Norway may be considered an extravagant city to visit, but as a destination it's well worth the money. The cost of the trip seems justified once you dip into the city's stunning landscape. Norway is a perfect mixture of interesting cities and sprawling wilderness. The capital, Oslo, is the obvious starting point from which to explore this beautiful country.

Oslo is the oldest of the Scandinavian capital cities and is an impressive place to stroll to take in some fantastic rural landscape, mountains, fjords and city life.

One of the city's monumental spots are The Royal Palace's stunning grounds, which are happily open to the public, with special guided tours running at regular intervals. Another key attraction is the City Hall, the Rädhus. Hidden inside this massive building are some beautiful carved-wood depictions of Norse myths and an enormous hall decorated with a mural by several important Norwegian artists. For a fascinating glimpse at Norwegian history, visit the Vikingskipshuset which displays three ninth-century Viking ships, which were unearthed from ritual burial mounds in southern Norway, each embalmed in clay. The Folk Museum is also of interest to history enthusiasts featuring indoor exhibits of medieval clothes, china and silverware as well as open-air display of accurately recreated buildings from various periods of Norwegian history.

The incredible Munch Museum is worth viewing, even if you're not an avid art fan. It witholds the very famous Munch painting, The Scream, and is located on the outskirts of town. The Norwegian artist's key works of the 1890s are on to be found here as well as earlier paintings, lithographs and woodcuts. The museum also houses one of two copies of The Scream. Despite being stolen in 2004, the painting was returned in suspect circumstances in 2006.

Staying in the capital doesn't mean you have to forgo getting close to nature. The islands of the inner Oslofjord are perfect to visit in the summertime. The nearest island, Hovedoya, is a captivating place to visit. The ruins of a twelfth-century Cistercian monastery on the island sit astride the island, which is covered in farmland and deciduous woods. The most southerly island Langoyene is also worth a visit due to its pretty beaches.

Organising your trip

A key stage in planning your holiday is organising travel insurance. Make sure you get the best deal by comparing providers online. Getting to Oslo is relatively straightforward on most of the online cheap flight offers. Norway's long coastline is served by a number of ferry companies, most notably DFDS Seaways and Color Line. Oslo airport has excellent links to local transport, with direct buses or trains to the city centre.

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