Oslo Cruise
Following in the footsteps of the Vikings
Oslo, a thousand-year old city, founded on the islands, is a perfect destination for an MSC cruise of Northern Europe.
The capital of Norway will introduce you to the culture and vitality of the Norwegian people. An ideal location for this purpose, when you land from your cruise, is the fortress of Akershus, built from the 12th century, in which history blends with the beautiful view of the port and of your ship. Or you can take a stroll in the Vigelandsparken sculpture park where you can admire the 212 works by Gustav Vigeland.
Another attractive idea is to go up to the roof of the Opera House, a futuristic marble and glass building in Bjørvika. At the museum of Viking ships on the island of Bygdøy instead you can try to imagine how these rough adventurers lived as you admire the perfectly preserved vessels built in the 9th century. The famous Scream by Munch is found in Oslo, at the National Gallery, together with greatest art collection in Norway.
Only twenty minutes away from the city instead we find TusenFryd, the largest entertainment park in Norway, with no less than 30 attractions. As you arrive from the sea on your MSC cruise you can, instead, get an idea of what navigation was like in the past by visiting the museum that hosts the Fram, the most famous wooden sailing ship in the history of polar exploration, used by Roald Amundsen in his exploration of the South Pole in 1911.
To experience the life of a land that no longer exists, visit the Norsk Folkemuseum, the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History. Installed in Bygdøy it has 155 historic buildings from all around Norway, including an ancient historic centre and a wooden church built in the 12th century. And finally, visit the royal palace and its lovely park, where you can see the changing of the guards every day.