Oslo Travel Guide: Flights & Hotels

Oslo sits at the head of a long fjord, surrounded by forest, with a compact harbor-front center packed with modern architecture (the Opera House, Munch Museum) alongside Viking-era history. It's an expensive city, but many of its best experiences — hiking, fjord views, public saunas — cost little or nothing.

June-August offers the mildest weather and nearly 18 hours of daylight for exploring the fjord by boat. Oslo's public transport also reaches ski areas and forest trails within the city limits, unusual for a national capital.