Stavanger, Norway is one of Northern Europe’s most beautiful and underrated cities. It’s the fourth largest city in the country behind Oslo, Bergen and Trondheim. The stunning fjords of Southwest Norway also surround Stavanger. If you’re wondering what to do in Stavanger, Norway, you will not be disappointed by the sightseeing and activities for all to enjoy.

Stavanger has Viking heritage, but the earliest evidence of inhabitants traces back to 3000 B.C. It was established as a city in 1125 A.D. and has the most extensive collection of wooden houses, which could be found in its beautiful Old Town. Stavanger is also the oil capital of Norway and you could learn more about it during your visit.

I visited Stavanger, Norway for two days during the summer of 2023 with Caitlin of My Darling Passport. In this travel guide, discover a list of what to do in Stavanger during your first visit.

**Please note that this blog post uses affiliate links meaning that if you make a purchase via my affiliate link, I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I only promote and talk about products and services that I have used and like. During my time in Stavanger, Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel Stavanger hosted me for two nights.

Pin the Below Image to Keep Handy

Traveling to Stavanger, Norway:

You must include Stavanger in your Norway itinerary. What’s great about traveling to Stavanger is that it’s easily accessible from every major city in Norway via flight or public transportation like trains, ferries and buses.

The best place to fly into when you visit Stavanger is Stavanger Airport. If you’re traveling from other cities worldwide, you’ll most likely have to stop in Oslo before making your way to Stavanger. You can find affordable flights through Skyscanner.

Caitlin and I were in Bergen before spending 2 days in Stavanger. We took the bus from Bergen busstasjon to Stavanger bussterminal (Main Bus Terminal), conveniently located steps from our hotel. You can purchase bus tickets through Omio.

During the bus journey, you will be on two ferries. Depending on which ferry you’re on, you may have to get off the bus. (The driver will lock it, so your belongings will be safe.) On the ferry, you can enjoy breathtaking views, use the restrooms and purchase a snack. (I recommend trying the vanilla soft serve ice cream topped with cocoa powder; you’ll thank me later!)

You do not need to rent a car to do all the best things around the Stavanger area. If you plan to road trip through Norway and want to see beyond the major cities and landmarks that public transportation goes to, you will need a rental car. (You don’t need an international driver’s license to rent a car in Norway.)

Stavanger is situated in Rogaland County and there is a bus system operated by Kolumbus that goes to different areas of the city, residential neighborhoods, shopping centers and popular sightseeing spots.

As of July 1, 2023, public transportation services are free in Stavanger, Norway. If you’re in the city center, you could easily get around by walking.

Where to Stay When You Visit Stavanger, Norway:

The best hotel in the heart of Stavanger, Norway is the Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel. It’s a modern luxury hotel that is a short walk from Stavanger Central Station, the Old Town of Stavanger and many incredible restaurants and museums in the city.

The hotel is also situated across from Byparken, where you can find Norway’s oldest Gothic cathedral – Stavanger Domkirke and the Breiavatnet, a small lake. Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel Stavanger features custom-made furniture throughout the building, providing guests with a comforting stay. Many hotel rooms at Radisson Blu Stavanger also have beautiful views of the nearby fjord and mountains.

One of the main reasons why the Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel is a great place to stay in Stavanger is because it boasts 365 rooms for business and leisure travelers. Each room is spacious, cozy and offers luxury and modern amenities with free WiFi, in-room coffee and tea, as well as a large ensuite bathroom.

During my stay at Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel Stavanger, I stayed in the Superior Room – Lake View. It offers breathtaking views of Byparken, the mountains, Old Town Stavanger and the fjord. One of my favorite things about staying at Radisson Blu Hotels is that their beds are always comfortable.

In addition to the room I stayed in, you could also choose from the Individual Room, Standard Room, Premium Room – Panoramic City View, Junior Suite, standard Suite, Panorama Suite, Atlantic Suite and Family Room.

The best part of staying at Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel Stavanger is its sauna that offers scenic views of the city and nearby mountains and fjords. If you’re wondering what to do in Stavanger on a rainy or cold day, spending time in the sauna is a great way to relax and unwind. There is also a fitness center next to it.

Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel Stavanger also has a large meeting and event space, an onsite restaurant and a convenient bus stop in front of the hotel for Pulpit Rock Tours.

Located at Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel Stavanger is Firelake Grill House & Cocktail Bar, which features North American cuisine with a Nordic influence. Every morning, this spot held an incredible buffet and a la carte breakfast where you could savor smoked salmon, freshly baked goods, avocado toast and more. Alexander Pub is also located at the hotel for a laid-back vibe.

What to do in Stavanger City Centre: Best Things to do in Stavanger in 2 Days

There are many memorable things to do in Stavanger, Norway. From doing a guided tour of Old Stavanger to taking a fjord cruise, below is what to do in Stavanger during your Norway trip.

Stroll through Gamle Stavanger: The Most Beautiful Area of Stavanger, Norway:

Gamle Stavanger, or the Old Town of Stavanger, is one of the most picturesque parts of this beautiful city. One of the best ways to learn about Gamle Stavanger is to do a walking tour!

Strolling through Old Stavanger was one of my favorite experiences in this Norwegian city. Gamle Stavanger is filled with white wooden houses that are picturesque. If you want to get photos in this area, you must wake up and get there early. Since Stavanger is a cruise ship port, its streets fill up quickly.

Due to its 8,000 timber structures, Stavanger is recognized as one of Europe’s largest wooden cities. Most of these beautiful white wooden buildings were built between the 18^th and 19^th Centuries. You’ll be amazed by how beautiful this area is and wandering through it is one of the top free things to do in Stavanger.

As you stroll through these charming cobbled streets, you can admire beautiful gardens, shop from locals, stop in quaint cafés for a cinnamon bun and visit iconic museums from the Norwegian Canning Museum to must-see attractions like the Viking House.

Another lovely part of Stavanger is Øvre Holmegate. It’s the most colorful street in Stavanger, where you’ll find colorful wooden houses, high-end stores, souvenir shops, art galleries, authentic restaurants, quaint cafés and cocktail bars.

Visit the Best Restaurants in Stavanger:

If you’re a foodie and wondering what to do in Stavanger, you must visit the restaurants below.

The city of Stavanger also holds the Gladmat, which means “Happy Food.” It’s a food and culture festival held at the cruise port from late June through early July every year. You could find everything from Chinese dumplings to Greek street food to homemade waffle stands. At Gladmat, you could also enjoy live music and dances.

Fisketorget: A trip to Norway is incomplete without savoring the best seafood! Fisketorget is in the Stavanger cruise port and offers tasty lunches and dinners. From the catch of the day to the steamed mussels, you won’t be disappointed.

I had a local beer with fish soup during our time at this wonderful seafood restaurant. Unfortunately, it was cold and rainy during our 2 days in Stavanger, so having a comforting soup helped keep me warm.

Sabi Omakase & Sabi Enso: If you’re a sushi lover, you must make reservations to eat at either Sabi Omakase (in Stavanger City Centre) or Sabi Enso (diagonal from Radisson Blu).

These Japanese restaurants are Stavanger highlights and feature incredible sushi rolls and dishes from Michelin Star Chef Roger Asakil Joya, who is one of the few sushi chefs in Norway accredited by the All Japan Sushi Association.

In addition to experiencing Sabi restaurants’ omakase, you could also enjoy incredible bento boxes, izakaya and craft cocktails. While at Sabi Enso, I got miso soup with a bento box and everything was great!

Bistro Matbaren by Renaa: This award-winning seasonal restaurant is one of Stavanger’s best places to enjoy a locally-sourced menu. Situated steps from the cruise port, you can savor incredible meats, fish, small plates and crafted cocktails at Matbaren.

Casa Gio: A great Italian restaurant in Stavanger City Centre is Casa Gio. Each dish features high-quality products imported from Italy. This restaurant also has a renowned wine list.

Have a Fun Evening at Stavanger Ship Port:

One of the best things to do in Stavanger is to enjoy a fun night out at one of the bars or pubs at the Stavanger cruise port. Located along the water, you’ll find colorful buildings with live music, DJs and a fun time.

Norwegians know how to make an evening memorable; no matter where you spend the night in Stavanger, you will have a blast!

