Aker Brygge & Tjuvholmen

What you gain

• ↑The Astrup Fearnley Museum of Modern Art is one of Scandinavia's finest private art collections housed in a Renzo Piano building with a canal running through it — the permanent collection (Damien Hirst, Jeff Koons, Cindy Sherman) and temporary exhibitions are world-class
• ↑Summer evening dining at the Aker Brygge restaurant terrace — Lekter'n for burgers and beer, Maaemo for Norway's three Michelin stars, the floating dock restaurants — with the Oslofjord and Bygdøy peninsula visible is one of northern Europe's great outdoor dining settings
• ↑The Nobel Peace Center directly adjacent is one of the most intelligently designed issue-advocacy museums in the world — even without the December ceremony, the permanent and temporary exhibitions earn a 2-hour visit

What you sacrifice

• ↓Aker Brygge and Tjuvholmen are Oslo's most expensive neighbourhoods for accommodation and dining — a glass of wine at a terrace restaurant costs 130–180 NOK ($12–17), and dinner for two starts at 1,200 NOK without wine
• ↓In winter (October–April), the waterfront loses its summer energy dramatically: restaurants half-close, outdoor terraces retract, and the area feels underused relative to its architecture. Summer is when it justifies its prices.