Stavanger

Stavanger sits on the northern part of the Jæren flatland just south of the wide Boknafjord. Stavanger has a mild, humid Atlantic climate. There is less rain (1180 millimeter annually) but more wind than in Bergen. All months are on average above 0°C, January and February around 0.5°C on average. Snowfall occurs, but snow rarely stays for a long time. There is rarely deep frost.

Stavanger is the fourth largest city in Norway, and third largest metropolitan area when nearby Sandnes, Randaberg and Sola are included with a total of some 240,000 people. Stavanger is Norway's most densely populated city. Until around 1950 Stavanger was a typical industrial city with ship yards and Norway's canning capital. During the 1960s Stavanger became an economic backwater and one of the poorest cities in Norway. When the large Ekofisk offshore oil field was discovered in 1969 south-west of Stavanger a new era for the city and for the country began. Ekofisk was at that time the world's largest offshore oilfield. The influx of oil workers, engineering firms and the establishment of headquarters for Norway's oil industry changed the city into Norway's richest.

Development of offshore oil production in the North Sea involved many engineering achievements in Stavanger, notably the huge condeep platforms (concrete deep water structure). These condeep platforms are the biggest objects moved by humans. The Troll A platform is almost 500 m, notably bigger than the Empire State building in New York and taller than the Eiffel tower.

Stavanger is one of Norway's oldest cities and Stavanger or nearby area was a centre of power during the Viking ages. Stavanger became a catholic diocese around 1120 (when the southern part of Western Norway split from Bergen diocese) and the cathedral was founded. The first bishop was probably Reinald, a monk from England.

• 🌍 Stavanger Cathedral (Stavanger domkirke) (south of inner harbour). Stavanger Cathedral (Romanesque style from about 1125, with later Gothic additions) is the best preserved medieval cathedral in Norway and well worth a visit. The church patron saint is Saint Svithun. The pulpit was made by Andrew Smith in the 1650s and the stained glass by Victor Sparre in 1957. 

• 🌍 Gamle Stavanger (Old Stavanger) (west of inner harbour). Gamle Stavanger is a well preserved slice of Norwegian history. Old winding streets and wooden houses are representative of accommodation from Stavangers days as the canning capital of Norway. Most houses in Old Stavanger are privately owned and well kept. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Norwegian Canning Museum (also part of MUST), Øvre Strandgate 88 (west of inner harbor in Old Stavanger), ☏ +47 51 84 27 00, post@museumstavanger.no. Summerː open daily 10:00 - 16:00. Housed in an authentic cannery that was in operation from 1916 until 1958, the Canning Museum may not seem like the most interesting place to visit, but it is a surprisingly good little museum with a lot of hands-on exhibits. Next to the museum is the Worker's cottage, an authentic 1800s house built in regency style architecture, with the first floor interior decorated c.1920 and the second floor c.1960. Tickets are valid to all open Museums the same day in MUST, which includes the Stavanger Maritime Museum and the Norwegian Canning Museum in Old Stavanger. Stavanger Museum and the Norwegian Children’s Museum, Stavanger Art Museum next to the lake Mosvatnet, and Stavanger School Museum in Hillevåg. Adult 90 kr, children 4-18/student 50 kr, pensioners 50 kr. (updated Jul 2017)
• 🌍 Stavanger Maritime Museum (part of MUST), Strandkaien 22 (west of inner harbor in south end of Old Stavanger). Summerː open daily 10:00 - 16:00. Free audio guide to take you through the entire museum, available upon request at the reception in German, English and Norwegian. Adult 100 kr, children 4-18/student free, pensioners 70 kr. (updated Jul 2017)

• Norwegian Oil Museum (Norsk Olje Museum), Kjeringholmen in central Stavanger waterfront (east of inner harborː Follow Skagenkaien and the Blue Promenade along Vågen to Børevigå.). Jun-Augː daily 10:00-19:00; Sep-Mayː M-Sa 10:00-16:00, Su 10:00-18:00. The Norwegian Oil Museum is a very interesting building with fascinating information on Norway's oil industry, which got its start on Christmas eve 1969. Displays of submersibles, drilling equipment, a mock oil platform, and audio-visual presentations make for a good few hours. The museum caters to all ages. Adults 120 kr, children 60 kr, families (two adults and three children) 300 kr, students 60 kr; pensioners 60 kr. (updated Jul 2017)
• Museum of Archeaology (Arkeologisk Museum, University of Stavanger), Peder Klowsgate 30 A (from the train station, continue up Muségata and turn right at Stavanger museum onto Peder Klowsgate; you will then see the flag of The Museum of Archaeology on your left). 1 Jun - 1 Sep: M-F 10:00-17:00, Sa Su 10:00-16:00. Collection of archaeological and natural history objects from the county of Rogaland. Gives an introduction to Rogaland’s prehistory from the Stone, Bronze and Viking Ages, and up to the end of the Middle Ages. Café and museum shop. Adults 50 kr, children under 16 and students/seniors 20 kr. (updated Jul 2017)
• Stavanger Kunstmuseum (art museum, part of MUST) is on Mosvatnet Lake, only 2 km from the city center. The museum has a permanent exhibition of Norwegian art, and a rotating exhibition that is sometimes quite spectacular. Be sure to see the Lars Hertervig paintings; you'll see the landscape of the islands just north of Stavanger reflected in his work.

