The Norwegian capital’s compact city center makes it easy to see a lot in a short time. Start your day by hitting up the city’s top sights, such as City Hall and Akershus Castle, on a guided tour by bus, Segway, or (like the locals) bike. Some tours also take you beyond Oslo’s city center to Holmenkollen ski jump and the famed sculpture park of Vigeland, and a few also include a fjord cruise. Alternatively, a hop-on hop-off sightseeing bus tour allows you to set your own schedule and spend as long as you like at each stop before continuing on the route.

Spend the afternoon exploring Oslo’s wealth of cultural attractions, such as the Munch Museum (home to the world-famous painting The Scream), the Nobel Peace Center, and the Kon-Tiki Museum, which is dedicated to the 1947 Norwegian expedition to Polynesia. You can save money by purchasing a Visit Oslo Pass, which grants free admission to museums and discounts at other attractions, restaurants, and shops. For the length of your pass’ validity, you also travel for free on public transit. Alternatively, if you want to visit only one or two museums, such as the Viking Ship Museum, look for a sightseeing tour that includes entrance.

In Oslo, much of local life revolves around the waterfront, an area that has undergone attractive development in recent years. You can soak up the sights of the city’s waterfront and its surrounding countryside on a cruise that takes you out onto the sparkling waters of the fjord, past sights such as the gleaming Oslo Opera House and Akershus Fortress, and by the many little islands that dot the fjord. Alternatively, indulge in some Norwegian specialties on a beer- and cheese-tasting tour that takes you to local pubs and, typically, the popular Mathallen food hall in the Grunerlokka neighborhood.