Oslo, Norway
Oslo is the capital of Norway, the Northernmost country in Europe. Norway is all cliffs and fjords, including Geiranger Fjord, which has been declared the World's most exotic tourist destination by National Geographic.
The Royal Castle is very prominently visible at the Western end of the Karl Johan street which crosses Oslo from West to East. The Royal Family is very popular, and almost all Norwegians are fierce royalists. If you make it to Oslo on the Norwegian Nation Day on May 17 you're in for an experience.
The Karl Johan from the Royal Castle towards East: The yellow building on the front left is the legal faculty of the Oslo University, and a bit further down to the right you find Stortinget, the Norwegian Parliament. Karl Johan continues from there as a pedestrian street and ends at the Oslo Central Station.
Stortinget is the Parliament of Norway. It's right next to Karl Johan and Byparken, the town park. The curvers and yellow bricks give it its distinctive look.
One of the newer public buildings in Oslo is the new Town Hall. It somewhat resembles a Swedish nuclear power plant with twin generator towers, but whether you like it or not, its appearance is impressive.
Aker Brygge is an entertainment and shopping center in Oslo which attracts both locals and tourists. Both cruise ships and the boat from Copenhagen dock a short scenic walk away.
If you go a bit outside the center of Oslo to Bygdøy, one of the museums on the peninsula is the Viking Ship Museum, whose main attractions are the Oseberg, Gokstad and Tune viking ships which have been excavated from viking burial sites along the Oslo Fjord. Especially the Oseberg and Gokstad ships are very well preserved.
The Akershus Fortress has been the main defence of Oslo since 1299, and has withstood numerous attacks, not least by Swedish forces. Today Akershus is still a military area, but most of it is open to the general public and well worth a visit.
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