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An update from Evaneos
Stavanger

Stavanger (Norway)

Practical information on Stavanger

  • Fjord
  • Viewpoint
  • Hiking / Trekking
  • Museums
  • Place or Historical Monument
4 / 5 - 3 reviews
How to get there
About 1 hour and 40 minutes flight from London
When to go
All year round
Minimum stay
1 to 2 days

Reviews of Stavanger

Aude Michelet Seasoned Traveller
32 written opinions

Stavanger is a port town in the south-west of Norway.

My suggestion:
Go early enough to avoid the tourists.
My review

I thought Stavanger was very charming. There are old areas with white painted wooden houses, lots of parks, and quays lined with houses on stilts. The petrol company buildings and the oil rigs you can see off the coast remind you that Stavanger is a big oil producing town. I tried to learn more about it at the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, which is very instructive.

But the one thing you mustn't miss in Stavanger is Preikestolen, the legendary rock that overhangs Lysefjord. After two hours walk on a rocky path I got to the rock which is more than 600 m high. It's breathtaking. Unfortunately, it's also heaving with tourists!

Fjords around Stavanger
Seasoned Traveller
27 written opinions

Stavanger is a really nice, international, coastal city with a lot to offer.

My suggestion:
Make sure you take wet-weather clothing or your holiday may be ruined. There are a lot of students in Stavanger, so remember to take a look at the city's programme of activities and festivals and plan a few outings.
My review

Stavanger is the third biggest city in Norway, but has nevertheless managed to retain the charm of a small town - the coloured wooden houses, in particular, contribute to this feeling. However, appearances can sometimes be deceptive! Stavanger is also known as the petrol capital and is the administrative headquarters of this lucrative business, in addition to being an important military site. This results in a very international atmosphere which makes things easier for tourists in the city.

There was one important word to remember when we were travelling in Norway: 'Lønningspils', which means payday beer, and that's what everybody in the room was drinking. The following day, we went to the petrol museum, which was both interesting and educational, I must say. It cost 100 NOK to get in. For the afternoon programme, we opted for the 'Preikestolen' another huge mountain plateau in the Lysefjord. It's a place to see for the beauty of the landscape, and once again, don't forget to take a packed lunch, because there's nowhere to buy food there.

Stavanger
Marielle Awad Seasoned Traveller
74 written opinions

A port in south west Norway, and the third biggest town in the country.

My suggestion:
Take walking shoes, sun cream and a back pack and go for a walk to Preikestolen or Kjeragbolten. There's no excuse not to go there now as new bus lines have been created which make it easier to get to.
My review

Stavanger is a pretty port with an old quarter of wooden houses and a cathedral. There are also two museums that are well-known in the region, one on Norwegian history and one on Natural history.


A little outside the town, on the banks of Hafrsfjord, there are three enormous swords in the rocks, which memorialise a battle in 872 and are a monument to peace and reunification.


You can do the walk to Preikestolen in a few hours. When you arrive at the top of the rock you will be 600 m above the magnificent landscape of Lysefjord. Given the number of people and their teckels who passed me and who weren't even out of breath, the Norwegians seem to consider this an easy Sunday walk... The walk to Kjeragbolten, an enormous rock wedged in a crevasse, is also worth doing but is longer and was more difficult to get to from the town a few years ago, so I didn't have the opportunity to do it.

View of the fjord from Preikestolen
Hafrsfjord