Oslo doesn’t hit you the way other European capitals do. There’s no single monument everyone leaves talking about, and yet people consistently walk away from this city with a feeling they can’t quite explain.
Curtis Rojak is an American expat who has lived in Europe for over 25 years and holds dual Norwegian-American citizenship. He is the founder of Viking Biking, Oslo’s premier guided bike and hiking tour company, and has led more than 3,000 tours through Oslo on foot and by bike.
This episode is a local’s guide to Oslo, recorded in my living room with Curtis. We cover seven hidden gems in the city, from a haunting mausoleum most tourists never find to a private island cabin you can rent for a night on the Oslo Fjord.
This episode covers what makes a place feel like home versus just a place you’ve visited, what it takes to genuinely know a city at a local level, and how to discover the experiences that don’t make it into guidebooks. You’ll also hear honest conversation about building a life abroad long-term, what draws people to certain places, and why the best travel experiences often come from knowing someone who actually lives there. Curtis brings real depth on Oslo specifically, but the broader themes about place, belonging, and authentic discovery apply to anywhere you’re considering visiting or moving to.
Have you ever discovered a hidden gem in a city that completely changed how you thought about that place? I’d love to hear your story, and I hope you’ll share by sending me an audio message.
Tune In To Learn:
- Why one of Norway’s most extraordinary pieces of art is hidden in a mausoleum most tourists never find, and how to actually visit it
- How to spend a Norwegian summer day at a lakeside farm where animals roam free through landscape gardens
- Where to find secret sea cliffs near the city, and where locals actually jump from
- Why a restaurant on its own private island captures the Norwegian good life better than almost anywhere else in the city
- What makes one of Europe’s best cocktail bars worth the New York-level prices you’ll pay
- How to rent a private island cabin on the Oslo Fjord through a local organization almost no tourists know about
- Why Curtis believes Oslo’s greatest strength is also what most tourists only notice on their last day
- What 25 years as an expat taught Curtis about choosing where to live and why gut feeling matters more than logic
- How the “Lego Country” exercise surfaces the best things about multiple continents and destinations
- And so much more
Resources:
Want More?
- https://zerototravel.com/viking-biking/
- Hidden Norway: 7 Off the Beaten Path Gems You’ll Love with Torunn Tronsvang from Up Norway
- Top 10 Reasons to Love Living Abroad with Botik Quest
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