Standing on Oslo’s wharfs you’ll be at the northern shore of a body of water that continues far to the south and opens onto the Skagerrak strait between Norway, Sweden and Denmark. In between, there are many kilometers of narrow sounds, little wooded islands with holiday homes, unfrequented coves, and tranquil bays.
The simplest way to get out onto the fjord is to board a boat from Pier 3 by the City Hall.
Companies like Båtservice Sightseeing and Fjordtours have a menu of trips, whether you want to see iconic sights from the water by day or night like the Oslo Opera House, the Dyna Lighthouse the Bygdøy Peninsula, and the historic ships berthed outside the Maritime Museum.
You can set a course for nature instead, on fjord safaris, fishing trips, and day cruises up to seven hours long, or go even further, to the Swedish or Danish coast on a 600-horsepower RIB.