• 🌍 Three Swords (Sverd i fjell, literally Sword in Mountain) A monument outside the centre of Stavanger, beside the Hafrsfjord. The swords themselves are massive and in the background is the fjord. The monument commemorates the battle of Hafrsfjord in the late 800s where Harald Hårfagre beat his eastern opposition and became the first King of Norway.

• Fargegaten (the coloured street), Øvre Holmegate (east of inner harbourː walk straight out from the back of the cinema/library for a couple of minutes). Street with vibrantly coloured houses, having some of Stavanger's best cafes and shops. 
• 🌍 Tou Scene (Tou scene). Old beer factory renovated as a cultural centre. They hold art exhibitions, concerts and any other culture event. Check their website for upcoming events. 

• Sculptures - In 2000 the mobile installation Another Place by British sculptor Anthony Gormley was placed on and off Sola beach. A few years later a new and permanent installation Broken Column, by the same artist, was placed at various locations surrounding the centre of Stavanger.
• Stavanger Botanic Garden, a botanic garden and parkland.

The seasons control what to do in Stavanger. Stavanger has a maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. Summers features periods of warm and nice weather, although they sometimes can be rainy. Winters usually mean more rain than snow in Stavanger, although going into the mountains will ensure snow.

• Hiking and climbing around Stavanger is the best way to see the fantastic landscape. Many of the trails have been marked out by the Turistforetning with rocks bearing a red "T". Turistforening hyttes (cabins) provide simple accommodation in the mountains. Also mountain bikes can be hired and taken on the trails.

1. 🌍 Bus to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock). The Preikestolen Plateau (the Pulpit Rock) is one of the most famous attractions in Norway 
2. 🌍 Bus to Kjerag. Wedged in a mountain crevice sits the Kjerag Boulder, suspended nearly 1,000m above sea level 

• 🌍 Hiking trail from Rosenli Beach to Godalen Beach. The east coastline in Stavanger is a large recreation area. It's an 2.8-km-long trail that is considered perhaps the finest in Stavanger – it passes bays and promontories, sheltered coves with sandy beaches, rock slopes and popular bathing areas. 
• 🌍 Swim at Godalen Beach. Popular bathing area including a beach, barbecue facilities and play area for children. Kiosk open on warm days. It is part of the hiking area near Gandsfjorden. About 40 min walk from the centre, 20 min from Stavanger Øst. 
• 🌍 Swim at Rosenli Beach. Less crowded beach, also with BBQ facilities. 
• 🌍 Swim at Lervig's Park. (The area is under development as of 2022). 

• Island hopping (Byøyene). You can take a ferry from Fiskepiren to some of the islands around Stavanger. There are marked hiking trails in some of them, and it's popular among locals for swimming and BBQ. Some of the nicest islands are Lindøy, Langøy or Kalvøy.
• Sola Beach is a long sandy beach by the airport. It is very popular in the summer and allows for some small waves for surfing. Along the beach, in the dunes, are the remains of defences from the 1940-45 occupation. Other less populated beaches are all along the coastline although they are sometimes hard to find.
• Surf - The beaches around Stavanger have some of the best surfing conditions in Norway. Relatively warm water and small wave sizes are good reasons to try it for the first time. Especially good beaches are Sola, Hellestø, Bore and Brusand. Check out the surf school.
• Kayak - It's possible to kayak all around the east side as well as the area where the three swords are. Rogaland Aktiv organizes some trips.
• Ice skating on Stokkavannet - In the depths of winter the government tests the ice on its lakes. Once the official word is given many Norwegians will head for the largest lake, Stokkavannet. The lake itself is located near to Madla about 20 minutes walk/5 minutes bus ride outside of Stavanger. Should the ice not be safe, and you have a compulsion to skate, another option is to visit the Siddishallen, an indoor ice-rink.
• Football: Viking FK play soccer in Eliteserien, Norway's top tier. Viking Stadion (aka SR-Bank Arena, capacity 15,900) is 6 km south of city centre next to Jåttåvågen railway station; it was built in 2004 and has hosted junior internationals. The football season is April-Nov.

