How to plan a weekend in Stavanger, where Norway's fjords collide with urban charm

28.08.2023 - 10:49 / nationalgeographic.com / Antony Gormley

On the southern cusp of the Lysefjord, in southwest Norway, Stavanger is where the country’s coast begins to splinter into a thousand islands, skerries, waterways and inlets. It’s little wonder, then, that this city — the fourth largest in Norway — should have been defined by water, both geographically and culturally. It first made big bucks in fish canning, then in North Sea oil, as two of its main museums recount. Yet, today, it surprises visitors with newfound urban cool. 

While everyone raves about Bergen, Stavanger’s northern, more famous neighbour, here you’ll find fewer crowds in equally lovely cobbled alleys. Harbourside cafes fizz with life, streets are splashed with Norway’s finest street art — homegrown talent like Pøbel and DotDotDot alongside big names like Banksy and Pure Evil — and ingenious chefs reach for Michelin stars.

A weekend is enough for a taster, but you’ll be kicking yourself if you didn’t book that extra time off. Tag on an extra day or two to climb knife-edge, fjord-side cliffs or enjoy a blissfully silent night in an off-grid nature escape.

Morning

Wander around the old town, where the streets are lined with pretty timber houses — most from the 18th and early 19th centuries. Those on Fargegaten street are painted in a rave of colours, while Gamle Stavanger has whitewashed, flower-draped alleys.

Stop at Fisketorget in the Vågen harbour for an early al fresco lunch. The menu reflects the day’s catch, but fishcakes and shrimp sandwiches are delicious staples. Out front, you’ll notice a sea-facing steel sculpture; Stavanger has 23, all based on a cast of sculptor Antony Gormley. Part of the Broken Column art project, they link up in a tour ending at the Kunstmuseum, the city’s contemporary gallery.

Afternoon

After a romp around town, you’ll be itching to explore the fjord. Tour operator FjordEvents gets you out on the water with a windy two-hour RIB ride, with the last departure at 2.30pm, right from the harbour. You’ll pelt across the water at speeds of up to 50mph, passing islands, crashing falls and cliffs razoring up to Pulpit Rock, the fjord’s most famous crag. 

If you’d rather paddle under your own steam, take to the water in a canoe or kayak with Rogaland Aktiv, drifting in and out of inlets at the foot of the mighty cliffs. Few crowds and no engine noise ups the chances of sighting wildlife, too: look out for porpoises in the water, seals on the rocks and sea eagles wheeling above. 

Evening

Kick-start your evening at industrial-chic Pjolter & Punsj. It was nominated for Norway’s best cocktail menu at the 2023 Bartenders’ Choice Awards, and for good reason: owner Truls Thomsen whips up imaginative, season-led concoctions, from sea buckthorn martini to rhubarb