Stavanger City Centre & Gamle Stavanger – Self-Guided Walking Tour
Explore Stavanger, Norway’s fourth-largest city, oil capital and historic Viking town, on this self-guided walking tour.
The Hidden North
North European travel guide
Population 144,699 / 58.5 degrees north
Stavanger, Norway
Stavanger is Norway’s fourth largest city and has a population of around 150,000 people. It is Norway’s oil capital thanks to the close proximity to the oil rigs. Long before oil came to Stavanger, herring was the reason for the city’s growth. When the fishing failed, the city moved to canning and shipbuilding, but now oil is the biggest money maker – Stavanger builds rigs for Norway’s offshore oilfields and refines it as well.
Still – don’t let this make you skip Stavanger. Stavanger is also one of Norway’s oldest cities and was a centre of power during the Viking Age. The cathedral is the oldest cathedral in Norway, and Gamle Stavanger is one of the best-preserved wooden house neighbourhoods left.
About Stavanger
Latitude: 58.5 degrees north
Population: 144,699
Hottest month: August
Coldest month: February
Wettest month: October
Windiest month: January
Annual precipitation: 855.2mm
Stavanger Municipality
In this Travel Guide...
Map of Stavanger
Uniquely Stavanger
Here are some things that you must do and try in Stavanger
History
Wooden Houses
Stavanger is home to a large number of 18th and 19th century wooden houses that are today considered part of the city’s cultural heritage. They can be found in the Gamle Stavanger neighbourhood.
Monument
Sverd i Fjell
Sverd i Fjell is a unique monument commemorating one of the most important Viking battles.
Things to See & Do
Here’s an overview of some of the best things to see and do in Stavanger
Museum
Oil Museum
This museum is all about the discovery of oil in the North Sea and how it changed Norway.
I visited this museum and was surprised by how interesting it is!
Historic Site
Stavanger Cathedral
Stavanger Cathedral is a medieval stone church and the most interesting historic building in the city.
Note that the cathedral is currently undergoing a major restoration that will end in 2025.
Museum
Canning Museum
Located in an old sardine factory, this museum tells the story of the industry that saved Stavanger from economic collapse at the end of the 19th century. Canning remained Stavanger’s main source of employment until as late as 1960; in the 1920s there were 70 canneries in the city, and the last one closed down in 1983.
Historic Site
Jernaldergarden
Experience life on an Iron Age farm from around 350 AD with this open-air museum. There are staff in costume imitating life on the farm, and you can watch displays of farming, food preparation, and more. The site is based on archaeological excavations that unveiled a farm in this area.
Museum
Archaeology Museum
This museum traces 11,000 years of human history, including the Viking Age. Exhibits include skeletons, tools, a rune stone and description of the symbiosis between the prehistoric humans and their environment.
Hikes, Day Trips & Experiences
Looking to go for a hike or take part in a unique experience? Here are our recommendations!
Please note – the links provided are affiliate links. I only recommend experiences that I have researched and/or tested and focus on providing unique, local things to do!
Hiking
Kjerag
Kjerag is a famous rock lodged in the mountains and is a popular place to go hiking. You can go independently or join a guided tour.
Fjords
Lysefjord
Lysefjord is one of the most scenic fjords in Norway and is located just out of Stavanger.
Join a RIB (Zodiac) boat tour to Lysefjord!
Click here to see the guided tour.
Or you can take a fjord cruise (for something a little slower paced).
Hikes
Pulpit Rock
Pulpit Rock is one of the most famous hikes in Norway. It is a day-trip from Stavanger that you can do independently or join an experienced guide on a tour.
Road-Trips
Follow my road-trip guides for scenic trips around Stavanger
The E39 from Kristiansand to Bergen
The E39 from Kristiansand covers the south-western coast of Norway, passing the southernmost tip and then continuing along some important coastal cities.
The Fv44 from Stavanger to Flekkefjord
Follow this scenic drive that includes the Jæren Tourist Road.
Ryfylke Tourist Road
Ryfylke is a traditional district and part of the Rogaland County in south-west Norway. The name comes from the Old Norse word meaning ‘person who eats rye’ and refers to the Rugiere, a Germanic tribe that emigrated from southwestern Norway to Pomerania around 100AD. The landscape in Ryfylke is characterised by high mountains though the outer islands are much flatter. Narrow fjords cut into the mountain areas throughout the entire area. The oldest settlement in the county took place in the mountains at least 7,000 years ago. The region today is protected and a tourist road because of the industrial growth that emerged here in the 19th century, especially with regards to mining and power production. The drive is short but is a scenic alternative to the Rv13.
