Cycling Oslo's waterfront.
WHY
Tucked between fluffy green forests and blue fjords Oslo has a relaxed waterfront lifestyle,where winter is given over to skiing and summer is spent biking,hiking or sailing. As hardy and outdoorsy as Oslo is,the city is also a hot spot for culture and cuisine,filled with fine museums,grand architectural landmarks and trendy suburbs. Visit during summer,when the sun stays out to play until midnight,and you'll have plenty of time to see it all.
VISIT
The Vigeland Sculpture Park.
Catch a ferry from Aker Brygge across the harbour to Bygdoy Peninsula,home to half a dozen excellent museums. Wannabe Polar explorers should start at the Fram Museum (frammuseum.no),home to the nineteenth-century Polar exploration ship Fram,while Viking enthusiasts should make a beeline for the Viking Ship Museum (khm.uio.no/english). Nearby is the Kon-Tiki Museum,which houses vessels and maps from the Kon-Tiki expedition (kon-tiki.no). If museum fatigue strikes,do as the locals do and chill out on Huk or Paradisbukta beach.
EAT
Mathallen Oslo is an indoor food hall in the hip suburb of Grunerløkka with over 30 shops specialising in Norwegian small-scale producers and some special foreign imports. Stores include street food,pintxos,fresh pastries,spices,oils,cheeses,cured meats and a 50-metre bar in the basement. Part of the new Vulkan development,which aims to fuse"culture and creative industry",the riverside precinct also features food and wine related classes,courses and conferences.mathallenoslo.no
People relaxing in Oslo's city centre.
LOOK