Oslo Walking Tours Guided in German
The English title on a German walk
The City Highlights walk is guided in German only. Its listing title is written in English and it sits on the Oslo walking-tours category page between walks called City Center, Central Oslo and Best of Oslo, which are in English. Nothing about the card tells a tired English speaker scrolling a phone in an airport that the next two hours will be conducted in a language they do not read.
This is the single most useful warning on this site, and it is why every mention of that walk anywhere here says it is guided in German in the same breath as the name. It is not a bad walk. Rated 4.8 from 307 reviews, it covers the Nobel Peace Center, Akershus Fortress, Christiania Torv, Kvadraturen, the Opera House, Karl Johans gate, Oslo Cathedral, the Parliament, the National Theatre, the University Aula and the Royal Palace — a full version of the classic route, longer in named stops than most of the English walks beside it. It is simply in German.
Tao from Germany recommends taking Oslo in German precisely because it is the clearest way to follow the city’s history. Elena from Germany, on a guide named Oliver, found him pleasant, calm and extremely knowledgeable; Maike, also from Germany and also on Oliver, called him entertaining and visibly enthusiastic. Aditya from India, on a guide named Emily, described the guiding as knowledgeable, informative and energetic. Those are reviews of a good walk in a specific language. The review page leads with the language, because everything else follows from it.
The two walks that move when you change language
Best of Oslo, 4.6 from 523 reviews, runs in English or German. The English departure meets at the University Aula, Karl Johans gate 47, by the P.A. Munch statue. The German departure meets at the Nobel Peace Center, Brynjulf Bulls plass 1. Those are not adjacent. Turning up at the wrong one does not mean a confusing five minutes; it means standing in the wrong square while your walk leaves from somewhere else.
This walk is also the most bundled of the six: a sightseeing mobile app, public transport tickets and entry to attractions are all included. Its URL slug says self-guided, which is wrong — there is a live guide. At 4.6 it is the lowest-rated of the six, and having more included means more that can go wrong on a given morning.
The walk with the independent guide, 5.0 from 101 reviews, also runs in English or German, caps at ten guests, and is sold shared or private. It runs 135 minutes to three and a half hours from the Skapning fra Iddefjord sculpture outside the Deichman Bjørvika library, and can add Vigeland Sculpture Park by tram. A perfect score from 101 reviews is a small sample, which is worth saying every time. It is not suitable for people with mobility impairments or wheelchair users. Private walking tours has more on it.
Usually included
- The City Highlights walk, guided in German only, 4.8 from 307 reviews
- Best of Oslo in German, meeting at the Nobel Peace Center
- The independent-guide walk in German, capped at ten guests
- A full version of the classic route in all three cases
Not included
- The central Oslo walk, which runs in English
- The Myths and Legends evening walk, which runs in English, is ages 13 and over only and is not wheelchair accessible
- The 90-minute City Center walk, which runs in English
- Any tip-based free walk, which is not sold on this platform
If you do not read German
Then the City Highlights walk is the one listing on this site you should actively avoid, and the safest English alternative is the central Oslo walk at 4.7 from 1,710 reviews, which covers the same ground in English and lists tips under what is included. English is very widely spoken in Oslo generally, which lulls visitors into not checking the guiding language — that is the subject of speaking English in Oslo.
Check the language field on the booking screen rather than the title. On these six listings the title is the least reliable thing on the page.
| German onlyOslo: City Highlights Walking Tour | Oslo: Best of Oslo Walking Tour | Oslo: City Walking Tour with Passionate Independent Guide | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Language | German only | English or German | English or German |
| Rating when read | 4.8 from 307 reviews | 4.6 from 523 reviews | 5.0 from 101 reviews |
| Length | 2 hours | 2 hours | 135 minutes to 3.5 hours |
| Meets at | The Nobel Peace Center entrance | University Aula in English, Nobel Peace Center in German | Deichman Bjørvika library |
| Group cap | Not published | Not published | Ten |
| Included | A guide, working in German | App, public transport, entry to attractions | Hotel pickup, tram if Vigeland |
| Accessibility | Not stated | Not stated | Not suitable for mobility impairments |
| Book this → | Book this → | Book this → |
Booking a German departure of Best of Oslo? The meeting point is the Nobel Peace Center on Brynjulf Bulls plass, not the University Aula on Karl Johans gate. The listing carries both and people read the wrong one. Where each walk meets describes both on the ground.
The three, side by side
The City Highlights walk below is guided in German only. The other two offer German departures alongside English ones.
German language onlyOslo: City Highlights Walking Tour
English or GermanOslo: Best of Oslo Walking Tour
Max 10, shared or privateOslo: City Walking Tour with Passionate Independent Guide
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Frequently asked questions
Is there an Oslo walking tour in German?
Yes, three. The City Highlights walk is guided in German only, rated 4.8 from 307 reviews, meeting at the Nobel Peace Center entrance. Best of Oslo and the walk with the independent guide both offer German departures alongside English ones. The comparison page sets all six out by language.
Is the City Highlights walking tour in English?
No. It is guided in German only, even though its listing title is written in English and looks almost identical to the English walks beside it on the category page. English speakers book it by accident. If you want the same route in English, the central Oslo walk is 4.7 from 1,710 reviews — see the review.
Do German and English tours meet in the same place?
Not on Best of Oslo, and that is the one to watch. The English departure meets at the University Aula, Karl Johans gate 47, by the P.A. Munch statue; the German departure meets at the Nobel Peace Center, Brynjulf Bulls plass 1. They are not close together. Where each walk meets describes both.
Which German-language walk is best?
There is no clean answer. The City Highlights walk, guided in German only, has the most reviews of the three at 307 and the fullest list of stops. The independent-guide walk scores 5.0 but from only 101 reviews and caps at ten guests. Best of Oslo includes the most but rates lowest at 4.6. The spread across all three is inside the noise, so choose on meeting point and group size.
Do I need German to enjoy Oslo as a visitor?
No. English is very widely spoken here and every other walk on this site runs in English. The only place German matters is the guiding language on that one listing. See speaking English in Oslo.