18 Amazing Things to Do in Stavanger, Norway
Looking for the best things to do in Stavanger, Norway? As one of our favourite destinations in Norway, here are the 18 top things to do in this city.
Stavanger is one of those cities that seem small but pack a huge punch. Before I booked the flights there, I hadn’t even heard of it, but it quickly became one of our favourite places in Norway.
It’s not just the city itself that we fell in love with, but the gorgeous surroundings, the fantastic nature, the fjords, the geo parks, the green spaces, and so much more.
It amazes me how some people only spend a day here while road-tripping around Norway. We spent almost a week here and could definitely have stayed longer.
So, if you’re planning on visiting Stavanger in Norway, here are our 18 favourite things to do.
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Stavanger Must-Do’s!
Short on time? These are 4 bucket-list experiences we recommend to everyone who visits Stavanger! ❤️
1. Explore Gamle Stavanger
If you’re visiting Stavanger, chances are, you’re going to visit the Old Town at some point. Known as Gamle Stavanger, this cute collection of whitewashed wooden houses and beautiful cobbled streets will take you back in time.
Many of the houses are some of Europe’s best-preserved wooden house settlements and date back to the late 18th and early 19th centuries.
There are around 170 wooden houses in total. Some of them were actually moved from a completely different location to where they are now.
Many people who used to live in Stavanger would literally pick up their houses and move them, which I think is completely bonkers, but also very cool!
If you visit Stavanger in the spring or summer months, as we did (we visited in late May), then you’ll also find many houses trailing with pretty blossoms, which just makes the area all the more beautiful.
2. Take a Day Trip to Priekestolen (Pulpit Rock)
There’s no denying that one of the main reasons people travel to Stavanger is to hike Priekestolen. Also known as Pulpit Rock, this magnificent hike leads to a flat, rocky outcrop that overhangs the Lysefjord.
It’s a pretty magical place and one of the most popular trails in Norway. It’s definitely the most popular hike from Stavanger, and hundreds of people spend a weekend in the city every year during the summer and winter months to do this trail.
The actual hike itself is moderately challenging. When we visited with my family, both of my parents managed this hike, and they were in their late 50s at the time. Admittedly, my mother struggled a bit, but they both made it to the top.
So, if you’re in a reasonably fit state, you should be able to do this.
👉 Check out our full guide to hiking Preikestolen here.
The entire hike takes around 4-5 hours and has a lot of elevation, but you’ll be rewarded with stunning views of the fjords. The drive to the car park takes around 45 minutes from Stavanger.
❤️ If you don’t want to hire a car, we recommend this guided hike to Pulpit Rock
3. Visit the Norwegian Canning Museum
If you want to visit one of the most curious museums in Norway, head to the Canning Museum in Stavanger. This museum is located in the city centre and focuses on the city’s industrial past, particularly in the sardine canning industry.
This industry kept Stavanger going from the 19th century to the 1950s as it was one of the biggest exporters at the time.
The museum is actually housed in a former canning factory. Inside, you can see the entire canning process, from smoking the fish to the packaging and labelling.
You can also see the authentic machinery, watch demonstrations, and even have a go at packing the sardines yourself!
4. Bounce on Inflatable Balls
This was so much fun and easily one of the best things to do in Stavanger. It’s also such a unique attraction right in the centre of the city.
One night we decided to go for a wander through the city. As it was late May, it was still light in the evenings, even though there was definitely a chilly breeze around the waterfront.
We headed towards the Petroleum Museum and found a curious playground right next to it.
There were skateboard ramps, tunnels you could crawl through, monkey bars, and lots of giant inflatable balls with a trampoline in the middle.
Even though we were all adults, we had a great laugh bouncing around on the balls and crawling through the tunnels. Stavanger had a way of bringing out our inner child!
5. Admire Sverd i Fjell
Located just 12 minutes from the city centre, Sverd i Fjell is a really unique monument located on the water’s edge. It consists of 3 huge swords, each around 10 meters tall, embedded in solid rock. It’s like a giant sword in the stone!
