Wrapped in natural beauty, Oslo, sitting at the head of the
Oslo Fjord, bristles with drama. Norway’s capital city is not only encircled by
hills and forests, it is brimming with world-class museums, and galleries. With
the ambience of a village and the sophistication of a cosmopolitan metropolis,
Oslo is an intoxicating mix of bucolic and culture.
Arriving on the Saga Sapphire, Oslo was the first
port of call on my seven-day Nordic Delights Cruise (thisdannsworld.blogspot.co.uk).
When time is of the essence you want to ensure that you make the most of your
few hours in port.
This is a city which is easy to get around. A walk along the
harbour taking in the ships had me hooked from the moment I first
went ashore.
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| Oslo |
One of the stars of the show is the architectural masterpiece that is the Opera
House, designed with a white sloping marble roof. Passing the Nobel Peace
Centre, I headed up to the royal palace and on to the Vigeland Sculpture Park,
home to over 200 of Gustav Vigeland sculptures. If you like modern art you will
want to go to the National Gallery to see a version of Edward Munch’s The
Scream.
During the middle of the 19th century, Norway and
Sweden were one kingdom, ruled by Karl Johan, after whom the main street of Oslo is named. The country separated from Sweden in 1905.
The now capital of Norway, after being called Christiania which was later
spelled Kristiania, in 1925, reverted back to Oslo, the name of the
original Medieval town.
I made the most of a
Saturday afternoon stroll, window shopping and mingling with the good looking
and friendly locals while taking in the scenery.
It was almost time to head back to the ship, but I did
manage to fit in a quick trip to the Akershus Fortress built cica 1299. The
Norwegian Resistance Museum is also here.
I would have liked to have visited the Viking Ships Museum
and the nearby Kon Tiki Museum, where the original Kon Tiki raft, vessels and
artefacts from the explorer Thor Heyerdahl’s expeditions are on show. A
good enough reason to go back.
By Daralyn Danns
Getting there
For more information and to book visit travel.saga.co.uk/cruises
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| Saga Sapphire |
First published in All About Hair (All About Hair UK), the
travel and lifestyle blog with a luxury twist
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