Edvard Munch travel tips

Jun 27, 2024 • 11 min read

“I wouldn’t come here.” That’s the opening of a new ad from from Visit Oslo that promotes the relative ease of Norway’s capital as a tourist destination.

Norway’s capital city is famous for Vigeland Sculpture Park. Rightly so, for the park featuring 212 sculptures of celebrated visionary Gustav Vigeland has long been one of the country’s leading free tourist destinations.

Norway’s capital city Oslo is known for its modernist architecture and green spaces, but it is also the proud home to the world-renowned painting, The Scream, by Edvard Munch.

From enjoying the thrill of chasing the northern lights to sailing down the world-famous Norwegian fjords and hiking iconic trails, Norway is renowned for its natural attractions. Yet as with the rest of Scandinavia, the vast majority of Norwegians live and work in cities.

Long overshadowed by Nordic cities like Copenhagen and Reykjavik, Norway’s unassuming capital is emerging as a must-see metropolis packed with cultural sites, incredible culinary adventures and enchanting attractions. Here’s some of the 10 best things to do in captivating Oslo.

VisitDenmark is turning to deepfake artificial intelligence to help drum up interest in the country. Its latest marketing campaign includes iconic tourist attractions outside the country like the Mona Lisa and the Statue of Liberty sharing a simple message, “Don’t come to see me — visit Denmark.”

Sweden’s swanky compact second city is a perfect weekend getaway. Easy to navigate on foot, Gothenburg (Göteborg in Swedish) has a cool laidback charm and a burgeoning food and arts scene. Our author Rachel Mills spends a long weekend exploring the best things to do in Gothenburg and Sweden's stunning West Coast archipelago.

History Strung across a hook-shaped peninsula on a dramatic archipelago, Ålesund has long been an important centre of fishing and shipbuilding, as well as a gateway to the fjords and Sunnmøre Alps inland. A 1904 fire led to Germany’s Kaiser Wilhelm rebuilding the whole town in Jugendstil Art Nouveau style, and it still boasts a remarkable collection of buildings with fairytale turrets and ornamentation. Like Bergen, the Hurtigruten ferry up the Norwegian coast stops here regularly.