However, there’s a lot of symbolic meaning to these. They represent peace, unity, and the founding of the Norwegian Nation and were created to commemorate the historic Battle of Hafrsfjord, which took place around 872 AD.
Set against the backdrop of the fjord, it’s a powerful reminder of Norway’s Viking heritage.
6. Wander along Øvre Holmegate
This is the most colourful place in Stavanger and a stark contrast to the whitewashed houses in the Old City. Øvre Holmegate is a vibrant part of the city, full of multi-coloured buildings.
The street was transformed when a local artist collaborated with local shop owners to brighten up the street. Now, the entire place is a contrast of colours with shop fronts painted in a rainbow of reds, oranges, bright blues, and yellows.
It’s a great place to go for a wander. The street is lined with cute cafes, art galleries, boutiques selling homemade goods, souvenir shops, and restaurants.
You’ll also find both locals and tourists here. We saw a lot of locals just hanging out, drinking at the bars, and socialising in the evening.
7. Climb to Valberg Tower
Located in the Old Town, Valberg Tower is both a fascinating historic monument and a great vantage point over the city. Built between 1850 and 1853, the tower used to be a fire watchtower.
This was where guards would look over the city and spot any potential fires – a pretty important task considering most of Stavanger’s houses were wooden! However, it was also used as a defensive tower, and you can still see the old cannons that surround it today.
The tower stands on Valberget Hill, and, as well as reading about the history of the plague, you can also see panoramic views over the city and the water from the top.
8. Visit Brutt Lenke
This spot is definitely a bit of a hidden gem in Stavanger. We visited on our very last day in the city before we flew home. We were just having a bit of a drive before we took our hire car back to the airport and found it by complete accident
It’s a little bit like Sverd i Fjell in that it’s a curious sculpture located on a rock, overlooking the ocean. However, this has a very different meaning to the swords.
It is dedicated to Norway’s worst oil accident in history. In 1980, an entire oil rig collapsed at the Alexander L. Kielland oil platform in the North Sea. Over 100 people lost their lives.
The memorial features two large chains that are severed symbolising the lives lost. It’s quite a sobering place, but the views over the North Sea are beautiful and it’s well worth a visit while you’re in Stavanger.
9. See the Bronze Age Rock Carvings
This is another curious hidden gem that we found by simply exploring the town. Located around the corner from Sverd i Fjell, about 13 minutes by car from the city centre, these carvings are from around 1800-500 BC.
Discovered in 1896, you can see 170 figures and 80 depressions, which are still visible today.
There are plenty of speculations about what this spot would have been, including a religious meeting place or simply a place where local farmers gathered years ago.
The carvings are really interesting. You can see several boats, y-shaped figures believed to be people raising their hands towards the sky, hands and footprints, and circles and spirals, which are thought to represent the sun.
It’s a very small area, and I don’t expect you’ll be here longer than 15 minutes, as it doesn’t take long to see. But if you’re interested in history, this is a great place to stop.
10. Hike Kjerag
This is our favourite hike in Norway. Actually, I think it’s our favourite hike in the world to date!
Despite it being a pretty long 2.5-hour drive from Stavanger to the trailhead, many people will base themselves in the city to do this hike.
The name Kjerag, or Kjeragbolten, is actually the name for the famous boulder that you’ll reach at the summit.
This hike is a long one. It’s pretty tough and more technically challenging than Pulpit Rock. My parents stayed behind on this one, as my mother wouldn’t have been able to do it.
It takes between 6 and 8 hours to complete and has several very steep sections where you have to pull yourself up on chains. However, once you reach the top, the views are completely stunning.
It’s the highest point in the Lysefjord at 1084 meters above sea level, and you can see for miles over the valley and the fjord below. Of course, the highlight of the hike is stepping out onto the boulder.
Perched precariously between two cliff faces, the boulder is believed to have been stuck there since the last ice age. We both stepped out onto it, but honestly, it’s the scariest thing I’ve ever done.
👉 Check out our full guide to hiking Kjeragbolten here.
