Visit the peaceful Oslo suburb of Asker to see why several members of Norway’s royal family live here. As one of Norway’s wealthiest areas, Asker has gorgeous buildings, high-end shopping and several popular museums. Also, due to its location along the Oslofjørd, Asker features a picturesque waterfront with some of the country’s best beaches.
Start out at Asker Church, one of the town’s oldest landmarks. Explore the church grounds to see Iron Age burial mounds. If you attend a service, you may get a glimpse of Norway’s Crown Prince and Princess, who live in the area and often come to Asker Church.
Asker is considered to be one of Norway’s wealthiest areas its shopping and museums are accordingly first rate. Browse the Gallery Trafo, which exhibits Norwegian contemporary art in an antique factory building. Explore Billingstad, the shopping area to the north of town where the first IKEA store outside of Sweden was established. There you will find high-end boutiques and a shopping mall.
During summer, head east of town to access Asker’s beaches on the Oslofjørd. Hvalstrand is the most popular it features a diving tower, slides and boat rentals. Join the thousands of Asker residents who come out on hot summer days to sit on the grass along the beach. Sjøstrand, a beach southeast of town, has beach volleyball facilities.
Visit in winter to enjoy the Norwegian countryside at its most beautiful. Go ice skating on the Oslofjørd, ski on one the many slopes around Asker or cross-country ski through the woods north of town to find Semsvannet, Asker’s largest lake.
Asker is a 20-minute drive southwest of Oslo. Both an international airport and train station are located in Oslo. You can also reach Asker by ferry from Denmark, Sweden and Germany. From the coast, drive a rental car or take a taxi to Asker. While Oslo is Norway’s bustling international city, Asker is a gateway to the country’s quiet wooded fjords.
