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Stavanger

There's a reason this coastal town has been twinned with Houston and Aberdeen: it's sometimes known as Norway's 'Oil City' for its importance in oil exploration in the North Sea since the 1970s (Norway's largest oil company, Statoil, is based here). But while much of the outskirts are modern, you won't find too many skyscrapers – Stavanger's old centre has some of the most beautiful and best-preserved wooden buildings anywhere in Norway, many dating back to the 18th century. It's all very pretty, and in summer the waterfront comes alive in the best port-town style.

What Stavanger's oil boom has brought, however, is suburban sprawl and sky-high prices, even for Norway. It's notorious as one of the country's priciest locations, and finding a bed and a bite comes with a hefty price tag.

Nevertheless, it's a perfect launch pad for exploring nearby Lysefjorden, and for tackling the classic hike to Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock).

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Stavanger.

  • Museum

    Norsk Oljemuseum

    Admittedly, the prospect of an 'oil museum' doesn't sound like the most promising option for an afternoon out, but this state-of-the-art place exploring the history of North Sea oil exploration is well worth visiting. The volume of information is staggering: highlights include the world's largest drill bit, simulated rigs and a vast hall of oil-platform models. There's also an exhibit on how oil is created and thought-provoking displays on climate change and Norway's Sovereign Wealth Fund (amassed almost entirely from oil profits).

  • Church

    Stavanger Domkirke

    This beautiful church is an impressive but understated medieval stone cathedral dating from approximately 1125; it was extensively renovated following a fire in 1272 and contains traces of Gothic, baroque, Romanesque and Anglo-Norman influences. Despite restoration in the 1860s and in 1940, and the stripping of some features during the Reformation, the cathedral is, by some accounts, Norway's oldest medieval cathedral still in its original form.

  • Museum

    Canning Museum

    Don't miss this surprising museum housed in an old cannery: it's one of Stavanger's most entertaining. Before oil, there were sardines, and Stavanger was once home to more than half of Norway's canning factories. By 1922 the city's canneries provided 50% of the town's employment. The exhibits here take you through the whole 12-stage process from salting through to threading, smoking, decapitating and packing. An adjoining building houses a touchingly restored workers' cottage furnished in 1920s (downstairs) and 1960s (upstairs) styles.

  • Museum

    Norwegian Children's Museum

    Dragging kids round a museum can be a tough proposition, but this is one place that's designed specifically with them in mind. It traces the changing story of childhood through the ages, with a particular emphasis on toys: there are more than 6000 individual items on display here, from antique train sets and spinning tops through to giant dolls and Meccano sets. Many of them were made at Norway's largest toy factory, Lærdal, just outside Stavanger.

  • Museum

    Stavanger Museum

    Stavanger's main museum was founded in the 19th century, and it's a typically wide-ranging affair, encompassing everything from Stavanger's history to Viking culture and a vast array of spooky stuffed animals in the natural history section. It's in a huge, rather gloomy building on Muségata, which was renovated in 2017 to accommodate the Norwegian Children's Museum.

  • Gallery

    Stavanger Kunstmuseum

    This museum, 2.5km south of the town centre, displays Norwegian art from the 18th century to the present, including the haunting Gamle Furutrær and other landscape paintings by Stavanger's own Lars Hertervig (1830–1902). There's a large collection for other important Norwegian artists too, such as Frida Hansen, Kitty Kielland and Olaf Lange. There's a small sculpture garden outside.

  • Area

    Gamle Stavanger

    Gamle (Old) Stavanger, above the western shore of the harbour, is a delight. The Old Town's cobblestone walkways pass between rows of late-18th-century whitewashed wooden houses, all immaculately kept and adorned with cheerful, well-tended flower boxes. It well rewards an hour of ambling and may see you casually perusing property prices. Ah well, we can all dream.

  • Museum

    Jernaldergarden

    Always wanted to experience life on an Iron Age farm c AD 350–550? Then this living exhibition 4km south of town is as close as you'll ever get. Staff in period dress greet you with cakes cooked over the hearth, and you can watch displays of farming, food preparation, tanning, handicrafts and so on. It's informative and fun.

  • Museum

    Archaeology Museum

    This museum traces 11,000 years of human history, including the Viking Age. Exhibits include skeletons, tools, a rune stone and a description of the symbiosis between prehistoric humans and their environment. There's a full program of activities for kids (eg treasure hunts and wandering Vikings) in summer.