My 9 Favorite Things to Do in Stavanger, Norway

I’ve been to Norway nine times (and counting) and had the privilege of visiting many of its cities. I kind of knew what to expect from the likes of Trondheim, Bergen, and Tromsø—and don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed my time in each of them. Stavanger, however, really surprised me (and I mean that in the best possible way). 

When my mom and I found return tickets from London to Stavanger for less than $25, visiting was a no-brainer. Enduring the heap of garbage known as Luton Airport was, in this instance, a small price to pay. I knew very little about Norway’s fourth-biggest city other than it was the country’s oil capital, so I was intrigued to see what was waiting on the other side. 

After a very short flight to Southern Norway, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a cozy city with stunning nature nearby. Stavanger is much more than a launchpad for nearby attractions like Pulpit Rock and Priekestolen; it’s a superb weekend destination in its own right. 

Today, I’ll share my top recommendations for things to do in Stavanger. We’ll discover the region’s fascinating oil history, eat great food, enjoy beautiful nature, and have a great time all around. Let’s get started. 

1. Check Out Stavanger’s Street Art 

I was quite surprised to discover that Stavanger felt quite hip, and nowhere is that more evident than in the city’s intriguing street art. Thanks to the annual Nuart Festival, various paintings are dotted throughout Stavanger. 

In addition to finding street art on various walls in the city, you can also spot the art on some buses in Stavanger. If you go to nearby Sandnes, you’ll find even more street art. 

My personal favorite installation is the “Dünkelziffer” work (below), which you’ll find at Salvågergata 5. 

2. Enjoy Fresh Seafood at Fisketorget 

If you want my truthful opinion, a trip to Norway without eating seafood is a trip wasted. Like the rest of the country, Stavanger is a fantastic place to enjoy some freshly caught fish; if you only go to one restaurant while you’re in town, I strongly recommend visiting Fisketorget. 

The menu changes depending on the season; I had a really good fish soup when I was there, which I can 100% recommend. Though quite expensive (as you would expect in the oil capital of Norway), I feel like coming here is well worth the splurge. 

Fisketorget combines a fish market with a restaurant. If you’re self-catering while in Stavanger, you may want to consider picking up some ingredients to cook with when you get home. 

I recommend booking a table in advance; you can do so online. 

Address: Strandkaien 37, 4005 Stavanger

Map:

3. Visit the Norwegian Petroleum Museum

I never thought a museum about oil could be remotely interesting, but visiting the Petroleum Museum reminded me of why it’s important to keep an open mind 🙂. We saw a complete explanation of how the 1960s oil discovery changed Norway forever and helped it become one of the world’s richest countries. 

The museum does a great job of discussing the initial concerns associated with oil becoming an important industry. We then saw how Norway’s oil industry evolved over the coming days and could participate in numerous interactive installations. 

Website: https://www.norskolje.museum.no/en/

Map:

4. Check Out Stavanger’s Nearby Islands and Towns

Many tourists come to Stavanger for the nearby Lysefjord (which is well worth visiting), but the city’s nearby islands are a hidden gem. You can easily reach them via the public transport ferries, and they feel like miles away from the city. 

Vassøy and Lindøy are both easy to reach from Stavanger; ditto for Langøy. To buy your tickets, you can use the Kolumbus Billett app (iOS and Android). A single-journey ticket costs 49 NOK for adults, while a 24-hour ticket will cost 133 NOK. The ferries depart from Fiskepirterminalen; I recommend purchsing a 24-hour ticket if you plan to visit multiple islands.

Important: 

Some islands have orange buoys that you need to raise to signal that you want the ferry to pick you up. Without this, the boat will miss your stop. We made the mistake of not doing this and had to wait for the next boat in a storm (luckily, there was a shelter). I don’t want you make the same error 😄. 

We also took the ferry to Hommersåk, a pleasant little village that can be reached via the public transport ferry.

5. Wander Around Stavanger’s Harbor

As you can imagine from a country with such a long coastline, Norwegian cities typically have scenic harbors. Oslo is one prime example, and Bergen is another. While smaller, I think that Stavanger’s harbor is a worthy rival to both of them. 

We visited in the winter, and it was nice to basically have the whole place to ourselves. However, I can imagine that the harbor would be just as scenic in the summer—and since there are so many bars and restaurants along here, it’d be rude not to sit down and enjoy the atmosphere for a bit. 

A lot of Stavanger’s main attractions are close to the harbor, so you should have no problems finding it. 

6. Explore Gamle Stavanger

While Stavanger has more modern buildings than many cities in Norway, it still has plenty of cute streets. Gamle Stavanger is close to the harbor and features 173 wooden houses. These buildings are still used as homes today, and wandering around this area is a must when in the city. 

If you thought that these homes were just built in the same place, you’d be surprised. Many of them were originally in other parts of Stavanger but moved when their owners did so. A plan was made to destroy these buildings and replace them after World War II, but thankfully, this did not materialize. 

Today, the homes in Gamle Stavanger are protected as an important heritage symbol. You can walk around the area for free, but of course, remember to be respectful as people still live here.

7. Take a Trip to the Lysefjord

Norway’s nature is too stunning to resist, and Stavanger is close to some of the country’s most beautiful landscapes. I strongly recommend taking a cruise along the Lysefjord while you’re in the city.

We took this tour when we visited Stavanger, which took us to Pulpit Rock. To be honest, I found the surrounding scenery more impressive than the rock itself—but maybe my opinion would differ if I actually hiked it instead of looking up from the water. The mountainside rock formations along the Lysefjord were some of the coolest I’ve seen anywhere in Norway. 

When we visited in the winter, we were joined by only a few others. I can imagine, however, that the boat would be much busier in the summer. Either way, I still recommend the tour.

8. Visit Sverd i Fjell

I first learned about Sverd i Fjell when it was the graphic for Duolingo’s Norwegian course, and I was curious to see it in person. The monument, which dates back to 198, commemorates the Battle of Hafrsfjord in 872. After this battle, the regions of Norway joined under a single crown. 

These swords look *really* impressive in real life, and they’re one of Stavanger’s best photo spots as well. We took a bus here, which took around 15 minutes; from the bus stop, it’s roughly 10 minutes away by foot. Like when you go island-hopping, you can purchase tickets in the Kolumbus Billett app.

The monument is free to visit year-round. While you’re here, I also suggest walking along the nearby waterfront for some scenic views. It’s a nice place for a picnic in the summer, too. 

9. Have Fun at Geoparken

Geoparken is Stavanger’s coolest recreational area and another example of the city’s edginess. The park uses various objects from the oil industry, making it very much on-brand for this city. It’s a popular place for skateboarding, but it’s just as cool if you want to have a walk around. 

The park is very close to where the ferries depart for the islands, so I recommend combining them on the same day. In addition to skateboarding, this is a popular spot for BMX riding.

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