Oslo one of Monocle Magazine’s top 25 cities

Oslo Opera House. Photo: © Jaro Hollan / Statsbygg

This month Oslo appears for the first time in Monocle‘s renowned Quality of Life Index. Only 25 cities make the magazine’s annual list, and Oslo is ranked number 17. Monocle says: “This is Oslo’s moment – the cultural scene is booming.”

According to the magazine, “Oslo has shown how oil revenues can be used to create a generous welfare state and invest in new design, architecture and culture.” Monocle also mentions the new Opera House and the other exciting developments around the eastern waterfront.

The Index includes a variety of factors that make up a city’s “liveability”, including public transport, education, cultural outlets, crime, hours of sunshine and global flight connections. This year they also included “chain-store pollution”, ease of opening a business and major infrastructure improvements currently underway.

Zürich tops the list, followed by Copenhagen, Tokyo and Munich. The Nordic capitals are clearly doing something right; Stockholm and Helsinki are also in the top 25.

Source: VisitOslo.no

Click here to watch “Q & A with Crown Prince Haakon” on Monocle.com from 2007