If you only have one day in Stavanger, you can see a lot without over-complicating things. Most of the main sights are within walking distance of the cruise port, so it’s easy to make the most of your stop.
Hello! I’m Piers and I’m from Guildford
This is the warm welcome I received at the Norwegian Canning Museum (Norsk Hermetikkmuseet). The story of how an English Egyptologist ended up as the curator of a museum celebrating the Norwegian fish canning industry is almost almost as interesting as the city itself.
From white wooden streets to bold street art and a medieval cathedral, Stavanger packs a surprising amount into a small area. This guide pulls together the places worth seeing in one day, a simple walking route from the harbour, and a few extras if you have more time.
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Stavanger Cruise Port and Getting Around
If you are arriving by ship, Stavanger is an easy port. Cruise ships dock right by the centre, so you can step off and start exploring on foot.
Most of the main things to do in Stavanger are within about 10 to 15 minutes’ walk of the harbour. The terrain is gentle and the streets are easy to follow, making this a good city to explore without tours or transport.
Things to Do in Stavanger in One Day
This is the route I followed, linking the main sights without backtracking. It works well if you want to see Stavanger at a relaxed pace.
From the cruise port, head towards the old town, continue to the city’s colourful street via the cathedral, and then loop back along the waterfront.
- Start at the cruise port
- Old Stavanger (Gamle Stavanger)
- Stavanger Cathedral
- Øvre Holmegate | Stavanger street art
- Waterfront (Skagenkaien Quay)
- Optional museums or extras
Old Stavanger (Gamle Stavanger)
Located on the western side of the harbour, Gamle Stavanger has the largest concentration of 19th-century wooden buildings in Northern Europe. Wooden stores and warehouses flank the quayside, with clapboard houses rising in terraces along narrow, cobbled lanes behind them.
Unlike many other places, these properties are neither chi-chi galleries nor swanky cafes. Instead, this is a firmly residential area complete with hanging baskets, picket fences and tiny gardens.
It’s worth getting here early, when the streets are mercifully quiet, bar a feline friend or two.
Stavanger Cathedral (Domkirke)
Stavanger Cathedral is right in the centre and easy to include in your walk. Parts of it date back to the 12th century, making it one of the oldest cathedrals in Norway. Its star turn is the richly decorated 17th-century pulpit.
Øvre Holmegate | Stavanger street art
If you continue walking along the east side of the harbour you will reach Øvre Holmegate. In contrast with the monochrome Gamle Stavanger, this street is a riot of colour.
Take your pick of the great cafes for a pit stop. A refreshing pint of local beer can be yours for a not-so-modest sum of money. Savour every last drop.
This area is also rich pickings for Stavanger’s street art. In recent years, the city’s street art scene has burgeoned, and each September, it hosts the Nuart Festival, showcasing national and international street artists.
Lunch on the waterfront (Skagenkaien Quay)
Loop back down to the harbour when you are ready for a break. The waterfront is lined with cafés and restaurants, making it a good place to sit for a coffee or something to eat.
Fishing boats, ferries and pleasure craft come and go, and it is an easy place to watch the city tick along for a while before heading off again.
Museums in Stavanger
If museums are your thing, these are within easy walking distance from the cruise port. I visited all three, but if pushed to pick a favourite, I’d plump for the Norwegian Canning Museum.
Norwegian Canning Museum (Norsk Hermetikkmuseet)
On the face of it, a fish canning museum may not be an obvious attraction. However, the combination of its multi-layered history and the boundless enthusiasm of Piers made this unforgettable.
The Norwegian Canning Museum is housed in one of Stavanger’s former fish canning plants. As well as documenting the fish canning process, the museum reflects on societal change and technological innovation within the industry.
Stavanger Maritime Museum
Stavanger’s Maritime Museum traces the city’s seafaring history over the last 200 years. It is housed in two former fish warehouses dating from the late 18th century that face Stavanger’s wharf.
Through its displays of all things nautical, it gives you a picture of what life was like for local merchants. These range from archaeological finds to reconstructions of shipping offices and stores.
Norwegian Petroleum Museum (Norsk Oljemuseum)
The superb Norwegian Petroleum Museum takes you on a geological, industrial, economic and environmental journey of oil exploration off Norway’s shores. As well as absorbing facts, figures and philosophy, you get to fondle an assortment of oil drill bits or pretend that you are in a helicopter en route to work.
Optional Extras if You Have More Time
Pulpit Rock
Towering over 600 meters above the majestic Lysefjord, Pulpit Rock, also known as Preikestolen or Prekestolen is considered one of the world’s most impressive viewpoints.There are two ways to get to Pulpit Rock: gazing up at it from one of scenic cruises that depart from the main harbour in Stavanger, or hiking to the rock from Preikestolhytta.
You’ll need to make sure you have enough time for either option. Allow up to 3 hours and 30 minutes for the scenic cruise, and the hike will take up most of your day in Stavanger.
GoFjords offers a seasonal return bus transfer to the start of the trail, or this organised excursion will cover the bases.
Swords in Rock Monument (Sverd i fjell)
Commemorating the victory of King Harald at the Battle of Hafrsfjord in the year 872, thereby uniting West Norway and Norway into one country, this striking monument overlooks the bay in Hafrsfjord in the outskirts of Stavanger. Take bus number 16 from Stavanger city centre and get off at bus stop Madlaleiren (15-minute journey), from where it’s a 300 metres walk.
Final Tips for Visiting Stavanger
- Plan 3–4 hours minimum for a relaxed visit
- As the weather can change quickly, pack layers
- Card payments accepted almost everywhere
Thank you for reading my Stavanger cruise port guide
It was one of the highlights of my Norway Fjords cruise. If you want to find out about the other stops, take a look at these guides:
- 10 Best Things to Do in Bergen in One Day
- Fabulous Flam Railway! Tips for Riding Norway’s Most Scenic Train
- Alesund, Norway: An Art Nouveau Walk in a Fairytale Town
Happy travels!
About Bridget
Bridget Coleman has been a passionate traveller for more than 30 years. She has visited 70+ countries, most as a solo traveller.
Articles on this site reflect her first-hand experiences.
To get in touch, email her at hello@theflashpacker.net or follow her on social media.
Just watching State of Happiness about Stavanger on television. My grandad Gustave Gudmonsen came from Stavanger. Always wondered what Norway was like. Awesome.
Same here! And loving it. Although Stavanger was considerably sunnier when I visited :)