Oslo in winter and Christmas: Spikersuppa market, Korketrekkeren sledding, and holiday closures

💡 The Short Version: The centre of Oslo’s winter is Jul i Vinterland, the Christmas market at Spikersuppa on Karl Johans gate, with wooden chalets, an ice rink and a Ferris wheel from early November to early January (free entry). On the first two weekends of December the Norsk Folkemuseum Christmas Fair on Bygdøy opens its decorated timber houses with folk dancing. When snow lies on the hills, take metro Line 1 to Frognerseteren and ride the 2-kilometre Korketrekkeren toboggan run. Or book a tour: a 3½-hour winter walk and campfire by torchlightad from NOK 625 goes through the snow-covered forest above Oslo, with a hot drink and marshmallows at the fire.

⚠️ Most things close between 24 and 26 December. On 24 December shops and restaurants close in the afternoon and Jul i Vinterland is shut all day. The National Museum is closed from 24 to 26 December, on 31 December and on 1 January. MUNCH, the Fram Museum, the Kon-Tiki Museum and Holmenkollen open with holiday hours on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.

Winter calendar and key seasonal dates

Jul i Vinterland: Oslo’s Christmas market

Jul i Vinterland fills Spikersuppa, the park strip between the National Theatre and Parliament on Karl Johans gate.

Market highlights

• Wooden chalets: Dozens of huts sell woollen mittens, Norwegian knitwear, carved wooden kitchenware, cured elk and reindeer meat, cheese and honey.
• The ice rink: The sunken pool at Spikersuppa becomes a public rink among lit trees. Skating is free if you bring your own skates; skates can also be rented on site.
• Ferris wheel (Reisen til Julestjernen): A 33-metre wheel with views over the lit city centre, the Royal Palace park and the harbour.
• Seasonal treats: Gløgg (spiced mulled wine, served alcohol-free or spiked with aquavit, with raisins and flaked almonds) and gingerbread (pepperkaker).

Standard opening hours

• Monday to Thursday: 12:00 to 20:00
• Friday: 12:00 to 21:00
• Saturday: 10:00 to 21:00
• Sunday: 10:00 to 20:00
• 24 December: Closed all day.
• 25 to 30 December: 11:00 to 20:00 daily.
• 31 December: 11:00 to 18:00.

Norsk Folkemuseum Christmas Fair (Bygdøy)

The Christmas Fair at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History (Norsk Folkemuseum) on Bygdøy runs on the first two weekends of December.

• Setting: More than 160 timber farmsteads and townhouses moved from across Norway, dating from the Middle Ages to the 20th century.
• Living history: The houses are decorated for Christmas as they would have been in different periods, from a 19th-century merchant family’s parlour to a humble 18th-century croft. Open hearths smoke while costumed guides demonstrate flatbread baking, candle-dipping and wool spinning.
• Market stalls: Over 100 craftspeople sell folk art, hand-woven textiles, ceramics, jams and baking.
• The 12th-century Gol Stave Church: The carved stave church is lit against the snow and hosts choral concerts.
• Logistics: Ruter bus 30 from Oslo Central Station goes to the Folkemuseet stop (20 minutes). Normal museum admission applies (NOK 200 for adults; free with the Oslo Pass).

Winter sports in the capital: Korketrekkeren and Holmenkollen

The metro takes under 30 minutes from the city centre to snow-covered hills.

Korketrekkeren toboggan run

Korketrekkeren (“The Corkscrew”) is a 2,000-metre toboggan track winding through the pine forest of Nordmarka.

Take metro Line 1 up to Frognerseteren, rent a wooden sled from Akeforeningen, ride the track down to Midtstuen, then take the metro back up for another run.

• The ride: The run drops 255 vertical metres in 8 to 10 minutes, with banked curves, long straights and steep drops through the trees.
• Cost: Riding the track is free. Wooden toboggans and steering sleds (rodels) are rented at Akeforeningen (beside Frognerseteren station) or Skiservice.
• Safety: The track can be icy after cold nights. Wear goggles, waterproof gloves, boots with deep tread and a helmet.

Holmenkollen Ski Jump and cross-country trails

• Holmenkollen Arena: The ski arena has hosted the Nordic World Ski Championships. The Ski Museum covers 4,000 years of skiing, and a lift goes to the top of the jump tower for views over the snowy valleys (adults NOK 200).
• Cross-country skiing (Langrenn): Oslomarka has over 2,600 kilometres of groomed cross-country trails, 90 kilometres of them floodlit for night skiing until 22:00. The flat, groomed loops around Lake Sognsvann (terminus of metro Line 5) suit beginners.

What is open during the Christmas and New Year period

• Shops: Supermarkets and shops close between 13:00 and 16:00 on 24 December and are shut all day on 25 and 26 December.
• Restaurants: Most independent restaurants close on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Hotel dining rooms such as the Grand Hotel and Amerikalinjen stay open, but book weeks ahead.

Traditional Norwegian winter food

• Pinnekjøtt: Salted, dried and sometimes birch-smoked lamb ribs, steamed over birch sticks for several hours. Served with mashed swede (kålrabistappe), boiled potatoes and the cooking broth.
• Ribbe: Slow-roasted pork belly with crackling, seasoned with cloves and pepper, with spiced red cabbage, prunes and gravy. The Christmas Eve dish in eastern Norway.
• Lutefisk: Dried stockfish soaked in water and lye, then baked and served with crisp bacon, pea purée, boiled potatoes and a brown goat cheese sauce.
• Julebord: The Christmas feast that workplaces, friends and families hold through November and December. Restaurant Schrøder in St. Hanshaugen and Kaffistova in Sentrum serve festive menus.

Winter floating saunas: the Nordic ice-dip

• Where: Oslo Badstuforening runs wood-fired floating saunas at Langkaia (near the Opera House) and Sukkerbiten, open daily through the winter.
• The ritual: Sit in a pine cabin heated by birch logs to 85°C and watch snow fall on the fjord through the windows. Then step onto the icy pontoon and climb down the ladder into water typically at 1°C to 3°C in mid-winter.
• Booking: Shared drop-in sessions cost NOK 260 for 90 minutes. Weekend winter slots sell out weeks ahead; book online. See floating saunas in Oslo.

Practical winter advice

• Footwear and ice grips (brodder): Streets alternate between cleared asphalt, slush and black ice. Wear waterproof insulated boots with lugged rubber soles. For steep icy slopes, buy slip-on rubber ice grips with metal spikes (brodder) from a pharmacy (Apotek) or convenience store.
• Layers: Don’t rely on one heavy coat. Wear a merino base layer, a fleece or wool mid-layer and a windproof, waterproof outer jacket.
• Daylight: Plan outdoor walks and photos between 10:00 and 14:00, when the light is strongest, and keep late afternoons and evenings for museums, saunas and dinner.
• Next steps: packing for Oslo and best time to visit Oslo.