Sentrum
First-timersAround the harbour.
Stavanger city guide
Things To Do In Stavanger
An oil city with an old town of white wooden houses, and the base for Preikestolen and the Lysefjord, the most famous cliff and fjord in Norway.
1
Hostels in the city
9.8
Average, from 12 reviews
604 m
Preikestolen above the fjord
170+
White wooden houses in the old town
4 h
Preikestolen return
The base for Pulpit Rock
Stavanger grew rich twice, first on sardines and then on North Sea oil, and it is now one of Norway's wealthiest cities. The old town, Gamle Stavanger, has more than 170 white wooden houses from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, and the harbour is lined with restaurants.
Most visitors come for what is outside it. The Lysefjord, a narrow fjord between granite walls, is an hour away, and above it stands Preikestolen, the Pulpit Rock, a flat-topped cliff 604 metres above the water. Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged in a crevasse, is further down the same fjord.
Two or three days is right: one for the city, one for Preikestolen, and one for Kjerag or a fjord cruise.
Where to stay
The centre is compact around the harbour. Stay near the harbour or the old town.
Gamle Stavanger
AtmosphereThe old town of white wooden houses.
Orange labels are neighbourhoods, dots are the 1 top-rated hostels. Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in Stavanger
Hike to Preikestolen. The trail from the car park takes about four hours return, rocky in places, and it is busy in summer; start early. Buses run from Stavanger to the trailhead in season, through the road tunnels under the fjord.
Kjeragbolten, the boulder stuck in a crevasse, is a longer and harder hike of about six hours return, and the road there is open only in summer.
A boat cruise on the Lysefjord passes under Preikestolen and past waterfalls.
In the city, walk through Gamle Stavanger and Øvre Holmegate, the street of brightly painted houses. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum explains the oil industry, and the Swords in Rock monument stands by the fjord outside town.
Free things
Free things to do in Stavanger
The old town, Øvre Holmegate and the harbour are free.
The Preikestolen hike is free; the car park and buses cost money.
The beaches at Sola, near the airport, are free.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in Stavanger
Stavanger has a strong food scene, with seafood and the Gladmat food festival in summer.
Supermarkets and bakeries are the budget answer. A restaurant main is €30 to €45.
Nightlife
Going out in Stavanger
Bars cluster around the harbour and Øvre Holmegate, busy at weekends.
A beer is €10 to €13.
Getting around
Getting around Stavanger
The centre is walkable. Buses run from Sola Airport to the centre in about thirty minutes.
Trains run to Oslo in about eight hours and to Kristiansand. Buses go to the Preikestolen trailhead in season.
For Kjerag, a car or a tour is needed.
Costs
What Stavanger costs
Stavanger is expensive, one of the priciest cities in Norway. Dorms start around €38. A careful day is €70 to €90.
The costs that add up are fjord cruises and buses to the trailheads.
The currency is the Norwegian krone, and Norway is close to cashless: cards work everywhere. Prices here are euro equivalents.
Safety
Staying safe in Stavanger
Stavanger is very safe.
Preikestolen and Kjerag are serious hikes with sheer drops and no railings. Wear proper boots, check the weather, start early, and stay back from the edge.
Emergency numbers are 112 for police, 113 for ambulance and 110 for fire.
Day trips from Stavanger
The Lysefjord and its cliffs.
Preikestolen
The Pulpit Rock above the Lysefjord.
Kjeragbolten
The boulder wedged in a crevasse.
Lysefjord cruise
Waterfalls and cliffs, under Preikestolen.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Gladmat is one of Scandinavia's biggest food festivals.
July
Gladmat
Harbour
One of Scandinavia's biggest food festivals.
June to September
Hiking season
Lysefjord
When the trails and the Kjerag road are open.
Hostels
Where to stay in Stavanger
The top-rated places to stay in Stavanger right now, live from Hostelworld.
When to go
June to September for the hikes. Kjerag's road opens only in summer.
Jan
Wet
Feb
Quiet
Mar
Spring
Apr
Trails opening
May
Good
Jun
Kjerag road opens
Jul
Gladmat
Aug
Peak
Sep
Good
Oct
Wet
Nov
Quiet
Dec
Christmas
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. It rains often.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in euros.
Prices are in kroner locally; these are euro equivalents. Excludes fjord cruises.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
Stavanger travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
How long is the Preikestolen hike?
About four hours return, rocky in places.
How do I get to Preikestolen?
By bus from Stavanger in season, about an hour to the trailhead.
Is Kjerag harder?
Yes, about six hours return, and only accessible in summer.
Is Preikestolen safe?
With care. There are no railings, so stay back from the edge.
How do I get from the airport?
By bus, about thirty minutes.
How many days do you need?
Two or three.
When is the best time to visit?
June to September.
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