. The easiest way to get to this slightly cramped area between Mosseveien and the fjord is probably by bus, which stops a stone's throw from the beach. Parking facilities are poor, and cycling is only for the traffic savvy.

Bogstadvannet bathing area lies on the border between Oslo and Bærum municipalities and is a perfect freshwater bathing spot. Large, flat grassy neighborhoods are ideal for playing or relaxing on. The water is flanked by a long sandy beach, and is shallow enough for children to wade in. The location on the outskirts of Nordmarka means there are green surroundings with fresh air and good hiking opportunities in the immediate area, while access is relatively easy by either automobile, public transportation or bike.

Hvervenbukta is a beautiful outdoor area by the Bunnefjord southeast of Oslo city centre, with excellent facilities and bathing conditions. Hvervenbukta benefits from good parking facilities, public transportation, facilities for the disabled and the toilets are also of a higher standard than usual. The area has two beaches, a pebble beach and one with fine sand and a soft seabed, something you rarely get at Norwegian bathing spots. There are plenty of boulders and grass to roll out your towel out on and enjoy the sun, and benches and tables for those who like to sit at a table to have their picnic.