OSLO

Oslo doesn't top many European city break lists, and it has never seemed particularly bothered by that. It's expensive, the winters are brutal, and it lacks the postcard-ready chaos of cities that have been doing tourism for longer.

But spend a few days here and you start to understand why Norwegians look so smug about where they live. There's a genuinely good food scene, more interesting museums than you'd expect, and a waterfront that's been reinventing itself for years.

It probably won't be the holiday of your life, but it'll be a good one, and if you're arriving for a concert, a festival, or using the city as a launchpad to get further into Norway, it's more than worth the stop. Don't skip it.

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