The most popular island in the Oslofjord is Hovedøya, a beautiful, peaceful spot ideal for walks, picnics and, in warm weather, a dip in the sea.

Search for hotels with a view of the fjord

Make a point of visiting when the weather is fine, though Hovedøya has its own charm in every season.

Nature and beaches

Although Hovedøya is only a few hundred metres across at most and you can walk the length of the island in 20 minutes, you can easily spend half a day here.

Much of the island is covered in lovely woods criss-crossed by footpaths, meadows and rustic wooden cottages.

In the southern part of the island, there are several lovely pebble beaches where you can take a dip in the refreshing waters of the fjord in summer.

The ruins of a monastery and a fortress

In the centre of the island, you can visit the beautifully preserved remains – mainly the foundations, but also some of the perimeter walls – of a Cistercian monastery dating from 1147.

Entry is available 24/7 and is free of charge.

At the highest point of the island, there was also once an outpost belonging to the main Akershus Fortress in the city centre, and historic cannons are still on display there today.

Ferry – routes and timetable

You can reach Hovedøya by taking ferry routesB1andB2. Both routes depart from Aker Brygge.

	Route	Frequency	Journey time
Aker Brygge	B1, B2	4 times an hour in summer Once an hour in winter	8 minutes
Lindøya	B1	Twice an hour in summer Once an hour in winter	6 minutes
Gressholmen	B1, B2	4 times an hour in summer Once an hour in winter	10 minutes
Bleikøya	B1	Twice an hour in summer Once an hour in winter	14 minutes
Langøyene	B2	Twice an hour in summer Not in operation in winter	18 minutes
Nakkholmen	B1	Twice an hour in summer Once an hour in winter	30 minutes

Fares are the same as for all modes of transport; see the ‘Transport in Oslo’ section for further details.

Timetable search: ruter.no.

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