Duration: approx. 3.5 hours

Duration: approx. 3.5 hours

Spend a few enjoyable hours off the ship exploring the varied attractions of lovely Oslo, Norway’s capital city. A drive-by tour of Oslo’s main sights makes a fine start to this half-day outing, after which the tour tempo will change to a more sedate pace when you reach Frogner Park. This amazing inner-city recreational area covers a huge 45 hectares and is also home to the wonderful “Vigeland Sculpture Arrangement”. This tribute to the famous Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland, comprises more than 150 works of art that serve to represent the entire cycle of human life, from infancy to old age. Vigeland lived from 1869 to 1943 and is also noted for having designed the medal awarded to winners of the Nobel Peace Prize. You will then make your way to the Bygdøy peninsula, a part of Oslo city, to visit an open-air museum which features 150 wooden buildings that are representative of the styles common in Norway’s various regions. One of the country's oldest structures, the 13^th-century Viking Gol Stave Church, also forms part of the complex. The trip is rounded off with a walk around downtown Oslo, with the option of returning to the ship by coach or staying longer to make your own way back on foot.

Any passengers weary of tramping city streets can take a welcome break and see the sights of Oslo from the comfort of a tour bus. We will drive past the new Opera House, Akershus Fortress, the Parliament building, the Royal Palace, the National Theatre and the Nobel Institute. Continue through Oslo’s attractive residential areas to Holmenkollen Hill from where you have a fantastic view over the city and the fjord below. The last part of the tour will take us to the Bygdøy peninsula where many of the city’s museums are located. Return to the port.

This carefully planned itinerary takes you around the key architectural and cultural hotspots of Norway’s capital in just a few hours. Departing from the port, we will head for Oslo’s modern district, home to the city’s most contemporary buildings and to Oslo’s Opera House. Recently completed in 2008, this award-winning structure is built from white Italian marble and characterized by large inclined plateaus. Walk up the sloping banks of this fabulous building to the roof, for an expansive view of the attractive harbour. We will then board a coach for a sightseeing tour of the city, passing the Town Hall, National Theatre and the Royal Residence before reaching the superb Vigeland Park. The Park contains the lifework of the Norwegian sculptor, Gustav Vigeland and is home to over 150 sculptures, which represent the full range of the human life cycle. The tour ends with a break in Oslo’s most fashionable hangout – the newly opened Icebar, the third addition to this city’s collection of ‘cool’ hotspots! Made entirely from ice, the interior temperature is never raised above – 5°. Use this occasion to drink to the good health of your fellow travellers with a glass of iced drink!