Oslo

The life's work of sculptor Gustav Vigeland — over 200 bronze and granite figures of human life, love and struggle set through a grand park, crowned by the towering Monolith of intertwined bodies. Extraordinary, free and open always; the single most memorable thing to see in Oslo.

A dazzling white marble-and-glass opera that rises from the fjord like an iceberg — and whose sloping roof you can walk right up for a view over the water and the city. A masterpiece of modern architecture, free to roam outside; go at sunset, and catch a performance if you can.

A striking new waterfront tower devoted to Edvard Munch, Norway's tormented genius — floor after floor of his work, including a version of 'The Scream', with a top-floor bar and a knockout fjord view. The definitive collection of a giant of modern art; give it a couple of hours.

The vast new national gallery, the largest art museum in the Nordics — Norwegian landscapes, design and antiquities, and the original, most famous version of Munch's 'The Scream' in its own hushed room. A superb, sweeping half-day of art; the rooftop hall is a beauty.

The buzzing waterfront boardwalk of the old shipyard — seafood restaurants, a marina, ice-cream in hand and the ferries to the islands gliding out. The heart of summer Oslo; stroll it round to the Astrup Fearnley museum and the little Tjuvholmen beach at the tip.

A green peninsula of world-class museums reached by a little fjord ferry — the polar ship Fram, Thor Heyerdahl's Kon-Tiki raft, and the Norwegian folk museum's old stave church and timber farms. A brilliant, salt-aired half-day of Viking and exploration history; the ferry ride is half the fun.

The iconic ski jump soaring above the city, reached by a scenic metro ride up into the hills — a ski museum inside, a heart-stopping zip-line, and a viewing deck at the top with the whole city and fjord spread below. Spectacular in any season, and the gateway to the forest trails.

A medieval castle and fortress guarding the harbour since 1300 — ramparts and grassy bastions with grand views over the fjord and Aker Brygge, a royal mausoleum and a resistance museum within. Free to wander the grounds; the most historic corner of a very modern city.

Stroll the grand boulevard of Karl Johans gate up to the neoclassical Royal Palace in its park, where a low-key changing of the guard takes place daily. The ceremonial spine of the city; the palace park is a lovely, relaxed green space right in the centre.

Oslo's coolest quarter — a grid of leafy streets full of vintage shops, third-wave cafés, microbreweries and buzzing bars around Olaf Ryes plass. The best place to eat, drink and feel the young city; spend an afternoon browsing, then stay out into the night.

A stunning Renzo Piano-designed museum under sail-like glass roofs at the tip of Tjuvholmen — bold contemporary art (Koons, Hirst) and a little sculpture park and beach on the fjord beside it. As much about the building and setting as the art; a lovely spot on a bright day.

The most Oslo thing you can do — book a wood-fired floating sauna on the harbour, sweat with a fjord view, then plunge straight into the cold, clean water off the deck. Blissful and bracing year-round (yes, even in winter); the harbour baths at Sørenga are free in summer.

A lively indoor food hall in a converted foundry by the Akerselva — stalls and counters of Norwegian cheese, cured meats, seafood, coffee and craft beer, to graze and eat on the spot. The tastiest, most affordable way to eat well in pricey Oslo; the heart of foodie Grünerløkka.

The river that powered Oslo's industry now threads a green corridor right through the city — a walking and cycling path past waterfalls, old red-brick mills turned studios, street art and swimming holes. A lovely, free way to see the real, everyday Oslo from the centre up to Grünerløkka.

Eat like a Norwegian — a fjord-fresh salmon or a shrimp smørbrød, brown cheese (brunost) on a waffle, and the sacred coffee-and-cinnamon-bun (kanelbolle) pause. Splurges aside, a bakery and a food-hall counter are the smart, delicious way to eat in an expensive city.