A Closer Look at Stavanger
Famed for its many natural attractions and old wooden houses, the Stavanger region is on the radar of nearly every visitor to Norway. Norway’s fourth-largest city in the South West of the country is Northern Europe’s fuel and oil capital.
In Stavanger, you can explore scenic landmarks such as the Lysefjord, Sola beach, and the famous cliff Preikestolen (The Pulpit Rock) which Lonely Planet once named the world’s most breathtaking viewing platform.
Stavanger is an international and ever-evolving city, but the city’s proud history still shines through today. Old Stavanger has Europe’s best-preserved wooden house settlement with more than 170 white wooden houses and Stavanger Cathedral dates back to the city’s 12th-century founding.
Check out this list of the top things to do in Stavanger!
Photo: © Fjord Events AS
A Lysefjord RIB adventure
The Lysefjord, with its enormous variety of landscapes, waterfalls, cliffs, and caves, is an extreme natural experience by global standards. It is with considerable humility that we escort guests into this stunning, never-ending fjord with so much history hanging on its vertical walls.
Lysefjord offers the most fantastic cliff formations you can imagine. The Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), a plateau 600 m above the fjord, is the most famous. On a Lysefjord RiB Adventure, we cruise the Lysefjordin our fast, open RIBs, with stops for sightseeing and photography.
Photo: Morten Sivertsen
Lysefjord and Pulpit Rock cruise
The Pulpit Rock is ranked as one of Norway's foremost nature-based destinations and on this fjord cruise, you will experience the mighty plateau from the beautiful Lysefjord.
Feast your eyes on the majestic Pulpit Rock soaring into the sky above incredible Lysefjord as you travel in silence on a fully-electric fjord cruise!
You can enjoy all this striking scenery from the comfort of the boat's sheltered cabin, through panoramic windows, or venture out on the spacious sundeck. Read more about this great tour here
Photo: Outdoorlife Norway
Lysefjord cruise and hike to Pulpit Rock
If you want to hike to Pulpit Rock, you can join in on the Lysefjord cruise and hiking tour from Stavanger. After an exciting fjord cruise on the Lysefjord, you get off in Forsand, where a bus will bring you to the Preikestolen Cabin where the hike starts.
The path is well marked along the entire road towards Pulpit Rock. Safely on top, you are rewarded with an amazing view!
The actual walk takes between 3 and 4 hours. Return to Stavanger by bus through the world's longest underwater tunnel. Read more about the tour here.
Photo: Reisemål Ryfylket
Lysefjord cruise and hike to Flørli
Flørli is a roadless hamlet serviced by four ferries per day. It lies deep into the spectacular Lysefjord, close to the Kjerag boulder. Flørli is popular for its 4444 steps right up the mountain – the longest wooden stairway in the world. It is also known for its hydropower history – in the power hall, you can visit the exposition and enjoy the summer-open Power Café. You can join in on a Fjord cruise and hike to the Flørli steps with Fjord Tours, check out the tour here!
Photo: Terje Rakke
Stavanger Cathedral
Stavanger Cathedral is Norway's oldest cathedral dating back to 1125. The bulk of the building is a fine example of Romanesque style with heavy arches and dog-tooth decoration but the structure also boasts a gothic choir built by English stonemasons in the 13th century.
Photo: Richard Larssen
Swords in Rock
The monument Sverd i fjell (Swords in rock) commemorates the battle at Hafrsfjord. This was where Harald Fairhair united Norway into one kingdom in 872. The monument consists of three swords that are fixed into the grown. They symbolize peace, unity, and freedom. The hilts of the Viking swords are taken from swords found in different parts of the country. The monument is made by Fritz Røed (1928-2002), and was unveiled by King Olav in 1983.