How to Spend the Perfect Weekend in Stavanger, Norway
Are you planning on spending a weekend in Stavanger, Norway? Here are all the best things to do and exactly how to spend your time.
Stavanger is one of our favourite cities in Norway, and it’s so often overlooked. It has a bit of everything – cute cobbled streets, trendy cafes and bars, museums, and stunning nature surrounding it.
Seriously, some of the best hikes in Norway are easily accessible from Stavanger.
When we visited, we spent 5 days here, exploring the city and wandering around the gorgeous nature surrounding it. We had the best time, and it always surprises me when people spend just one day in the city before leaving again.
So, if you have 2 days in Stavanger planned, here’s the perfect itinerary and how to spend your time.
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in a hurry?
Short on time? These are 4 bucket-list experiences we recommend to everyone who visits Stavanger! ❤️
Our fave hotel: Clarion Collection
Day 1: One of Stavanger’s Most Popular Hikes
Start your weekend in Stavanger by doing one of the most popular hikes in Norway. This hike is the reason many people come to Stavanger in the first place and is a must-see during your time in the city.
If you only have 1 day in Stavanger, we still recommend this!
You can also explore some of the prettiest places in the city when you get back.
9:00 – Drive to Pulpit Rock
The easiest way to get to this hike is by hiring a car. It’s really easy to drive in Norway, and the scenery is stunning, so this is the way we recommend exploring most of the country.
For Preikestolen, it can be pretty busy, so we recommend starting your day early.
9am is the absolute latest we would leave Stavanger to reach the trailhead; however, if you’re visiting in the peak summer months, you may want to leave even earlier.
The drive is around 45 minutes – 1 hour, and it’s a pretty easy drive. Along the route, you’ll pass through the longest sea tunnel in Norway, the Ryfylke Tunnel, and pass by mountain scenery and waterfalls on the side of the road. It’s a very scenic drive.
TOP TIP: I recommend packing a lunch before you set off. There is a cafe at the start of the trail, but eating lunch with the views of the fjords is much nicer.
10:00 – Start the hike
Once you reach the hike, park up and hit the trail. It starts with a fairly gradual slope, but quickly starts to climb up the mountain. You’ll pass through scenic valleys, boggy marshland, and up steep, stone steps.
Once you reach the top, the views are fantastic. You can see for miles over the Lysefjord and the surrounding area, with the mountains in the distance. It’s the perfect place to eat your packed lunch before you head back down.
If you’re feeling adventurous, you can also hike a little further up to see the views of the famous Pulpit Rock from above.
👉 Check out our full guide to hiking Preikestolen here.
15:00 – Drive Back to Stavanger
Once you’ve taken hundreds of photographs, taken in the stunning views, and eaten lunch. Head back down the mountain the same way you came.
When you reach the bottom there are toilets and a cafe if you want to grab a hot drink. You can also browse in the little shop here for souvenirs. Then, hop back in the car and drive back to Stavanger.
16:00 – Visit Sverd i Fjell and Relax by the Beach
When you get close to the city, take a slight detour to Sverd i Fjell. It makes sense to see this magnificent monument today since you are already in the car and it’s an hour’s walk from the city centre!
Located just 10 minutes by car from the centre of Stavanger, Sverd i Fjell is a colossal statue dedicated to the battle of Hafrsfjord which took place in 872. You’ll find 3 huge swords here embedded in a rock.
They are symbolic of the battle, representing peace, unity, and freedom. Each sword is over 8 metres tall and weighs around 7 tonnes. It’s a very impressive monument.
Plus, the surrounding area is gorgeous too. While we were there, we had a little wander around the shores of the Hafrsfjord. There are several small beaches and benches where you can sit and admire the views.
If you continue walking around, you’ll find an outdoor gym and playground as well!
17:00 – Explore Gamle Stavanger
Once you’ve taken in the views at Sverd i Fjell, hop back in the car and head back to your accommodation. Then, walk into the centre of the city and explore the Old Town.
Also known as Gamle Stavanger, this is a collection of around 170 pretty white wooden houses and cobbled streets. If you visit in spring or summer, you’ll also find wildflowers and pink blossoms.
The area is one of my favourite parts of Stavanger. Many of the houses here date back to the 18th century and were restored and relocated from their previous locations.
As well as houses, you’ll also find cute cafes and shops here. It really is a beautiful part of the city and well worth visiting during a weekend in Stavanger.
18:00 – Dinner
Once you’ve taken in the sights of the old town, it’s time to grab some food. We ate at several different restaurants while in the city and found a fantastic mixture of local and international options.
On your second night in the city, you’ll be around the waterfront for dinner, so we recommend eating at one of the international options tonight.
We ate at both Jai Hind Indian restaurant and Daran Thai during our time in Stavanger. Both restaurants were delicious and, by Norwegian standards, pretty affordable!
Day 2: Stavager’s Best Sights and the Fjords
For the second day of your weekend in Stavanger, it’s time to explore some of the city’s culture and historical side before heading back to the fjords in the afternoon.
9:00 – Visit a Museum
There are two major museums in Stavanger: the Canning Museum and the Petroleum Museum. If you have 3 days in the city or more, we recommend visiting them both. However, with only 48 hours, you won’t have time to see everything, so you’ll need to pick one.