If you prefer sitting at a swanky cocktail bar over being in a rowdy and crowded pub, look no further than Pjolter & Punsj. It’s a quaint cocktail bar and the perfect place for catching up with friends or a romantic date night.

I enjoyed the Nordic Daiquiri, including Lysholm 52, cloudberries, Sea Buckthorn, lime and coffee foam. Caitlin had the Asian Invasion, which featured Lysholm 52, Luxardo Apertivo, yuzu, lemon and ginger.  

Other cool places to enjoy a beer, wine or cocktail with a laid-back vibe are Bøker og børst, Broremann Bar, Hanekam and Cardinal Pub.

Conquer Pulpit Rock: One of Stavanger’s Best Hikes

It’s no secret that one of the best Stavanger Hikes is Preikestolen, otherwise known as Pulpit Rock. If you’re an outdoors lover and wondering what to do in Stavanger to fulfill your adventure needs, you must do Norway’s most famous hike!

Unfortunately, the weather wasn’t in our favor during our time in Stavanger, so we didn’t get to do the Pulpit Rock hike. It gives me a reason to revisit Norway in the future.

Overall, hiking Pulpit Rock offers a fun adventure and one of the best day trips with beautiful views of the Norwegian fjords. It’s a moderate, 5-mile, out-and-back trail that is highly trafficked. The months to do this hike are from April through October.

You could either hike Pulpit Rock on your own and enjoy the natural scenery or go with a local guide. It could also be seen from a fjord cruise!

Its size and shape make Pulpit Rock a popular spot to hike and admire in Norway. It’s a large and unique natural formation with a flat, rectangular plateau. People have said that the rock resembles a preacher’s pulpit, hence the name.

You could get fantastic photos at Pulpit Rock, one of them being where you could sit at the edge and have your feet dangle over if you are fearless. Please be mindful and cautious when you’re at the top of Pulpit Rock, though. You summit the rock formation at your own risk!

Cruise through the Stavanger Fjord: The Beauty of Southern Norway

If you’re not a hiker and wonder what to do to see the beauty of the Stavanger region, it’s best to book a fjord cruise! It’s one of the best things to do in Stavanger during your first visit.

Overall, the Norwegian fjords are an incredible part of Norway and one of the most popular places to visit. Located in the western part of the county, these fjords are some of the most postcard-worthy in the world! Norway has over a thousand fjords and features rivers, glaciers, towering mountains and incredible wildlife.

The beautiful Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock are two Stavanger must-see spots. On a Norled fjord cruise, you could relax, take in all the beautiful sights, learn about the surrounding nature and enjoy hot and cold snacks and refreshments. It’s a great experience for all to enjoy!

Sip Norwegian Craft Beer at Lervig Brewery:

If you’re a craft beer lover, you must enjoy what Lervig offers! With a brewery and restaurant in Stavanger, you could do a guided tour, learn about the brewing process and enjoy a tasting by getting a flight of the different beers.

Lervig is an independently owned Stavanger brewery that produces various beers, from pilsners and ales to stouts and sours. The brewers’ inspiration behind Lervig is other beers made around the world. Overall, Lervig is constantly creating new beers exported all over Norway and to over 30 countries.

Whether you visit Lervig Brewery or Lervig Local, you are in for a treat! At Lervig Local, you could savor a typical American-style lunch, from wings to burgers. Lervig also has a bar in Bergen called Lucky, where you could enjoy their beers.

Tour a Stavanger Museum:

If you’re trying to find what to do indoors in Stavanger, you must visit one of the many fantastic museums! Below are the top four museums in this Southern Norwegian city.

Norwegian Petroleum Museum (Norsk Oljemuseum): Stavanger plays a significant role in Norway’s oil history. After many failed drilling attempts in the North Sea, Norway finally became successful in 1969.

Located near Geoparken, the Norwegian Petroleum Museum is a good place to learn about Norway’s oil industry and dive into everything that goes into deep-sea oil exploration. The museum is excellent for all ages with its interactive exhibits; you can learn how oil and gas are formed, see the tools used, learn about climate change and the industry’s challenges, and discover how the oil rigs function.

The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is open daily from 10 am to 7 pm from June through August. It’s also open 10 am to 4 pm on Mondays through Saturdays and 10 am to 6 pm on Sundays from September through May.

