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Norway : Oslo - February 2010

Country Code: Dial for Norway

February is perfect for exploring Oslo’s great outdoors on skis before snuggling up in a cosy café by a warm fire – and you’ll still have time to catch an art show. Try the exhibition on Norwegian artist Bjarne Melgaard at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art, says Gwladys Fouché

Getting around

Gardermoen Airport is 48km north of the city centre.

Bus: A shuttle bus leaves the airport every 20 minutes, taking about 40 minutes to reach central Oslo. A single ticket costs €15/NOK 120.
Train: The Flytoget express train leaves Gardermoen airport every 10 minutes and takes about 20 minutes to reach the city. A single ticket is €20/NOK 160.
Taxi: A journey to the city centre costs approximately €70/ NOK 560 and takes about 45 minutes.
Tourist information: The main office is near Central Station in the Trafikanten Service Center, 1 Jernbanetorget (tel. , visitoslo.com).

NORDMARKA

Locals go skiing in their capital’s green belt any chance they get – a paradise of hills covered with pine woods and interspersed with frozen lakes.

Sleep soundly – Straight out of Hansel and Gretel, the Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica (26 Kongeveien, tel. , rica.no, rooms from €180/ NOK 1525) enjoys fantastic views, perched 350m above Oslo.

Culture vultures – Take tube line 1 towards Frognerseteren and watch as the train zigzags up the hill, offering beautiful views of Oslo. In 20 minutes you will be in the heart of Nordmarka. Rent skis at the chalet at Voksenkollen tube, or sledges for the Korketrekkeren, a popular sledge track, at Frognerseteren tube. For downhill skiing, head to Tryvann (Frognerseteren tube).

Must eat – One of the most popular chalets is Ullevålseter (Maridalen, tel. ), one and a half hours skiing from Frognerseteren tube, for warm apple pie and hot toddy. Closer to civilisation, Frognerseteren (200 Holmenkollveien, tel. ) serves classic dishes such as open sandwiches and baked salmon steaks.

CITY CENTRE

Oslo’s compact city centre is easily explored on foot.

Culture vultures – Bjarne Melgaard is one of Norway’s leading contemporary artists. Discover some of his work in the Jealous exhibition at the Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art (4 Dronningensgate).

Must drink – Crowd in at the bar of the tiny Bar Robinet (7A Mariboesgate) and admire the art on the wall by Pushwagner, a top contemporary artist. A few streets away, check out the latest local band at Café Mono (4 Pløensgate).

Dance the night away – At Oslo’s premiere live rock venue, Rockefeller (16 Torggata), catch DumDum Boys, one of Norway’s leading rock bands, on Thursday 25 and Friday 26 February.

Shop til you drop – One of Oslo’s main department stores, GlasMagasinet (8 Nedre Slottsgate) has an excellent kitchenwear section in its basement, with the latest in Nordic design.

AKER BRYGGE

This former docklands area has unbeatable views over the Akershus fortress and the Oslo fjord.

Sleep soundly – The business-oriented Rica Victoria Hotel (13 Rosenkrantzgate, 14 70 00, rica.no, rooms from €135/NOK 1145) is just a stone’s throw away from Aker Brygge.

Must eat – Enjoy tasty Italian fare at moderate prices (for Oslo) at Eataly (18 Bryggetorget, tel. ). Alternatively, tuck into one of the delicious burgers at the Beach Club diner (14 Bryggetorget, tel. ).

Shop til you drop – A stone’s throw from Aker Brygge stands the mecca of Nordic design, House of Oslo (26 Ruseløkkveien) – a department store with 20 boutiques specialising in contemporary interiors.

GRØNLAND

East of the train station, Grønland is Oslo’s multicultural quarter, home to several immigrant communities.

Sleep soundly – The towering Radisson Blu Plaza Hotel (3 Sonja Henies Plass, tel. , sas.radisson.com, rooms from €212/NOK 1795) is just a two-minute walk from the airport train terminal and affords fabulous views of the city.

Culture vultures – Ida, the perfectly preserved primate fossil that is our earliest known ancestor, is a truly awe-inspiring sight. Admire it at the Can We Forgive Darwin? exhibition at the Zoologisk Museum (1 Sars Gate).

Must eat – The brasserie-style Olympen (15 Grønlandsleiret, tel. ) offers some of the best Norwegian food in town, such as baked cod with red cabbage and potatoes. But Vognmand Nilsen (3 Rubina Ranas Gate, tel. ) also dishes out excellent Norwegian fare, including rakfisk (fermented trout) on a pancake with cream and red onion.

Dance the night away – The brightly coloured club Dattera til Hagen (10 Grønlandsleiret) plays electronica, reggae, pop, jazz and soul every Friday and Saturday.

Compiled by Gwladys Fouché