Travel to Norway

Oslo is the capital city of Norway. It is located at the head of the Oslofjord inlet and at the foot of a large forest giving it lovely natural beauty. Oslo has a fascinating Viking past, while at the same time being a modern and progressive city with a vibrant nightlife and many bars, cafes and restaurants.

There are many sites of architectural, cultural and historical interest throughout the city. Visit Oslo's main pedestrian street, the vibrant Karl Johan's Gate which is full of shops, cafes and entertainment. The Oslo Domskirke is the city cathedral. It was built in 1697 and here you will be rewarded with a view of outstanding examples of stained glass. The Royal Palace is a treat, if for nothing but to sit in its stunning grounds. You can spend two days exploring Bygdoy where you will find excavated Viking ships at the Viking Museum, the largest open-air museum in Norway and the Kon Tiki Museum which houses the famous balsa-wood raft that Thor Heyerdahl used to cross the Pacific Ocean in 1947.

Norway contains other excellent museums as well. Be sure to visit the Norwegian Folk Museum which is the most extensive museum of cultural history to be found in Norway. The Resistance Museum can be found at Akershus Castle. It provides an account of the German occupation of Norway and there you can visit the deep dungeons and then the luxurious upper floors. There are many high quality art galleries in Oslo, such as the Munch Museum which contains Munch's famous "The Scream" and the International Children's Art Museum that hosts hands-on workshops.

Of architectural interest is the newly opened Opera House, the Royal Palace (mentioned above), the buildings of the University of Oslo, the Oslo cathedral and the Kirkeristen which is the old bazaar that surrounds the church. Oslo is also full of natural beauty and stunning parks. You can wander around the beaches that are part of the Bygdoy peninsula or visit some of the city's parks, particularly the gorgeous Frognerparken. The section of the park known as Vigeland Park contains approximately 200 bronze and granite sculptures and is a treat to behold.

Oslo hosts a number of international fairs and conferences and during these times it can be difficult to find accommodation. If you plan to visit at a time such as these, make sure to reserve your accommodation long in advance to avoid disappointment. There are two hostel chains in Norway that run 110 youth and family hostels so finding budget accommodation should not be a problem if that is what you are looking for. It is possible to find hotels that range greatly in price and so if you are traveling on a budget, you may find a small family run hotel that will suit your needs. Besides for luxury hotels, you can find quaint old wooden hotels or charming historic hotels that have unique and distinctive atmospheres. You can also stay in a pension or a private room that can be found throughout the city and around the countryside.

For a healthy dose of Viking culture and a good smattering of art and history museums, go to Oslo, Norway. For Oslo, a small capital by most measures, with a mere 500,000 people, has a surprisingly large collection of good museums - most of them easily accessible from the city center and, with the Oslo Pass in hand, inexpensive to boot - as well as a wealth of Scandinavian architecture, both historic and modern.

For first-time visitors to Oslo, however, since it is easy to be overwhelmed by the city's offerings, here are Oslo's 'Top 10' tourist draws.

1. Oslo's Opera House

Oslo's new Opera House, inaugurated in April 2008, is absolutely, positively, a 'must-see'. It is Oslo's bold, New Millennium statement to the world, aptly made with granite and 36,000 slabs of white marble. Partly submerged in the sea, the $700-million architectural masterpiece rises from the fjord like a massive sheet of ice, with its angular slabs, like giant ski slopes, surprising at every level. The opera house is home to both the Norwegian National Opera and the Norwegian Ballet.

2. Holmenkollen

Holmenkollen is one of the world's most famous ski jump arenas and easily Oslo's foremost attraction. The arena was originally built at the end of the 19th century, and renovated extensively in 1952 for the Winter Olympic Games. Holmenkollen is situated 357 meters (1,000 feet) above sea level, and the ski jump tower, which is one of the principal attractions here, is another 60 meters (180 feet) higher, with spectacular all-around views from the top. There is also a ski museum here, the oldest in the world, devoted to the history of skiing which goes back some 4,000 years! Holmokollen is in the Marka region of Oslo, and open to the public year-round.

3. Vigeland Sculpture Park

Located within the larger Frogner Park in the western section of Oslo, Vigeland Park is noted for its wealth of granite and bronze sculptures by Gustav Vigeland, one of Norway's most famous sculptors, for whom the park is named. There are more than 200 Vigeland sculptures here, and there is also a museum with Vigeland's work located just across from the park, open to the public Tuesday to Sunday year-round. The park is open to the public 24 hours, all year.

4. Oseberg Viking Ship Museum

One of the most popular museums in the city, the Oseberg Viking Ship Museum houses three of the world's best-preserved Viking ships. The ships are more than 1,100 years old and were found nearly a century ago in Oseberg, which is near Oslo, in the county of Vestfold. The museum also has exhibits demonstrating fabric and weaving techniques from the Viking era, as well as an assortment of tools and weapons. The museum is open daily.

5. National Museum of Art

Oslo's National Museum of Art is home to the world's most recognized painting, Edvard Munch's Skrik, also known as The Scream. Besides this 1893 masterpiece, the museum houses extensive collections of both Norwegian and International art. The museum is located next to the Oslo University on Universtetsgaten, just a couple of blocks from Oslo's main thoroughfare, Karl Johan. Admission to the museum is free.

6. Munch Museum

Here is a museum entirely devoted to Norway's most famous artist, Edvard Munch, one of the pioneers of Expressionism and painter of the renowned Skrik (The Scream). The museum has two versions of The Scream, one each in pastels and oil, the latter dating from 1910. The museum, which is probably a 10-minute walk from Karl Johan, has literally hundreds of Munch's paintings, donated by the artist to the city. The Munch Museum is open daily, except on Mondays.

7. Akershus Fortress

The Akershus Fortress, or Akershus Castle, situated in the southeastern part of the city center, is an integral part of Oslo's history. It was originally built as a royal residence in the 14th century by King Hakon V, when Oslo first became the capital of Norway, and rebuilt in the Renaissance style in the early 17th century by King Christian IV, following a fire that consumed the entire city. Today, you can tour both parts of Akershus: Akershus Slottet, which is the castle itself, and Akershus Festning, the area surrounding the castle. Akershus Festning is open all year between 6am and 9pm, while Akershus Slottet, the castle, is open to the public only during summer, unless you take a guided tour, which is available on Thursdays, even during off-peak season.

8. Oslo City Hall

Oslo's City Hall has a claim to fame. This is where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded every year on December 10, the only Nobel Prize to be presented outside Nobel's home country of Sweden. This is also the seat of Oslo's city council. The city hall building itself, which was inaugurated in 1950, is not terribly inspiring from the exterior, but has an impressive interior and a stunning view of the harbor. The city hall is located on Fridtjof Nansens Plass and is open on weekdays during business hours.

9. Oslo Parliament

Oslo's Parliament Building, Stortinget, is also worth seeing, especially if you are visiting Oslo for the first time. Uniquely 19th-century neo-Romanesque, the building dates from 1866 and was designed by Swedish architect Emil Victor Langle. Stortinget is located in the center of Karl Johansgate, just past the intersection of Akersgate. Admission is free, with scheduled guided tours available year-round.

10. Royal Palace

Although not as well known as British royalty, Norway still has its kings and queens and this is where they reside. The Royal Palace, or 'slottet', was originally built in 1824 as the residence of the Norwegian-cum-Swedish king, Charles III, and extensively renovated and restored to its former glory in the 1990s, at a significant cost, by King Harald V, the current monarch. The palace, situated on a small rise at the end of Karl Johansgate, Oslo's principal artery, is open for public tours during the summer months, June-August.