Mid-Winter Oslo

Oslo in Winter: The City of Fire and Ice, and Unexpected Emotion

We arrived in Oslo in late February after heavy snowfall — the train from the airport sped past a wilderness of pine trees shrouded in heavy snowfall.

The following days, however, were wet, damp, and foggy — my wife and I struggled to find our rhythm, as Oslo was seemingly more austere and less vibrant than other European cities we had visited . 

Bad coffee and good hot dogs were the order of the day.

Even the iconic Oslo Opera house was a subdued silhouette in the cold, wet gloom. The reflected lights on the wet streets offered the only trace of cheer against the gloom . Certainly not the overwhelming experience we anticipated on our arrival in Norway.

As we cast about trying to find our travel rhythm in a city that seemed ambivalent to our arrival, we walked past the immensely popular quayside saunas. It was a discordant sight - sauna visitors clad in swimsuits and little else, plunging into the freezing Oslo Fjord , much of which was covered in ice from the recent cold snap.

We resolved to try the sauna experience, while acknowledging that swimming in the icy fjord was likely a bridge too far, for seemingly obvious reasons.

Booking online was easy and a testament to Norwegian efficiency. The next evening we arrived on time for our sauna , scheduled for 6 pm. The wan winter sun had long fled the sky, and we were delighted to find the sauna burning hot — cheery red coals glowing in the brazier.

We changed quickly into our swimsuits and entered the welcoming heat — it was the first time, since our arrival, that we had been able to shake the seeping Oslo cold.

The temperature, however, crept steadily upwards. Initially comfortable, the mercury soon rose to uncomfortable levels. An urgent escape from the overwhelming, dry heat was needed, but to where? Surely our only option wasn’t plunging into the icy fjord?

We resolved to stay a little longer… just 5 minutes more, and then we would make our decision. After the allotted time, it became alarmingly clear that there would be no other alternative but to find respite in the icy fjord.

Gingerly, we approached the hole cut into the ice and, with a deep breath, plunged into the water.

Visceral, mind-numbing cold embraced us as a thousand icy needles pummelled our senses.

An instant physiological and emotional catharsis — every pore and cell in our bodies springing to life. After the first plunge it was clear — the next 60 minutes would be spent in the sauna , first becoming as warm as possible, and then once again plunging into the frigid waters of the fjord for respite.

We shared our sauna with two other couples we had just met. Conversation quickly followed — the pleasant conversation you have with people with whom a profound experience is shared, but that you know you are unlikely to see again.

At the end of the time slot, we reluctantly had a last plunge, dressed, and said our goodbyes.

Heading home, our bodies tingling with life, the two of us delighted to have finally found our travel groove after a memorable Norwegian experience.

The city of Oslo had finally welcomed us into its embrace with a time-honoured Scandinavian ritual.