"Timber Lodges: Holmenkollen Park Hotel, Oslo, Norway One of Oslo’s most recognizable landmarks is a former sanatorium designed in the “dragon style,” an ornate Norwegian variant on Swiss chalet architecture. Next door sits the Holmenkollen Ski Jump, rebuilt for the 2011 Nordic World Ski Championships. When pros aren’t competing, visit the jump’s observation tower for views of the fjords. Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica, Oslo , Norway . 47/22-92-20-00 holmenkollenparkhotel.no . This appeared in the November/December 2010 issue."

"Set Sail at the Kon-Tiki Museum This museum is dedicated to Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl (1914-2002), who gained worldwide fame when he crossed the Pacific Ocean on Kon-Tiki (a raft made from balsa wood) in 1947. After his return, Heyerdahl worked on a documentary of the journey, which won an Academy Award in 1951 (this movie is screened every day at the museum). The museum also houses several permanent exhibitions on his other journeys, including the expeditions on the reed boats Ra and Tigris, as well as his excavations on Easter Island and Fatu-Hiva. The archives of Thor Heyerdahl have now been included in UNESCO’s Memory of the World register. The museum is located on Bygdøy, an area ripe with museums and interesting highlights."

"The Nobel Peace Center was opened in 2005 and is absolutely fascinating…and very humbling. It was established by Alfred Nobel (who was Swedish) in his will. He gave no reason for this but some feel it was to assuage his guilt over being the inventor of dynamite. The Nobel Peace Center is divided into 3 main areas (main exhibits; current Nobel Peace Prize winners; former Nobel Peace Prize winners) with various other smaller exhibits. You can find the Nobel Peace Center at Brynjulf Bulls Plass 1 in Oslo , Norway (situated in the old train station, in the heart of Oslo between Oslo City Hall and the shopping areas at Aker Brygge). By Nichole Pitts"

"Visiting Harry Hole at His Local Pub Any Jo Nesbø fans out there? If you fancy running into Nesbø’s antihero Harry Hole, Restaurant Schrøder is the place for you! One of the few ‘brown’ restaurants left in Oslo (brown as in old-fashioned, dark wood paneling, smoke-stained walls), Restaurant Schrøder attracts both local and nonlocal clientele. Named after Hans Schrøder who ran the place in 1925, it seems like little has changed since then. Schrøder is decorated with local art from the 20s, featuring scenes from all over Oslo."

"Old-World Feel Elegant old Hotel Bristol is located in the centre of Oslo . English inspired, it serves afternoon tea in the Winter Garden, and has been catering to the rich and famous since the roaring twenties. A rather large hotel boasting over 250 rooms and suites, the Bristol also has all the standard hotel amenities, such as copious eateries, a spa, and various recreational activities."

"The Art of Oslo Norway’s most famous artist, Edvard Munch, was raised and studied in Oslo at the end of the 19th century. It’s here that that the painter, most famous for his work The Scream, decided to move beyond the then fashionable style of Impressionism and embrace Expressionism. “No longer should interiors be painted, people reading and women knitting,” he wrote. “There would be living people, breathing and feeling, suffering and loving.” This summer, Munch, famous for his emotionally charged paintings that retain their compelling vibrancy a century after they were painted, will be seen side-by-side with another artist whose pictorial language is equally compelling: Vincent Van Gogh. Roughly 70 paintings and 30 works from both masters will be on display at the Munch Museum from May 7 to September 6, 2015. If your introduction to Munch makes you want to learn more about the life of this fascinating figure, the Munch trail is an easy bike ride from the city center. Stops include Engelaug østre (his birthplace) and By farm (the birthplace of his wife, Sophie). For more information, visit http://bit.ly/InnovationNorwayOslo Sponsored by Visit Norway"

"Opera Under the Sea Legendary Underwater Pub has a cozy atmosphere, where punters can get something good to eat and drink in maritime surroundings, good enough for a mention in Lonely Planet and the New York Times. Not to be missed, they hold opera nights every Tuesday and Thursday, where students from the Norwegian Opera hold casual concerts."

"The Top of the City Oslo Plaza is an eco-friendly hotel located next to Oslo Central Station and a short walk from the Oslo Spektrum Arena, handy if you're going to concerts! It's also just a stone's throw from the beautiful opera house. This giant of a hotel has a total of 37 floors, and houses several restaurants and bars, including the 34 SkyBar with excellent views of the city below. There is a spa and a high tech fitness centre, as well as a valet car service."

"Brunost at Fenaknoken, Oslo Brunost (brown cheese) is a staple of Norwegian kitchens, usually cut thin with a cheese slicer to top buttered toast or warm waffles. Despite the name, brunost isn’t technically cheese; it’s the whey of goat’s milk, boiled for hours until caramelized. This imparts a distinctive brown color, a salty taste, and a texture like goat-cheese fudge. The specialty food store Fenaknoken carries brunost from a range of brands, including the ubiquitous Ski Queen and the more traditional Synnøve Finden. Tordenskioldsgate 12, 47/2242-3457."

"If there were ever a three-dimensional ode to Nordic design, the impressive Oslo Opera House would be it. On the waterfront in the Bjørvika neighborhood with the Oslo fjord as a backdrop, the otherworldly building is home to the Norwegian National Opera and Ballet, and the National Opera Theater. Its angular profile suggests an iceberg and an inclined flat roof extends the theater’s public space down to earth, so that visitors can access the roof, the slope and the plaza in front."