“It was in those days when I wandered about hungry in Kristiania, that strange city which no one leaves before it has set its mark upon him,” from Hunger by Knut Hamsun, his novel about 1880s Kristiania, as Oslo was then known.

Oslo is a relaxed capital and its inhabitants are a laidback bunch. I once sat behind the crown prince in a cinema, who was enjoying a night out with three friends, and only I seemed to have registered his presence.

Although not as picturesque as other Nordic capitals, the city hides some charming corners, such as Grünerløkka with its vibrant café culture and Frogner’s lovely architecture.

There are some fantastic cultural gems too, such as the recently reopened Munch museum, where the Scream was stolen from last August, with its amazing collection of paintings by the expressionist master, or the Viking ship museum on the Bygdøy peninsula. While there, you can also visit the Kon-Tiki raft and the Fram, the boat used by Roald Amundsen on his way to conquer the south pole.

The most enjoyable thing about Oslo though is its close proximity to the great outdoors. The city is bordered by the sea to the south; to the north, a forest, the Nordmarka, is only a 20-minute tube ride away. The seasons are very marked - in the winter you can go cross-country or alpine skiing; in the summer you can go sailing, kayaking, or sunbathe on the beach.