Oslo, The heart of the North

Oslo is vibrant and modern with eclectic architecture, edgy nightlife and world-class museums. Located between the Oslofjord and the forests, nature takes centre stage in the capital, where you can sail, ski and hike to your heart’s content just a short distance from the city centre. This is definitely a place for outdoor and wildlife lovers. As you float past luscious green islands and towering rocky outcrops, the city unfolds before your eyes - sprawling out from its compact centre around the quays to the forested flanks of the surrounding hills. Made all the more beautiful by its diversity, Oslo boasts a jumble of modern and ancient buildings that give the city an eclectic feel, with the steel-and-glass Munch Museum giving way to the old-fashioned charms of the City Museum and the craggy medieval walls of the Akershus Fortress, which glowers out over the fjord. Most visitors will find themselves struggling to choose between Oslo’s numerous museums, which offer something for almost every taste: a face-to-face with the haunting image of Edvard Munch’s The Scream at the National Gallery, a chance to stand in the shoes of an Olympic ski-jumper at the Holmenkollen Ski Museum, or a window into history and culture at the unforgettable Viking Ship, Polarship Fram or Folk Museums on Bygdøy. And Oslo is certainly the cosmopolitan heart of Norway, with a rapidly growing café and bar culture, top-notch restaurants, and nightlife options ranging from world-class opera and jazz to indie rock. The capital’s thriving restaurant scene has seen it rewarded with four Michelin stars. The Grünerløkka district is close to the Munch Museum and is teeming with bustling little pavement cafés and chic bars. A thriving, truly vibrant city, the cosmopolitan heart of Norway really does have something for everyone.