Heathrow and Gatwick: the photogenic city just two hours from London that experiences three hour sunsets at Christmas
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Many Londoners with a reasonable budget and time off from work over the coming Christmas holidays will be looking to travel south in December in search of warmer weather.
While places like Malta and Tenerife are likely to lure British tourists away from the biting cold in the UK, where Londoners face sub-zero temperatures and high fuel prices this winter, few would look down the road. north for their getaway destination.
But for those brave enough to take on the challenge of icy winds, frozen lakes and the possibility of frostbite, there is a scenic location just a two-hour flight from London.
READ MORE: Heathrow and Gatwick: Travel expert names best holiday island for Christmas sunshine
Oslo, the capital of Norway, is actually much closer to the UK than you might think.
The distance between Norway and the Shetland Islands, Britain’s northernmost point, is only 358 miles. This is less than the distance between London and Aberdeen.
Being much closer to the North Pole, there’s no denying that Oslo is colder than London, but the cold is by no means intolerable.
In December, London is used to seeing temperatures between 3 and 7 degrees centigrade, while in Oslo the average temperature for this time of year is between -1 and 5.
It may therefore be advisable to wear an extra pair of socks while traveling, but weather is not something Londoners are not used to.
Another interesting thing about Oslo being so far north is that the sun never fully rises in December.
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In total, the city experiences about six hours of sunshine per day, with the first three hours being sunrise and the last three hours being sunset.
Because the sun is constantly on the horizon and never above the clouds, even on a cloudy day, during these six hours, the city of Oslo is glazed with an amber glow.
Professional photographers call the period just after sunrise or just before sunset “the golden hour”, or “the golden hour”.
The beautiful lighting and long shadows resulting from this phenomenon make Oslo during the winter one of the most photogenic cities in the world and a perfect place for traveling Instagrammers.
Sunlight, while limited, actually helps keep the city warm during the day, but be warned, the 18 hours of darkness after sunset might not be everyone’s cup of tea.
Speaking of tea, you would need to drink plenty of it to stay warm throughout the day, so carrying a flask can help. Likewise, coffee can help if the dark puts your brain into night mode as early as 4 p.m.
Oslo city center is just as bustling as any other major European capital, and it’s easy to find a wide range of local cafes for dining.
All the main shops can be found along Karl Johans Gate, Oslo’s main shopping street, which, even in freezing temperatures, is teeming with people.
In the evenings, locals like to gather around a makeshift Christmas market near the famous Spikersuppa ice rink, where family and friends make the most of the conditions.
It is also common to find places around the market where people gather around the fire to warm their bodies. These are always great places to chat with the friendly locals, most of whom speak fairly good English.
What also makes Oslo interesting from an urban planning point of view is the proximity of the main attractions and sites of the city to each other.
The main shopping street and ice rink are close to the Norwegian Parliament, known as the Storting, as well as the National Theater. It is also close to the Royal Palace.
Oslo is also home to the Nobel Peace Center, a museum dedicated to the Nobel Peace Prize, and a hilltop fortress called Akershus, which offers stunning views of the city.
Art lovers will also be delighted by the Munch Museum, which contains many masterpieces by artist Edvard Munch, painter of the Cree, who lived and died in the city.
But for anyone looking for a special Christmas present, a visit to the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History is a must.
During Christmas time, the museum, which looks more like an old Scandinavian town, brings festive traditions to life, including folk dance performances as well as other Norwegian arts and crafts.
Entering the museum is like stepping back in time to experience the Christmas of yesteryear.
Souvenir shops and museum market stalls are also a great place to fill your stockings with traditional toys and other gifts you rarely find elsewhere.
If you walk there from the city center you might want to emulate the locals and pack a ski pole as parts of your walk can be off-road and get slippery.
It would also be advisable to arrive at the museum early and dedicate at least a day to visiting all the historic Scandinavian wooden houses and Viking relics found on the Bygdøy peninsula.
But try to resist the temptation to shorten your path by walking on Oslo’s frozen inner fjord, which, beautiful as it is, is also dangerous.
Finally, the main culture shock that visiting Brits should be aware of as soon as they arrive at Munch Airport are the unisex toilets (often unlocked).
Seeing men and women sharing the same toilet is a common sight in Oslo.
A woman may find it a bit odd to put on makeup while a man washes his hands next to her, and men may find it a bit frustrating to wait any longer for a spare cubicle, but the locals seem to be stepping away. pass, then all is well with the world.
Finally, if upon arrival you are greeted at passport control by a very pretty and bubbly young police officer, try not to ask “are all the women in Norway as beautiful as you?” because you won’t be the first genius to ask him this question. Just enter the country correctly assuming they are.
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