Hugging the northeastern outskirts of Oslo, Alna is a multicultural borough of the Norwegian capital and is named after the river that flows through it. It’s home to a sprawling shopping centre and the largest go-karting complex in the country while it’s also on the doorstep of lakeside recreational trails.
Things to do in Alna
For a retail fix, head to the ALNA Senter, which encompasses the largest specialist trade centre in Norway. It’s home to big-name department stores and Scandinavian retailers such as Elkjøp, Maxbo and Biltema, as well as a good choice of cafes and restaurants that include Serrano’s Bodega and the Coffee Distillery.
If you want to get your adrenaline pumping, hit the 330-metre-long track at Harald Huysman Karting, which is Norway’s largest indoor go-karting complex. It boasts two different courses and three types of go-karts designed for kids, juniors and adults. Once you’ve built up an appetite, you can feast on burgers, pizzas and nachos at the on-site restaurant.
Stretching to the south of Alna is Lutvann, a recreational lake that provides a setting for swimming and trout fishing in the summer months. When the snow falls, it transforms into a cross-country skiing wonderland, with trails both along the edges and on the lake itself. Perched atop a hill to the east of Lutvann is the impressive Haukåsen Radar, a white radome that serves as one of two air traffic control radars for Oslo Gardermoen Airport.
Getting around Alna
Alna is around 10 minutes’ drive from Oslo’s city centre and 30 minutes from Oslo Airport, which has flights to destinations across the globe. Regular trains connect to the Alna railway station and buses travel throughout the borough. Subway services on Line 2 connect to Trosterud Station.