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Akershus: a proud fortress on the Oslo Fjord

Strategically located on a rock above the Oslo Fjord, the Akershus Fortress kept watch over the safety of King Håkon V and his Norwegian subjects during the Middle Ages. Akershus is still a military base, which is why you’ll see adolescents patrolling with bushy feathers on their heads. The fortress is open to the public. Foreign visitors take in its history here, while locals enjoy strolling around the area.

Arts & Culture

From medieval bastion to Renaissance palace

The angular buildings and stocky towers with battlemented walls several metres thick appear utterly medieval, but the inside of the fortress is less stringent. After all kinds of invasion attempts with countless cannonballs were fended off, more leisurely times arrived. King Christian IV took advantage of this possibility to convert the castle into a Renaissance palace with majestic ballrooms. The complex, which now extends much further than the fortress walls, still houses military barracks and also serves as the headquarters of the Ministry of Defence. When there are no state visits, military ceremonies or other official events taking place, visitors are welcome in the dungeons, royal rooms and castle chapel. A self-guided tour is always possible, but those wanting to learn about the 700 years of history of the fortress are advised to take a guided tour.

Picnicking on an execution site

Nowadays, it is a popular place to hang out, but quite a bit of blood has been shed in and around the fortress over the years. During World War II, Norwegian resistance fighters were executed by Nazi firing squads here, while the same happened to collaborators after the war. You’d never know. The fortress walls, covered in lush grass, are perfect for walking or picnicking while enjoying panoramic views of the harbour and city. There are 2 museums that can be visited. During the summer, there is an outdoor café where you can enjoy a cup of coffee, sandwich or cold beer.

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Nature

Arts & Culture

Ski holidays

Nature

The great outdoors beckons from all sides when you're in Oslo: from the waterside, the Oslo Fjord is filled with shady islands perfect for island hopping while, from the inland side, the city borders on the Oslomarka. This wooded area 1,700 square kilometres in size – with many kilometres of marked trails through cool valleys, across green hills and past red houses on blue lakes – is only 15 minutes from the city centre.

Nature

The Oslo Fjord harbours a handful of islands that can be reached by ferry from the city: the perfect destination for a relaxing day on the water, beach or in nature. It only takes 5 minutes to get to Hovedøya, where you can visit the medieval monastery. Alternatively, you could go and enjoy a long, leisurely lunch at an old inn on Gressholmen, or go camping for free on Langøyene. All 3 of these relaxing islands are within easy reach from Oslo.

Arts & Culture

Even though Oslo is a small city with a population of only 600,000 people, it contains a lot of art; not only are there dozens of galleries, but also around 50 museums and exhibitions varying from Edvard Munch to Viking ships and the Nobel Peace Prize. However, modern art enthusiasts need not be disappointed either: with the opening of the Astrup Fearnley Museum, Oslo now boasts yet another top attraction.

Ski holidays

Skiing is the national sport of Norway and Oslo is the only capital in the world where skiing is possible within the city limits. Nevertheless, when Norwegians go skiing, they prefer to make a weekend trip out of it. There are dozens of ski resorts around Oslo with countless slopes, ranging from pastel green to pitch-black runs. In addition, the area has thousands of kilometres of cross-country skiing tracks and numerous half-pipes for snowboarders.

Arts & Culture

The Scream by Edvard Munch is undoubtedly the most famous Norwegian painting. The image of a man with his mouth wide open, eyes filled with terror, and hands over his ears is known all over the world. This painting served as the overture to Expressionism, the art style dominated by emotions (instead of reality). Munch made 4 versions of The Scream.

Arts & Culture

Not only is it the most popular tourist attraction in Norway, it is also the world’s largest sculpture park filled with works by a single artist: the collection of 212 stone, bronze and cast-iron statues by Gustav Vigeland in Vigeland Park. The park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and on top of that, admission is free. From the ‘Little Hot-Head’ to the imposing ‘Monolith’, the life-size statues are a delight to discover both in the summer and winter.

Ski holidays

Oslo is one of the few capitals in the world where you can ski within the city limits. And it’s not just for amateurs — the Winter Olympics and various world championships have been held here. During the winter season, no one is surprised to see people in ski clothing carrying their skis in the metro; these people are simply on their way to Holmenkollen. The slopes are just a 20-minute metro ride away.

Arts & Culture

It was to be one of the iconic modern buildings of Europe, on par with the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Dutch embassy in Berlin and Palace of the Arts in Valencia. And that is exactly what happened. The new accommodation for Den Norske Opera & Ballett appears to float in the Oslo Fjord like a glistening iceberg. It’s also the only opera house in the world where you can stand on the roof.