Pewter serving utensils at several shops in town that will also sell other tourist things. They are pretty to look at, coming in several different designs, and practical to use. The cheese slicer (ostehovel) is most traditional, and the fish server (fiskespade) is something rarely seen outside of Norway.

There is a "Bunnpris" grocery store, in Nedre Holmegate 11, nearby the Petroleum Museum and Fargegaten ("The coloured street"). It is also open on Sundays.

Stavanger is considered a great place for foodies, with a range of good restaurants and an annual food fair that fills up the harbour area for a week-end each summer. Eating out is generally not cheap, like everywhere in Norway. If you're on a budget you should go for the smaller ethnic restaurants (Chinese, Thai). Several excellent places exist for the traveller on an expense account - or if you want to spoil yourself or a loved one: Try Tango, NB Sørensens (upstairs restaurant) or Renaa.

• 🌍 Sabi Sushi, Pedersgata 38, ☏ +47 90 40 60 70. M-Sa 11:00-22:00, Su 13:00-22:00. Probably the best sushi in Stavanger. Take-away and restaurant. 
• Straen Fiskerestaurant, Nedre Strandgate 13, ☏ +47 51 84 37 00. 18:00-01:30. Considered one of the best seafood restaurants in Norway. However, they only have seafood, you will not be served meat or poultry. 
• No 28 Pizza Pub, Øvre Holmegate 12, ☏ +47 51532828, stavanger@no28.no. It seats 200 people and has an additional bar. They make everything themselves, even the dough is made in house. They also serve babyback ribs. 200 kr. (updated Jul 2015)
• 🌍 Casa Gio, Pedersgata 48, ☏ +47 924 38 227. Very good quality and cosy Italian restaurant. 
• 🌍 Bellies, Støperigata 6, ☏ +47 51 32 88 95. Seasonal food, checkout the video in their website. 
• 🌍 Fortou, Kvitsøygata 25, ☏ +47 923 28 862. Take-away "asian fusion" food. You can take the food, sit at Øst and order a hand-brewed beer 100-150 kr. 
• 🌍 Tako by Fortou, Ryfylkegata 22, ☏ +47 476 12 616. High-quality tacos and other Mexican food by the same guys of Fortou 200-300 kr. 
• 🌍 The Garden (EastSide), Ryfylkegata 11, ☏ +47 951 10 011. Indoor and outdoor with food, drinks, music and other events. Checkout their website for the upcoming events. 
• 🌍 Kanelsnurren Øst, Ryfylkegata 22, ☏ +47 413 78 032. Good place to have a coffee/tea and fresh bread, pastry or sandwiches. 
• 🌍 Garcia, Ryfylkegata 33, ☏ +47 479 32 000. Food and beer from Spain, Italy and France. 
• 🌍 Ostehuset Øst, Ryfylkegata 30, ☏ +47 518 64 010. Spacy and cosy place with good quality food, drinks, coffee, bread and cheese. 
• 🌍 Jakob's Brød og Kafé, Kvitsøygata 30, ☏ +47 458 70 007. Excellent bakery and cafe in a cosy place. 

Stavanger has a varied and exciting nightlife, concentrated around Vågen (the bay) or a stones throw away. Even weekday nightlife is more vibrant in Stavanger than in most towns in Norway. The eastern rim of the bay gets the afternoon sun, and is the prime setting for an outdoor beer -weather allowing.

