WOW! When we searched Airbnb for a place to stay in Oslo, just a few short days ahead of our intended arrival, our hopes of finding «the perfect city getaway» at a reasonable cost weren’t really high. But lo’ and behold, we did!
Nora’s charming little house from the 1800s - with Oslo’s most stunning view - is exactly that! A small, incredibly charming, and well-kept gem of a house. Sure, it’s an old home with all the minor flaws and imperfections one would anticipate to find in a 150-year-old house, but oh so much soul and life to be found inside its four walls.
With its two bedrooms and a small living room upstairs, recently upgraded bathroom and whimsical, Mediterranean-inspired kitchen downstairs, the house was absolutely perfect for our family of four. The in-residence cat, CousCous, added to our experience, as we have a cat at home ourselves. She is very well-behaved and low maintenance.
What we truly love about Nora’s property, is its location with close proximity to Oslo’s downtown districts, while still far enough on the outskirts to reduce noise and get away from the hustle and bustle of a downtown area. The short, but very steep, uphill climb to return home after a day of sightseeing gave us great workouts, but was absolutely worth it considering the views waiting back at the house.
The outside area consist of multiple smaller «terraces» and levels, each with its own set of unique properties. From the upper level with a covered seating area, where we sat during an intense downpour and enjoyed our morning coffee, to the lower levels with lots of outside seating and dining tables, this garden is incredible!
Sadly, we never got around to trying out the wood-fired Dutch tub on the lower level, but we did enjoy the world’s possibly tiniest electric sauna in the little green garden shed, and the kids loved taking a heated outdoor bath in the old tub on the upper level.
Late evenings were spent in the kitchen around the old and perfectly decadent kitchen table. With a nice bottle of red wine and some cheese & crackers, we were instantly taken on an imagined journey across both borders and time boundaries. All the time while gazing at the lights of the city in the slight distance.
Thank you, Nora, for opening your home to us, and for taking such great care of us - even from afar! We look forward to returning next time our travel plans take us to Oslo.