If you don’t have a head for heights or are prone to panicking, I don’t recommend stepping onto the boulder. It’s exhilarating, but also completely terrifying.
Nonetheless, we did it, and it remains to this day one of the best hikes we’ve ever done!
11. Visit Månafossen Waterfall
This is another of the best hiking trails around Stavanger. It’s much shorter than Kjerag but features some equally stunning views.
The trail to reach the waterfall is literally less than half a mile long. However, it’s not the easiest of trails to navigate. The terrain is very steep and rocky, meaning you have to guide yourself up using chains for a lot of it.
However, it only takes about 15-20 minutes one way, so it’s still quite an easy route, all things considered.
The drive to the trailhead is around an hour from the centre of Stavanger. But the drive is also gorgeous. You’ll pass through lush greenery and several photo-worthy stops, plus past several fjords and rivers.
Plus, if you want, you can extend this hike by another hour to reach a farm or hike to the top of Manafossen and see several more waterfalls, too.
👉 Check out our full guide to hiking Manafossen here.
12. Explore Magma Geopark
The fourth (and final) hike on this list, if you want a fairly easy walk through some pretty magnificent landscapes, I recommend a trip to Magma Geopark. This is a large area, located south of Stavanger and is utterly beautiful.
There are plenty of different hikes you can do here, but the one I recommend is Trollpikken.
This roughly translates as ‘troll’s penis’, and the curious shape of the rock formation along the trail will probably tell you why!
The trail has much less elevation than the other hikes near Stavanger. You have to cross several grassy planes, wooden bridges, small streams, and little waterfalls.
You’ll also see a few large ponds that you have to navigate. But overall, the hike is fairly easy, enjoyable, and suitable for all.
👉 Check out our full guide to hiking Trollpikken here.
13. Visit the Norway Petroleum Museum
This is another of the most intriguing museums in Norway and the best things to do in Stavanger. Located right next to the playground I was telling you about earlier, the Petroleum Museum explores the impact of the oil and gas industry in Norway.
It was first opened in 1999. It’s housed in a pretty impressive building along the waterfront and designed to resemble an offshore oil platform.
Inside, you can explore a range of interactive exhibits. They talk you through the production, technological advancements, and challenges that have occurred in the oil industry in Norway. It also looks and the environmental aspects of oil production.
It may sound bizarre, but it’s honestly really interesting. Especially since Stavanger is often referred to as the “oil capital” of Norway, the museum explains a vital part of the city’s heritage.
14. Go on a Cruise on the Lysefjord
Can you really go to Norway and not go on a Fjord cruise? The Lysefjord might not have the famous beauty of the Geirangerfjord or the Sognefjord; however, it’s still one of the most beautiful places in Norway and easily accessible from Stavanger.
A cruise here will take you through some of Norway’s most stunning natural landscapes. Most will depart from the vibrant harbour of Stavanger and head into the 42-kilometre-long fjord known for its dramatic cliffs and deep blue waters.
As you glide through the fjord, you’ll be surrounded by towering mountains, cascading waterfalls, and stunning natural beauty.
But one of the best things about a cruise here is that you’ll be able to see Preikestolen from the bottom. If you’ve already hiked to the top of this, it’s completely bonkers to see how high up it is and where you were standing, 604 metres above the fjord.
The cruise may also include stops at several charming coastal villages along the way. You can see the local wildlife, like seals and eagles, and enjoy more of Norway’s charming scenery.
❤️ We cannot recommend a Fjord Cruise enough – we loved this one!
15. Drive the Beautiful Lysevegen Road
There is no shortage of beautiful drives in Stavanger. Many of the things I’ve mentioned above involve driving through beautiful scenery. But no drive is quite as stunning as Lysevgen Road. This is an adventure rather than a drive.
One of Norway’s most impressive road trips, this road winds its way through the rugged terrain of southwestern Norway for about 29 kilometres.
It starts at the village of Lysebotn and ends at Sirdal. But the thing that makes the road so famous is the 27 hairpin bends. These descend steeply from the highlands of Norway to the Lysefjord.