It costs 150 NOK for adults ages 17 and older, 100 NOK for seniors 65 years and older, 75 NOK for students and children ages 4 to 16 and it’s free for young children under four years old.  

Stavanger Maritime Museum: If you’re pondering what to do in Stavanger from a cruise ship, you must visit the Maritime Museum. This remarkable place takes you into maritime history, where you can see numerous collections of vessels and learn about the development of ships.

The Stavanger Maritime Museum is open daily from 10 am to 4 pm. It costs 140 NOK for adults over 18 years old and it’s free for children and teens under that age.

Norwegian Canning Museum: Situated in the heart of Gamle Stavanger, the Canning Museum takes travelers visiting Stavanger into Norway’s canning industry and history. It’s one of the main attractions in the city.

At the Norwegian Canning Museum, you can witness the process of canning fresh local fish and get a glimpse of one of the factories and working conditions.

The Canning Museum is also open every day from 10 am to 4 pm. It costs 140 NOK for adults over 18 years old and it’s free for students and children.

Viking House: If you love virtual reality and are fascinated by all things Viking, you must visit the Viking House in the heart of the city. You could go back to the Viking Age, board a wooden vessel and experience a traditional battle at this unique museum through VR technology.

Visiting the Viking House is recommended for anyone seven years of age and older. It costs 175 NOK per person and the entire experience takes around 30 minutes. Opening hours vary daily.

Experience a Relaxing Summer Day at Sola Beach:

If you’re visiting Stavanger during one of its sunny days in the summer, you must enjoy a relaxing and fun-filled day at Solastranden or Sola Beach. It’s a beautiful place for sunbathing and water sports. You could also see World War II historic buildings from this beach.

At Sola Beach, you could enjoy soft golden sand with beautiful dunes, ride the waves and go kiting. It’s a great place to visit outside the city and it’s not far from the airport.  

See the Sverd i Fjell Monument:

An extraordinary monument to see in Stavanger is Sverd I Fjell. It’s located in the Malda area, outside Stavanger City Centre on a peaceful small mountain off the shores that overlooks Hafrsfjord.

Sverd i Fjell are three swords that commemorate the Battle of Hafrsfjord. Each sword symbolizes peace, unity and freedom. What’s cool about these bronze Viking swords is that they are 33 feet high and look like they have been stabbed into the rock by a giant.

The Battle of Hafrsfjord occurred in 872 A.D. when King Harald Fairhair brought all of Norway together under one crown. This all happened during the Viking Age.

Explore Stavanger’s Street Art:

One of the best things to do in Stavanger, Norway is to explore the city’s street art. Stavanger has been the center of Norwegian street art for many years and has attracted artists worldwide.

From doing a guided tour to attending the Nuart Festival, an urban culture and street art festival, there are a lot of talented works to admire throughout Stavanger.

The city’s street art ranges from comics to post-graffiti and murals to stencil art. You can find most of Stavanger’s street art in Gamle Stavanger, the colorful Øvre Holmegate, in the industrial Geoparken and throughout the city center.

Love Stavanger? You’ll also enjoy these destinations:

Stord, Norway

Piedmont, Italy

Hakone, Japan

I hope you all enjoyed discovering what to do in Stavanger, Norway, in 2 days. If you have any questions, please email me at info@browneyedflowerchild.com.

Basic Facts of Norway:

Currency: Norwegian Krone, Capital: Oslo, Time Zone: Central European Standard Time

*Anything could happen during your travels. Always make sure you are insured in case there are unforeseen circumstances such as lost luggage/theft, natural disasters, personal liabilities and more. Click here to get insured for your next trip.

In addition, a great and secure luggage storage to utilize during your summer Europe trip is Nannybag! It is easy to use; all you do is download the Nannybag app, type in the city that you will be visiting and when you plan to arrive and depart. At a small cost per luggage, Nannybag will list the stores, restaurants or hotels where you could drop your bag off at the city you are visiting.

Nannybag is also insured against theft, loss and breakage. It’s a convenient way to store your bags when you are traveling from one city to the next in Europe.

Shop my Stavanger Look:

Click here to shop my Poshmark closet!