Getting there There are daily flights from most major UK airports. Airlines include BA, SAS, bmi, Norwegian and KLM. Flytoget, a high-speed rail link, offers the best means of transport to and from Oslo's airport, Gardermoen. Trains to the city's central station take 19 minutes.

Business climate The economy, characterised by state ownership in sectors such as the oil and gas industry, transport and telecoms, has been only mildly affected by the financial crisis. Growth over the past 20 years has been substantial and Norwegians enjoy the second-highest GDP per capita in the world. The cost of living is about 25 per cent higher than in the UK. Most large, listed companies such as Norsk Hydro, Telenor and Aker Solutions have headquarters in the capital.

Don't miss The spectacular new Opera House designed by renowned architecture firm Snøhetta. It opened in 2008 and houses the Norwegian Opera and Ballet. Located by the seaside, the Opera House challenges the rebuilt Holmenkollen ski jump's status as the defining landmark. A stroll along Aker Brygge wharf's seafront boardwalk, with its view of the Oslo fjord and Akershus Fortress, is also a must.

Etiquette Norwegians are direct and straightforward, and are ready to discuss business after only a few minutes of small talk. But the lack of polite phrases and social rituals should not be mistaken for rudeness-it is just the Norwegian way. Locals address each other informally, and English is widely spoken.

Culture Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art is a privately owned collection which presents temporary exhibitions of international art. If you've been wondering where to see Jeff Koons's life-size, gold leaf-plated porcelain statue of Michael Jackson, it's here. Check out the National Gallery for the country's largest public collection of paintings, drawings and sculptures, including Edvard Munch's The Scream.

Where to stay The elegant Grand Hotel has been a second home to famous Norwegians such as Henrik Ibsen and Fridtjof Nansen, and is still renowned for its venerable atmosphere. Clarion Collection Hotel Folketeateret is a new, stylish hotel where you will be greeted at the door by a giant statue of Kate Moss doing a yoga pose. Trendy Grims Grenka is for the young and design-conscious. But for a true Norwegian experience, stay at Holmenkollen Park Hotel Rica, situated above central Oslo, offering stunning views of the city and fjord.

Eat like a local Kaffistova, a restaurant next to the Bondeheimen hotel, serves authentic home-made fare including a speciality known as raspeballer, a type of potato dumpling. For North Sea delicacies, try Fjord or Lofoten. You will find top-notch Asian cuisine at Dinner or classy Nodee, where the financial elite, celebrities and even royalties enjoy their crispy ducks.