Stavanger to Sogndal on the Rv13
The road from Stavanger to Sogndal is one of the regional highways of Western Norway, but it could easily be classified as a national tourist road. Passing fjords, crossing mountains, and providing stops by waterfalls, glaciers and historic farms, the Rv13 is an incredibly stunning drive. You have the opportunity to cross historic roads or cut through modern tunnels. The Vikafjellet mountain crossing is one of the most impressive in the country. There are a number of stave churches along the way, too
Self-Guided Walks
Stavanger City Centre
Here’s our self-guided walk for the city centre of Stavanger.
Stavanger on YouTube
Watch my YouTube videos featuring Stavanger
Uniquely Stavanger
Here are some things that you must do and try in Stavanger
History of Stavanger
Stavanger was founded around the year 1125, the year Stavanger Cathedral was completed. Stavanger was likely an important religious centre, but this declined after the Reformation.
We have a whole page dedicate to the history of Stavanger, which you can find below.
Stavanger Today
Stavanger is the Oil Capital of Norway, with Norway’s state-run company Equinor having its headquarters here.
There are multiple educational institutions in Stavanger, including the University of Stavanger.
Military installations are located in Stavanger, including the NATO Joint Warfare Centre.
Travel Information
Getting Here
Fly: Stavanger has an international airport with regular flights to the major Norwegian cities as well as Copenhagen, Amsterdam, and other European destinations.
Drive: Stavanger is located on the E39, which is the highway running along Norway’s west coast.
Train: Stavanger has a train station with trains running to Oslo via Kristiansand.
Ferry: The Fjordline ferry links Stavanger with Bergen and Hirtshals in Denmark.
Getting Around
Stavangers inner city centre is very walkable.
The name of the local bus company is Kolumbus.
Shops
Places to Eat
Cafes & Bakeries
Quick Bites
Reasonable Restaurants
High End & Unique Eats
Places to Stay
All my hotel recommendations are based on research and experience. I don’t recommend somewhere unless I think it is wonderful! The Hidden North focuses on accommodation that provides good quality for price or offer local or unique experiences.
Camping & Hostels
Central Economic Stavanger is the top-rated hostel in town.
Cabins & B&Bs
RoaldsPiren Stavanger offers accommodation with a private pool, a patio and sea views. This property offers access to a terrace and free private parking. The BnB is a little out of town, but well worth it!
Click here to view rates & book
Villa Eckhoff is in a historic wooden building.
Chains & Mid-Range
Thon Hotel Maritim: Click here to view rates & book
Radisson Blu (one of the best rated hotels in Stavanger): Click here to view rates & book
High End & Unique Properties
Hotel Victoria is in a historic building from around the year 1900. Click here to view rates & book
Sunrise/Sunset & Weather Averages
January
Sunrise: 9:17am
Sunset: 4:15pm
Average Temperature: 2.6C (37F)
February
Sunrise: 8:12am
Sunset: 5:30pm
Average Temperature: 2.1C (36F)
March
Sunrise: 6:54am
Sunset: 6:38pm
Average Temperature: 3.7C (39F)
April
Sunrise: 6:24am
Sunset: 8:51pm
Average Temperature: 6.9C (44.4F)
May
Sunrise: 5:07am
Sunset: 10:01pm
Average Temperature: 10.2C (50.4F)
June
Sunrise: 4:24am
Sunset: 10:50pm
Average Temperature: 13C (55F)
July
Sunrise: 4:49am
Sunset: 10:35pm
Average Temperature: 15.3C (59.5F)
August
Sunrise: 5:55am
Sunset: 9:26pm
Average Temperature: 15.7C (60.3F)
September
Sunrise: 7:05am
Sunset: 7:58pm
Average Temperature: 13.2C (55.8F)
October
Sunrise: 8:13am
Sunset: 6:31pm
Average Temperature: 9.2C (48.6F)
November
Sunrise: 8:28am
Sunset: 4:14pm
Average Temperature: 5.7C (42.3F)
December
Sunrise: 9:24am
Sunset: 3:39pm
Average Temperature: 3.4C (38.1F)
All Posts About Stavanger
Visiting Sverd i Fjell (Swords in Rock) in Stavanger
All the info you need before your visit to this iconic Stavanger monument.
Interesting Facts About Stavanger
Everything you need to know about Stavanger, including history, present-day, work life, immigration, transport and more.
The History of Stavanger, Simplified
An overview of the history of Stavanger, from religious beginnings to an explosive canning industry!
A Walk Through Gamle Stavanger
My overview of everything you need to know about Gamle Stavanger!