A simple geographical map or walking map of Oslo can help you get to know the city. The city is divided into 15 districts, with the fashionable part of the capital to the west of the Akershelva River and the working-class areas to the east.
The main artery of the capital of Norway is Karl-Johann Street, which you can take as your main reference point. Here you'll find plenty of hotels, nightclubs, and shopping outlets.
With a map of Oslo, you'll easily find the Old Town (Gamle Oslo), where you should definitely walk. Look for the oldest buildings and museums in the Kvadraturen neighborhood.
The city's newest neighborhoods are located on the Tjuvholmen peninsula. Here you can sit in an expensive restaurant, stroll through trendy galleries or get a comfortable room in a modern hotel (see a map of Oslo with hotels).
To decide in which neighborhood of Oslo to stay, you should know that the city is conditionally divided into western and eastern parts. In the west (Vestkanten) mainly live ethnic Norwegians and wealthy immigrants from other countries, in the east (Østkanten) most of the residents (60%) are immigrants from Asia and Africa.
Recommending Oslo neighborhoods where it's best to live, locals usually name Frogner, Uller, Vestre Aker. A more affordable option is Grorud, another neighborhood in central Oslo.
There's no need to talk about Oslo's dangerous neighborhoods - crime rates are very low, and to avoid pickpockets or aggressive immigrants, simply avoid wandering into the most remote corners of the capital. Also, be extremely careful at airport and train stations.
