Given the depth and drama of its long and mythical history, the modern veneer of Norway’s capital bears a surprisingly clean and pristine sheen. The town’s central kernel is decorated with the stoic faces and peristyle fronts of the grand Royal Palace and University buildings, while its most popular exhibitions—like the Polar Ship Fram, the Henrik Ibsen and Viking Ship museums—exist beneath shiny new exteriors that ooze a distinct Scandinavian chic. Elsewhere, the mind-boggling structures of the Holmenkollen Ski Jump continue to draw screaming crowds during the winter, while the warmer months see students strolling between the greens of Frogner Park and Sofienberg, soaking up the rare Scandinavian sun. Oslo tour guides are also often eager to champion their city’s great wealth of bohemian drinking dives and coffee shops, which are big on style and service and offer price tags to match. Further afield, the magnificent coastal stretches of the Oslo Fjord attract hikers and bikers, while the Tryvann Ski Resort and Oslo Winterpark just to the north offer up great Nordic walking and some of the country’s most accessible pistes.