• Folken (Student house), Løkkeveien 24, ☏ +47 51654444. 11:00 - 01:30. Folken is by far the cheaper place to drink if you bring your Student Card. The music varies in both genre and loudness. Enjoy the summer in Folkens backyard! low. 
• Bøker og Børst (Books and Booze) (Café), Øvre Holmegate 32, ☏ +47 51 86 04 76. 10:00 - 02:00. Definitely the most charming little café in all of Stavanger. Really nice atmosphere and interiors. The eccentrics' favorite. 
• On the western side you will find Checkpoint Charlie, a legendary hangout for rockers and students. It is also home to CCAP, a record label that hold Thomas Dybdahl and Popface in their expanding stable. Though its clientele has gradually gotten younger over the years (now around 18-22), it retains much of its old feel. 2 beers for the price of 1 on Thursdays (Lars Hertervigsgt. 5 4005 Stavanger, ☏ +47 51532245 ).
• Another bar well worth the visit is Cementen. Situated on the third floor of a concrete building alongside the bay, it has a great view of inner city Stavanger. It is easy to find, just look for the cement mixer hanging from the outside wall 7 m above its entrance. Dance floor. (Nedre Strandgt.25, 4005 Stavanger)
• For the see and be seen crowd, Taket is the place to go (Nedre Strandgt. 15, 4005 Stavanger ☏ +41 51 84 37 01).
• With Hall Toll the Stavanger night scene has finally gotten a taste of cosmopolitan jet set, complete with drunken bimbos, obnoxious bouncers with headsets and a separate VIP line at the entrance.
• Clubbers are advised to seek out Sting, next to Valbergstårnet. It is a bit cramped, but they keep great DJs and the atmosphere is inviting. The first floor is cafe style, and basement is a night-club. The rooms to the right when you enter the cafè is traditionally for gay people. If you get tired from dancing there is a lounge area, Indian style, with lots of pillows to lie down on. (Valberget 3, 4006 Stavanger, ☏ +41 51 89 32 84, c-sting@online.no )
• Munken (The Munk) is a traditional bar that serves beer, wine and spirits. Crowd varies a great deal in age (22-72), often many English speakers. Usually not very loud music. Free entrance. Prostebakken -in the Alley by the Dressmann haberdashery.
• Nåløyet Bar, Nedre Strandgate 13, ☏ +47 51 84 37 00. Nåløyet is the closest thing to an everyday pub. The bar is open all days, and get packed on Fridays and Saturdays. 
• Bar Bache, Øvre Holmegate 5. Perhaps the cheapest Happy Hour in town! Tiny English style pub. 
• Cardinal, Skagen 21, ☏ +47 98204200, post@cardinal.no. Su-Th 15:00-01:30, F Sa 12:00-01:30. One of the best beer pubs in Norway, with a selection of about 500 beers in bottles, and 25 beers on tap. On the second floor cocktails are also available. (updated Mar 2016)

• 🌍 Øst, Kvitsøygata 25, ☏ +47 934 31 691. Hand-brewed beer. They have about 10 different types of excellent beer written in a blackboard which they change every few days. You can order half glass if you want taste different types. A little pricey but really worth it! 

• 🌍 Gimlet, Ryfylkegata 33, ☏ +47 913 21 082. Cocktail bar, specialized in nordic liquors and gins. 

• 🌍 T-Time Vinbar, Kvitsøygata 25. Wines and vinyls. 

Stavanger is generally considered a very safe city. The local police force are efficient, usually speak good English and have a strong presence in the downtown area at weekends. Call 112 in an emergency.

During weekends, the small downtown area tends to fill up with intoxicated people. Be careful when wandering around this area late at night, as a some people may have had a few too many to drink.

Night buses run after midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, but have higher fares than during the day.

• Laundry - Renseriet Løkkeveien 73 (near Radisson Blu Royal) 51 52 30 05; Kongsgata 40 (near Thon Maritim and Lake Breiavatnet) 51 89 56 53.

• Preikestolen (The Pulpit Rock) is a massive 600 m vertical cliff that sits on the edge of the Lysefjord. Its top is a natural lookout of several hundred square metres, almost perfectly flat, and the rock is the region's main tourist attraction, and one of the nation's landmarks.

To get to the top, follow the marked path for 2 - 2.5 hours from the Preikestolhytta, where food and accommodation is available, 1.5 - 2 hours for the return walk. Buses meet many of the Stavanger to Tau ferries during the summer, through ferry+coach tickets available from Tide Reiser (can be bought onboard the ferry), or buy your own ferry ticket and then for the local Boreal bus to the lodge. Costs around 250 kr. Total travelling time one way (less the climb) from Stavanger harbour is 1 hour 10 minutes. If you opt to go by your own car, there is a 100 kr parking fee.

• The Kjerag is almost double the altitude of Preikestolen but the access is more difficult. It is further into the Lysefjord. There you can find the Kjeragboltn. There is a bus that can take you there runs from Stavanger and Sandnes by Tide Reiser . It operates from mid June to the beginning of September. It is not possible to see both Kjerag and Preikestolen in one day.

• The Lysefjord runs 45 km deep underneath both these plateaus. Several options for cruising this fjord, among others Tide

If the climb sounds too rough, you can take a fjordcruise, leaving the harbour most days at noon and returning 3.5 hours later, 450 kr. If you want to both cruise and hike, there's also a 10:00 summer cruise + hike option which first cruises through Lysefjord then a bus takes you to hike Pulpit rock, 850 kr.

• Go south, to rural areas in Jæren. Take a fast-boat to some of the islands like Usken. Go to the family theme park Kongeparken close to Ålgård.