Kardemomme Town in the Zoo park near Kristiansand

Kristiansand is too far for a day trip from Vollen but if you are driving the coast road to Stavanger, and have small children, this is a fun destination. A few kilometers outside the city of Kristiansand, there is a Zoological park which is very well worth a visit. However this park is also famous for its replica of Kardemomme town. Kardemomme By is one of the most loved children’s story books in Norway. It’s full title in English is “When the robbers came to Cardamom Town” and it would be hard to find a child here who could not sing some of the songs in the story. The main theme is “You should not bother others, you should be nice and kind, and otherwise you may do as you like.”
But this is a story with lots of fun, laughter and drama – including a lion, a midnight raid of the town angry woman, a fire and a town party. During the summer you can visit the houses, meet the characters and even join in a tram ride or watch a theatre play of the story.

You will find lots of information about the Kardemomme town and the zoo park on the website

Tusenfryd Amusement Park

Tusenfryd Amusement Park is open from spring to autumn. In 2019, the park opens on the 27th April. During May, the park is open only at weekends and on public holidays but you must always check opening times and also if the park is closed for special arrangements.

Kayaking on the Oslo fjord

At Bærum Maritime Senter, 15 minutes drive from Vollen, you can rent kayaks between March and November. Opening hours are Monday – Friday from 10:00 – 18:00 and Saturdays & Sunday 10:00 – 16:00. Kayaks can be rented for two hours or 24 hours at a time. Kayaks must be picked up within opening hours, but can be returned at a time that suits you. Season passes are also available.

Rental price: 2 hours: NOK 350,- 24 hours 500,- and weekend 1000,-
Booking by telephone 907 39 009 or e-mail <br.thorsvik@gmail.com>

Bærum Maritime Centre is located at Solvik Marina at Høvik west of Oslo, and the surrounding area is ideal for kayaking. It is possible to spend the night on many of the nearby islands.

Oslo Town Hall (Oslo rådhus)

The City Hall, Oslo Rådhus, is situated in Pipervika, right by the harbour where the ferry boat from Vollen docks.
Oslo Rådhus has characteristic architecture, (known to the citizens as the blocks of goat cheese), artworks and the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony, held on 10 December, and this all makes the City Hall one of Oslo’s most famous buildings. It was designed by Arnstein Arneberg and Magnus Poulsson. The roof of the eastern tower has a 49-bell carillon which plays every hour.

Opening hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. From July 1st until August 31st, the City Hall is open from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
During the summer the City Hall General Services offer free guided tours of the Oslo City Hall. The tours are held every day at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., from June 1 throughout August. Visitors are asked to meet at the bottom of the stairs in the City Hall.

In the picture, you can see the famous full rigged sailing ship, the Christian Radich which is often moored in the harbour just south of the City Hall.

Hiking in Asker (with maps and well marked routes)

Asker Turlag (Asker Municipality’s hiking group) has made a website where a number of hiking trips of varying types are described in detail, with duration, length, elevation profile and map. You can use the automatic translation service on the site and giggle at some of the colourful translation suggestions.

Astrup Fearnley Museum at Tjuvholmen

Astrup Fearnley Museet is a private museum of contemporary art, and has since its opening in 1993 been one of the most important art institutions in Oslo. The museum moved to Tjuvholmen in 2012, beautifully located in Oslo centre by the Oslo Fjord in a building designed by world-renowned architect Renzo Piano. The museum presents temporary exhibitions of international art, and houses the Astrup Fearnley Collection, one of Norway’s most important and most extensive private collections of contemporary art, with iconic works by artists such as Damien Hirst, Anselm Kiefer and Jeff Koons.

Opening hours: Monday closed; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 12-17; Thursday 12-19; Saturday and Sunday 11-17. Ticket sales ends half an hour before closing time. Click here for opening hours on public holidays

Admission: Adults: 120,- Students: 80,- Children under 18 free; Oslo pass free.

Michael Jackson and Bubbles by Jeff Koons

From 31st January 2020 until 17th May 2020, the museum is showing an exhibition of Contemporary African Art – Alpha Crucis. This is an absolutely great exhibition and unreservedly recommended when you are in Oslo. The pictures on the right below are from that exhibition while the others illustrate the quality and fascination of many of this art centre’s displays.

Looking in wonder at works by Damien Hirst

Miss Dakar: sculpture by Romuald Hazoumè, 2011 one of the jerry can masks exhibited

Above is one of the fascinating installations at the Alpha Crucis exhibition of Contemporary African Art.

Below: the photograph is taken in early February, as we are walking along Akerbrygge ((Aker Wharf where the boat from Vollen arrives in Oslo) towards the Astrup Fearnley Museum. The tall square towers in the background are Oslo City Hall.