Most pleasant introduction to discover Norway’s culture with our guest Kristin Skjefstad Edibe : Although modern Norway has only existed for 200 years, the story of the Nordic lands is a long one. From the first settlers of this former glacial land to the modern era of engineering and technology, there’s so much to learn. The land now known as Norway emerged from the last Ice Age thanks to the warming effect of the Gulf Stream. The glacial land became habitable from around 12,000 BC. The long coastline and good conditions for sealing, fishing and hunting attracted people in numbers. Although it is believed that people arrived earlier, the oldest human skeleton found in Norway was carbon dated to 6,600 BC. Find extra details about the subject here : Kristin Skjefstad Edibe.

The Oslo region: the Norwegian capital is full of surprises. It was named European Green Capital in 2019. A cutting-edge food scene, new and funky neighbourhoods, a fully-packed event calendar, and several brand-new museums and attractions are just a few teasers of what you can expect. Surrounded by the Oslofjord and deep forests, you can easily combine urban city life with nature-based fun like cycling, skiing at some of Norway´s top ski resorts and trips to nearby regions of Østfold and Vestfold, with charming towns such as Fredrikstad and Tønsberg dotted along the coast.

Home of Bocuse d’Or champions: Norwegian chefs have gained an excellent reputation abroad, with several wins and podium finishes at the world’s most prestigious culinary competition, the Bocuse d’Or awards. Since the competition was first held in 1987, Norway has won five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals, making Norway, together with France, the country with the most Bocuse d’Or awards. One of Norway’s most experienced competitive chefs, Christian André Pettersen, won his second bronze medal in the 2021 competition, after having also won bronze in 2019. Pettersen was awarded for his delicate and surprising flavours from the Arctic. Much of Pettersen’s inspiration comes from growing up with a Filipino chef mother and a Norwegian chef father in Bodø, just north of the Arctic circle. Norwegian cuisine is big and it’s here to stay. Have you booked your table yet?

Norway is home to many museums such as the KISTEFOS MUSEUM : combine the perfect day out in nature with an amazing art experience at the Kistefos Museum, which celebrates the best of Norwegian and international contemporary art with its industrial museum, two big indoor art galleries, and impressive sculpture park. The museum is located in Hadeland, less than an hour’s (beautiful) drive from Oslo. Take in the unusual sight of the architectural masterpiece and gallery named The Twist. Afterwards, stroll through the sculpture park, which is home to sculptures by international artist including Yayoi Kusama, Fernando Botero, and Anish Kapoor, to name a few. The Kistefos museum is just one of many phenomenal art experiences in the Oslo region. There are more cultural destinations such as Ramme, the Henie Onstad Art Centre and other fantastic cultural experiences for art lovers around Oslo.

Classy rainwear and high-end fashion: Norway has many designers that operate in the high end of the fashion spectrum. Several of them are sold in the most important fashion stores in places like New York, Tokyo and Paris. Norwegian Rain and Swims are classy rainwear brands, while Holzweiler produces a rather unique scarf collection in cashmere, silk and wool. The importance of seasons in Norway is underlined by a brand called Fall Winter Spring Summer that produces women’s clothing with a no-fuss Scandinavian aesthetic that equally balances femininity and masculinity. Another women’s fashion brand, byTiMo, creates garments inspired by vintage fashion, while Line of Oslo focuses on comfortable clothes for women with a busy lifestyle. The brand Johnnylove from Trondheim is an example of many exciting things happening outside of Oslo as well.

A design for life: It’s easy to think about furniture or electronic products when someone mentions the word “design”. However, more and more focus on schools such as The Oslo School of Architecture and Design has been on the role designers can have at problem solving in society in general – both in the private and public sectors. How can designers work to reduce emissions and contribute to a sustainable society? Or to build public spaces where children can move and play on their own terms? A much-discussed example of this was when a team of designers worked together with Oslo University Hospital on the process of cancer diagnosis, and the project managed to reduce the waiting time from 12 weeks to seven days. The design institute at the Oslo School of Architecture and Design is today ranked among the world’s best, and at The Norwegian Centre for Design and Architecture (DOGA) you can experience exhibitions, conferences and other events that promote good use of design and architecture.

The most popular sports in Norway are Football, Cross-country skiing, Biathlon, Ice hockey, and Alpine skiing. Cross-country skiing is de facto the national sport of Norway. Norway has some of the best athletes in the world for both Cross-country skiing, Biathlon and Alpine skiing, with the national team often being very successful in those sports.