Oslo or Stavanger?

They are two very different places, Oslo is the nation's capital, while Stavanger is a far smaller place, and a good look at a guide book may give you a better idea, and perhaps may help you to ask more relevent questions?

I would say that Oslo would win hands down, but that is only what i would say!

Stavanger itself is a pretty mundane town with not much to do or see, the main reason for Stavanger is the countryside around it. If it is a city break you are looking that, then it has to be Oslo.

Gf and self visited both Oslo and Stavanger and had a couple of nights in each as part of a longer 'road trip' using buses, trains and sea cats.

We'd probably go back to Oslo rather than Stavanger on our next trip. More in the way of galleries etc (a one day Oslo card took care of entrances and travel to the various museums across the harbour).

Oslo centre is easy to wander around and there's plenty of places for food or coffee. Usual caveat is the cost of things in Norway, but after eleven visits at different times of the year, I've kind of got used to it.

Mainly used Thon hotels when we've been over there along with hostels and small hotels. Thon hotels in Bergen, Oslo and Arendal all good - we got good rates for the last two when booking online via Thon's website. Comfortable rooms and a good buffet breakfast too that should set you up for the day.

Stayed in the Stavanger B&B when we were in Stavanger - hostel style accommodation with buffet breakfast and free coffee/waffles at 9pm when we visited.

Cost effective snacking from 7/11 and Narvesen shops or kiosks - coffee and pizza or hotdog deals (can't remember the cost of these - notebook is in the office!).

Pizza on the last night was equivalent of UK £43.50 - two pizzas, one orange juice and on Pepsi (had to go to a chain place near the main Oslo railway station as the other eateries in the area were full...).

As you may have guessed, I kind of like Norway - GF does too which is why we're going to go back at least once when the travel pot is suitably charged up.

Stavanger: Idyllic small city with cute white houses. Nice nature around the town but you probably need to have a car to reach them. This could work as a romantic getaway with not too much things to do. My only visit was years ago on summer when the harbor was full of posh yachts. Can be boring in 3 days.

Oslo: Visited last time on last autumn and the city has changed for better. Or maybe weekend was nicer when I had a bit more this time than student shoestring budget. Lots to see and walk around. If you get public transit day ticket from 7 eleven, you can use trams too which is handy. Things to see: Opera house, museums, statue park, grunerlocka with shops and restaurants, fancy food market by the river etc. Great for a weekend trip. We stayed in AirBnB and got great restaurant advice from the owner.

My Norway tip:
If you want to eat nicely, try something ethnic and/or independent. All the cheap looking chain restaurants are usually the worst rip-off places. I'm not sure about Oslo, but elsewhere you can sometimes even get 3 course meal with nearly same price as chain pizza & beer.

You can get a Norway in a nutshell tour to Bergen from Oslo and either return same day to Oslo or stay overnight (recommended) and return the next day. Bergen is similar to Stavanger but has better connections to Oslo. Sorry, but I didn't get to Stavanger and headed north up to Trondheim & Tromso instead. There are a couple of famous lookouts near Stavanger:

Pulpit Rock: http://media7.trover.com/T/4dbae9678926e3601700007e/fixedw_large_2x.jpg

Kjeragbolten: http://i.ytimg.com/vi/z7tYwHasi2M/maxresdefault.jpg

But the scenery around Bergen and Geiranger is equally stunning.

When? There's some festivals in summer 2015 that you'll be sorry to miss if you were in the wrong city. Most remarkable:
Gladmat in Stavanger, the largest food festival in the nordics, 22/7-25/7
Øyafestivalen, large music festival in Oslo, 11/8-15/8
Generally the weekends in summer often have a kind of festival somewhere relatively close though.

Stavanger as a city doesnt have as much as Oslo to offer, but theres a lot in its surroundings.Lysefjordenwith the Pulpitand Kjerag, [Flor og fjære](http://www.visitnorway.com/no/reisemal/vestlandet/ryfylke/aktivitetar-i-ryfylke/vandring-til-preikestolen/, [Utstein kloster](http://www.museumstavanger.no/museene/utstein-kloster/, [Hå gamle prestegård](http://www.hagamleprestegard.no/, Jærstrendenebeutiful beaches, just to mention some options in the area

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