The Canning Museum explores the history of canning in Stavanger, particularly sardine canning. Located in an old canning factory, the museum shows the lives of the people who worked in the factory as well as the canning and packing process of the sardines.
You can even have a go at packing them yourself, as there are lots of interactive exhibits here.
The Petroleum Museum is dedicated to one of the most important industries in Stavanger – the oil and gas industry. The city is frequently known as the ‘oil capital of Norway’, so this museum explores a very important part of Stavanger’s history.
Inside, you can find exhibits about the technology behind the industry, how it’s impacted society, and even the economic impacts. You’ll find interactive exhibits showing the offshore rigs, drilling equipment and much more. It’s fascinating.
Both museums explore a crucial part of Stavanger’s past and are worth visiting.
11:30 – Climb to Valberg Tower
After your morning in one of Stavanger’s museums, head to Valberg Tower. Perched on a hill overlooking the city, this former lookout will give you one of the best views in the city.
It used to be used for two things – both part of the city’s defences and to check for fires.
Since most of Stavanger’s houses were formerly made from wood, guards would regularly check the city from above to ensure nothing was alight. It was a pretty important job.
Today, you can admire the tower from the ground, or climb to the top of it. There are also plaques dotted around that tell you about the tower’s history and you can see the cannons that used to be part of the defence.
12:30 – Explore Stavanger’s Playground
Next, head towards Stavanger’s waterfront to visit the playground. This is one of our favourite spots to visit in Stavanger and we honestly had so much fun here.
Located right next to the Petroleum Museum, this is a collection of old machinery and equipment that has been artfully turned into a park.
You’ll find tunnels to crawl through, monkey bars, ramps for skateboards, and even a trampoline and bouncy rubber balls on the floor!
It’s definitely a place to embrace your inner child and one of the best places to visit in Stavanger.
TOP TIP: If you decide to visit the Petroleum Museum, it makes sense to swap the first two things on this itinerary. Visit Valberg Tower first and then head to the museum as the park is right outside.
13:30 – Grab Lunch by the Waterfront
Next, head to the waterfront. This is just a short distance from the playground and it’s one of the best places in Stavanger for food. It’s also such a bougie part of the city. You’ll find colourful buildings, pubs and bars, and locals mingling with the tourists.
There are quite a few restaurants here, perfect for a light lunch, and it’s also just worth exploring the area. We recommend Fisketorget if you love seafood, or, for a more affordable option, burger&beers is a great choice.
You’ll find a few more museums around here, including the Stavanger Maritime Museum, several shops where you can buy souvenirs, and some very cool street art.
15:00 – Go on a Fjord Cruise
Finally, you can’t spend a weekend in Stavanger and not go on a fjord cruise. It’s one of the best things to do in Norway, and you definitely cannot miss this.
The fjord cruises depart from Stavanger twice a day – once at 10am and again at 3pm. The afternoon slot can be quieter, plus, depending on what time of year you visit, you may also be able to see the sun setting from the fjords.
Even without a sunset, the views from the cruises are stunning. You’ll be sailing past cliffs that were carved out by glaciers over 10,000 years ago.
You’ll also be able to see Preikestolen from the bottom, which is completely bonkers considering you were standing on top of it less than 24 hours ago! It looks insanely high up from the waters in the fjord.
We cannot recommend a fjord cruise enough, and it’s a must-do during 2 days in Stavanger. The cruise lasts around 3 hours, so it should get you back to the waterfront at 18:30 at the latest, just in time for dinner by the water.
❤️ After our unforgettable experience, we highly recommend this fjord cruise.
What’s the best time to visit Stavanger?
You can visit Stavanger all year round, so the best time to visit depends on what you want to do.
For hiking, the season starts from mid-May until October. However, for some of the hikes, like Kjerag, there will still be snow on the trail until around mid-June.
So, I’d recommend visiting between June and early September if you’re keen on doing some of the harder trails.
However, for many of the other hikes near Stavanger (like Preikestolen, Manafossen, or Trollpikken), you can do these at the start of May or into October.
If you aren’t too bothered about hitting the trails, then Stavanger is a great place to visit in winter.
You can go on winter cruises, explore the museums, and visit the Old Town – you can still hike Preikestolen in the winter months, you just need to be extra careful.
However, we think the best time to visit Stavanger is between mid-May and early October. You’ll get the best weather during these times, and the majority of attractions and hikes will be open.
Is a weekend in Stavanger enough time?
Technically, no, we don’t think a weekend in Stavanger is enough time. If all you want to do is hike Pulpit Rock, then you can do this in just 2 days. But, there’s so much more to Stavanger than just this one hiking trail.
The city has so much history. There are hidden gems around the town, like ancient carvings hidden in the rocks, and so many wonderful hiking trails nearby. We spent 5 days in Stavanger, and we could easily have spent more time there.
While you may be able to see the key things to see in this city in just a weekend, if you love the outdoors and spectacular scenery, there’s a lot you’ll end up missing.
Nonetheless, if you only have 2 days, don’t skip Stavanger. If you haven’t guessed by now, we loved it here and we think it’s one of the best places to visit in Norway.
Spending 2 days is better than spending no time at all – but, you’ll almost definitely want to come back for more!
👉 Haven’t decided where to stay, yet? Check out our 12 favourite hotels in Stavanger!
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