Oslo Nature walks: Forest to Fjord

Experience Europe's largest urban forest, taking in a variety of sites from traditional wooden buildings, hilltop view points, pristine lakes and enough berries to last an entire holiday! The tour begins with a stunning metro ride up the hills, starting at sea level and ending nearly 500 meters above the city and fjord below. The first stop is the Holmenkollen ski jump, the spiritual home to Nordic winter sports. It is one of the most popular and best-rated sites in Oslo for a reason, leaving most tourists stunned by the scale of the jump and the views it affords.

From there, the hiking begins, climbing through the Oslo "marka", a dense forest with a couple of thousand kilometers of hiking paths. In under 30 minutes, the tour arrives at Frognerseteren, a historic collection of 19th century wooden buildings which typify Norwegian rural architecture. The views will amaze, the interior of the building will inspire and the food at the café will be easy on your wallet. Pick up a picnic lunch here as the tour will stop at a view point in 30 minutes time for lunch.

Dirt paths, rocky passages and deep forest await during the next part of the tour, making your way to the view point of Vettakollen, a "locals only" destination for one of the best views in all of Oslo. This stop is perfect for a panoramic lunch. After lunch, continue through the forest until arriving at the shores of Sognsvann, one of Oslo's prettiest lakes and perfect for a swim. Water temperatures range from 18-24 degrees (66-78 fahrenheit) in the summer, so bring a towel and swim wear. After the swim, it is back down to the city, on a different metro line, with more great views as the tour returns to civilization ending in the city center on the main street of Karl Johans Gate.