Stavanger itinerary: 1 to 2 days
Plans for one and two days in Stavanger, day by day: Gamle Stavanger, Stavanger Cathedral, Ledaal and the Norwegian Petroleum Museum first, then Stavanger Museum and a day trip to Preikestolen. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 2 days
Stavanger in 1 day
Day 1
Gamle Stavanger
Old town of narrow cobbled lanes and over 170 white wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, close to the harbour.
Stavanger Cathedral
Norway's oldest cathedral, begun around 1125 in Romanesque style with later Gothic additions, in the centre of the city.
Ledaal
Wooden manor house of 1799 in Stavanger, now a museum of the Kielland family and the royal residence when the king visits.
Norwegian Petroleum Museum
Museum on the harbour about the North Sea oil industry, with a model drilling platform and exhibits on how oil is found.
Stavanger in 2 days
Day 1
Gamle Stavanger
Old town of narrow cobbled lanes and over 170 white wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries, close to the harbour.
Stavanger Cathedral
Norway's oldest cathedral, begun around 1125 in Romanesque style with later Gothic additions, in the centre of the city.
Stavanger Museum
City museum with natural history and cultural history collections, in the centre of Stavanger near the Breiavatnet pond.
Norwegian Petroleum Museum
Museum on the harbour about the North Sea oil industry, with a model drilling platform and exhibits on how oil is found.
Day 2
Preikestolen
Flat cliff plateau about 600 metres above the Lysefjord, reached by a hike of about four hours return from the trailhead.
Watch: Stavanger
A one-minute look at the plan: every stop, day by day, with the map.
When to go to Stavanger
June to August is the best time, with long days, mild weather and the best chance of a clear hike to Preikestolen. May and September are quieter and good for walking, but wetter. Winters are mild for Norway but rainy and dark, with short days. The Gladmat food festival is held in July.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in Stavanger on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in Stavanger on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in Stavanger on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for Norway from Airalo
- Last day: leave your bags in Stavanger with Radical Storage and keep sightseeing
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Tips for Stavanger
- Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is a full-day trip: a ferry from Stavanger to Tau, a bus or car to the trailhead and a hike of about four hours return.
- Wear sturdy shoes and bring rain gear for Preikestolen; the weather on the fjord changes quickly and the trail is rocky.
- Gamle Stavanger, the area of white wooden houses, is best seen early in the morning or in the evening when it is quiet.
- The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is a good choice for a rainy day, and it keeps shorter hours in winter.
- Many museums and the cathedral are closed or have shorter hours on Mondays and in winter, so check before you go.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Gamle Stavanger: Hans O. Sorteberg, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Ledaal: Julio J González-López, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Norwegian Petroleum Museum: Zairon, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Preikestolen: Clementp.fr, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Stavanger Cathedral: Original by Ranveig , edit by Vlad2i , edit of edit by Aqwis ., CC SA 1.0
- Stavanger Museum: Julio J González-López, CC BY-SA 3.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