It’s a bit of a challenging drive, but you’ll see so many breathtaking views that it’s worth it!
You’ll also pass through the Lysetunnelen, an over 1km long tunnel carved into the solid rock during the journey.
TOP TIP: This road is a fair distance from Stavanger; however, it’s very close to the trailhead for the Kjerag hike. We recommend combining these two if you decide to visit.
16. Explore the Street Art
If you want to see a more artsy side of Stavanger, you need to check out the street art.
Stavanger has a surprising amount of artwork and murals dotted around the city, and you can go on a mini-walking tour trying to find all of them.
This is a great way to get a taste of local life in Stavanger also as many are a little off the beaten track.
17. Visit Stavanger Cathedral
Last but not least, another of the top landmarks of the city is its famous cathedral. Also known as Stavanger Domkirke, this historic gem is located in the heart of the city.
It was built in the 12th century and is a blend of Romanesque and Gothic architecture, with stone walls, pointed arches, and intricate carvings. Inside, you’ll find a wooden pulpit, medieval frescoes, and a grand organ, along with lots of stained glass.
This might not be quite as impressive as structures in Oslo or other cities in Europe, but it’s still worth a visit while in Stavanger.
18. Explore the waterfront
Stavager’s waterfront is another of the most vibrant areas of the city. When we visited, it was surprisingly busy with locals queueing to enter venues, pubs packed with outdoor diners, and lots of boats out on the water.
It really surprised us how busy the area was, especially considering that it was quite a chilly evening, and the wind was even more biting by the waterfront. It’s also a really pretty part of the city with lights and colourful buildings.
This is a great place to visit if you want to get a taste of local life in Stavanger. It’s also a place where you can book a boat tour, visit several museums, including the Stavanger Maritime Museum, and admire the scenery.
How to get around Stavanger
Stavanger itself is a very walkable city. We saw all of the sights in the city centre on foot and only used to car to drive to the surrounding hiking trails. It’s a fairly flat city, and you shouldn’t need to use public transport to get around.
However, the city does have a public transport network run by Kolumbus. They offer a range of different routes around Stavanger, the surrounding area, and Sandnes.
The city terminal is called Byterminalen, and this is where most routes will begin and end, which is also right next to the railway station. From here, you can find longer-distance connections, including routes to Oslo.
Kolumbus also offer a range of passage ferries, including routes through the Lysefjord and the islands surrounding Stavanger.
The best time to visit Stavanger
You can visit Stavanger all year round. The most popular hiking trail from the city, Preikestolen, can also be done all year round, although having a guide is advisable in winter.
Nonetheless, if you want to hike more of the challenging routes, like Kjerag, you’ll need to visit Stavanger in the late spring to early autumn. The trail is much too dangerous to even attempt in winter, so it’s closed completely.
We visited Stavanger in the last week of May and had the best time. The hiking trails weren’t too busy, we had lovely long days with the sun not setting until around 10:30pm, and we were very lucky with the weather and had mild sunny skies.
We recommend visiting either in the late spring or the early autumn.
September is a great month to hit the hiking trails, as the summer crowds have gone but the weather is still beautiful, and the waterfalls are still really full in May due to the melting snow.
Plus, due to it being off-season, you’ll get reasonably mild (or even warm!) weather and more affordable prices.
Is Stavanger worth visiting?
Yes, Stavanger is 100% worth visiting. This city is one of our favourite places to visit in Norway, and it’s so much more than the 1-day pit stop that so many people make on their road trip around Norway.
There’s history here, fascinating museums, great restaurants, and some of the best hikes in Norway surrounding it. We spent 5 days in the city and had the absolute best time, but you could see many of the top spots with just 3 days in Stavanger.
If you’re planning to explore more of Norway, Stavanger is also within easy driving distance of the city of Bergen, which is also well worth a visit.
So, if you’re planning on visiting southern Norway, don’t skip this gem. I hope this article has given you plenty of reasons to visit Stavanger. Stay for a few days and you won’t regret it.
👉 Haven’t decided where to stay, yet? Check out our 12 favourite hotels in Stavanger!
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