"It's not the world's most expensive city; that's just wrong," says Lindbichler, who moved to Oslo from Austria in part because of the outdoor recreation available here. "And there's no other European capital where you can take the subway to the end of the line and walk out, rent skis, and have 1,600 miles of groomed cross-country trails right in front of you. No other capital has downhill skiing within the city limits. So much of what we have here is free - cross-country skiing doesn't cost a single krone."

Indeed, in wintertime it does seem that the city's spirit can be found on the Number One subway line, which winds up to the hills and forests that surround the city center. Young, old, and everyone in between seem to take to the slopes on weekend days, and most of them will not pay a dime for the experience, since the cross-country trails and bobsled runs are free. Snowboards, bobsleds, makeshift sleighs, and simple plastic platters are common on the subway, which offers a wonderful view of Oslo's harbor and fjords as it climbs. In the mountains, having a hot chocolate on the sun terrace of a restaurant, it's hard to believe you are still in the city. A magical winter silence prevails - it seems as if you can hear the snowflakes landing.

Oslo's incredible natural beauty can certainly be enjoyed for free, but some of the price tags in Oslo can cause sticker shock: A small bag of 20 peanut M&M's costs $3 in some corner stores, for example, and a Big Mac, without the fries or a soda, goes for $6. A banana-and-­chocolate mousse at the comfortable café next to the National Theatre will set you back $20, plus another $5 or so if you want coffee or hot chocolate. It's best to be careful, because prices mount up quickly. A steak in a nice place will go for $50, but add on a basic mixed salad, a cocktail, an average glass of wine, and a dessert, and you're easily past the century mark - and that's if you're dining alone, which you shouldn't ­be.