I didn't go inside, but just walking the grounds of the Royal Palace in Oslo felt like a mini royal…read moreexperience. The expansive lawns, beautiful landscaping, and impressive statues make it the perfect place to wander, snap photos, and soak in the regal vibes. It's surprisingly peaceful, too and perfect for a little break from the city buzz. Even just strolling around, you can imagine what it might be like to live in a palace (at least for a minute!). A must-see if you want a mix of history, architecture, and some excellent photo ops.

Palace offers tours in summer. I was unable to get an English tour so signed up for the Norwegian…read morelanguage tour because they said would be given written info in English. After going to the first room I realized the tour leader was saying WAY more than was in the paper. She was pointing out architectural details, paintings, furniture, etc in great deal and none of that was in the handout. When I mentioned to the tour guide that the paper version was not complete she said, "Oh, I didn't know that!" And when I asked about a specific painting she said she would have to ask a colleague but she never did. So that was pretty frustrating. Visual but no audio. The palace is gorgeous and very tasteful. No gaudiness or clutter. Thank God Trump doesn't live there. It was quite warm in July. The tour is 45 minutes long and about $20. You can see the guards do their thing. You cannot take photos inside and you go thru a metal detector. They have lockers. The palace gardens are free and excellent for walking around. There's a cute kid play area. The trees and flowers are wonderful. In conclusion I would only recommend the English tour if that's your language.