Planning vacations around events you want to see has a couple of major advantages. First of all, it lets you have something really special as centerpiece of your vacations. Second, because most acts tour nationally, you can choose destinations to meet you budget.

“I love Classic Rock,” Says Phil Kramer of Queens, New York, “But worst seat in Madison Square Garden for some of these things runs $450! So for what I would have spent for three hours in MSG, I can get tickets, hotel, dinner and drinks, so if I go to Philly, wife and I can make a weekend of it.”

Another advantage of traveling to concerts is that in some “mega-markets” premium seats can be unattainable, or ridiculously priced. So by moving out of that market into a neutral one, you can get better seating, and do it for much less than a market like New York or Chicago.

More and more, travel agents are finding that “centerpieces” offer them opportunity entice clients that otherwise would not spend.

“I love it,” said Marion Gooding, of XTOURS travel “It lets people have concert and vacation in one.” Though Marion does it a little differently. “Most of my clients are traveling for business, or with families, so I find out what’s in that area while they are there—It’s just a nice little extra we give them.”

Bygdoy is one of more affluent areas and, as mentioned earlier, is place to go for museums. Whether you want one that depicts rural life in Norway, Viking ships, or Kon-Tiki, raft which Thor Heyerdahl built to sail from America to Polynesia in, you'll find it here. Elsewhere in Oslo you'll find, amongst others, The Henie Onstad centre, The Munch Museum and The Museum of Technology, latter of which I can highly recommend. It's also worth knowing that Bygdoy also has Oslo’s only naturist beach and that topless sunbathing is allowed, and widely practised, on all beaches in Norway.

If you like to enjoy an abundance of nightlife during your visits abroad, Oslo probably isn’t best place to head for. Having said that, I have to add that Oslo’s nightlife has picked up remarkably over past 10 years or so, and if clubbing’s what you want, you will find places to go. Bare in mind that it won’t be cheap. There are plenty of bars about, catering for most tastes.

Other places to visit include Frogner Park with its 212 superb sculptures and undoubtedly one of Oslo's finest pearls and Holmenkollen Ski Jump for its magnificent view across Oslo and fjord. Raadhusplassen (the area around Town Hall) and area surrounding Akers Festning are red light districts and probably best avoided at night. To see Oslo at its very best, I’d recommend visiting during May/June. There’s a special atmosphere in city during those late spring months that can’t be experienced at any other time. Call it X-factor.

If you’re thinking of visiting during winter, just let me warn you that city centre isn’t a particularly pretty sight. Don’t expect white, snow covered streets because what you’ll get is filthy exhaust polluted slush. The surrounding countryside will be prettier.

Oslo’s a busy city, and driving is a nightmare. If you should be foolish enough to rent a car, remember that any vehicle approaching from right has right of way and they make sure they get it too. On main roads this can be pretty scary! If I had a pound for every near miss I’ve had in Oslo, I’d be a rich woman now. Then there are trams to deal with; they stop for nobody!

If you do decide to visit, take an hour out of your schedule to just sit down by quay enjoying sun, a cold lager and a bag of fresh prawns. That's what Oslo's all about.