scubish.com: Travel information for Stavanger

Stavanger is the fourth largest city of Norway, located in the western coast of the country.

Get in

By plane

Sola Airport (SVG) is a 20 minutes drive from Stavanger. It is a medium sized airport, but it is currently being upgraded. Tel:+47 51 658-000

By train
About 9 hours from Oslo station. Reservation is obligatory.

By car
By boat
About 4 hours from Bergen, twice daily with HSD. Tickets can be bought on the boat, but may be cheaper if bought in advance.

Get around

By bus
The public transportation in Stavanger is excellent, however it is costly by most standards. A ticket will cost around 22 NOK although it can be used again within a time limit. Buses can be caught at the main bus terminal and at stops around the central lake.They are however closing down some routes on the bus network.

The airport shuttle bus is very expensive (70 NOK one-way, 110 NOK return) and if you are heading to a location outside the very centre it may be more worthwhile to take a taxi. However, on workdays there is the bus no. 9 which travels half-hourly between the airport and the city centre, which is much cheaper than the airport shuttle bus (22 NOK one-way).

Buses are modern and most have areas for wheelchairs and baby carriages. More information about public transportation in Stavanger and the region on the Kolumbus Website

By car
International drivers licenses are accepted as well as many national licenses (All EU and some other). Cars drive on the right hand side of the road and all speed limits are in kilometres. Fuel is very expensive in Norway.

When driving in Norway it is vital to obey the speed limit. Speeding offenses are rigorously enforced and speed checks are very common. Speed limits in residential areas are only 30 kmh, but speeding in these areas incur the highest penalties. The maximum speed limit on the motorway is 90 kph (56 mph).

Norway has some of the strictest drink-driving laws in the world, 0.2 milligrams of alcohol per litre of blood. As a general rule of thumb it is best to drink nothing at all before driving.

Winter tyres are not legally necessary for foreign drivers of regular cars, but driving without them can be risky especially if you are headed for the hills. Snow-chains are mandatory only for big-rinks in winter-time.

Dipped headlights are mandatory at all times of the day.

By train
The train station is located next to the bus terminal. Long distance tickets can be bought at the counter while shorter distances can be bought from the conductor. The trains are modern and spacious. Due to Norwegian mountainous geography the trains to Oslo follow the coast. Most trips to, or from, Oslo will require a sleeper train.

By taxi
It is not uncommon to travel in Mercedes's and BMW's when using taxis. This is a good thing once you consider the price an average 15 minute journey can cost over 150 NOK. Night-time and weekends have special rates. You can use credit cards to pay through the taxi meters.

See

The Stavanger Oil Museum is a very interesting building with fascinating information on Norway's oil industry. Displays of submersibles, drilling equipment, a mock oil platform, and audio-visual presentations make for a good few hours. The museum caters for all ages.

The Canning Museum may not seem like the most interesting place to visit but it is a surprisingly good little museum with a lot of hands-on exhibits.

Gamle Stavanger (Old Stavanger) is a well preserved slice of Norwegian history. Old winding streets and wooden houses are representative of accommodation from Stavangers days as a the canning capital of Norway. Most houses in Old Stavanger are privately owned and well kept.

Preikestolen (the pulpit rock) can be seen by boat or hiked up. It is an impressive geological feature that is prominent on almost every Stavanger postcard. It protrudes from the rock about 604 metres above the fjord and is almost totally flat on top. The view from the boat is less satisfying than the hike and a round trip takes several hours. Boats leave from the Vaagen (the harbour in the centre of town.) The hike is moderate and the trail is well used especially during the summer.

A good place for a photo opportunity are the Three Swords (Sverd i stein, literally Swords in Stone), a monument outside the centre of Stavanger, beside the Hafrsfjord. The swords themselves are massive and in the background is the fjord. The monument commemorates the battle of Hafrsfjord in the late 800's where Harald Hårfagre beat his eastern opposition and became the first King of Norway.

Sculptures - In 2000 the mobile installation Another Place by British sculptor Anthony Gormley was placed on and off Sola beach. A few years later a new and permanent installation Broken Column, by the same artist, was placed at various locations surrounding the centre of Stavanger.

The Rogaland Kunstmuseum (art museum) is on Mosvatnet Lake, only 2 km from the city center. The museum has a permanent exhibition of Norwegian art, and a rotating exhibition that is sometimes quite spectacular. Be sure to see the Lars Hertervig paintings; you'll see the landscape of the islands just north of Stavanger reflected in his work.

The seasons control what to do in Stavanger. Summers can be very warm, although sometimes rainy, and the long days keep the temperature up. Winters usually mean snow or rain in Stavanger although going into the mountains will ensure snow.

Hiking and climbing around Stavanger is the best way to see the fantastic landscape. Many of the trails have been marked out by the Turistforening with rocks bearing a red "T". Turistforening hyttes (cabins) provide simple accommodation in the mountains. Also mountain bikes can be hired and taken on the trails.

Solastranden (Sola Beach) is a long sandy beach by the airport. It is very popular in the summer and allows for some small waves for surfing. Along the beach, in the dunes, are the remains of defences from the 1940-45 occupation. Other less populated beaches are all along the coastline although they are sometimes hard to find.

Skiing and snowboarding are the best winter activities. It is necessary to travel into the mountains where there are slopes designed for day-trippers, and full resorts. Snow reports can be found in the local papers.

Ice skating on Stokkavannet - In the depths of winter the government tests the ice on its lakes. Once the official word is given many Norwegians will head for the largest lake, Stokkavannet. The lake itself is located near to Madla about 20 minutes bus ride outside of Stavanger. Should the ice not be safe, and you have a compulsion to skate, another option is to visit the Siddishallen, an indoor ice-rink.

Buy

some brown cheese-its strange but actually very nice.Also buy some Kalles Kaviar.But dont get tempted to eat Fischkaken.They are disgusting and rubbery..

Pewter serving utensils at several shops in town that will also sell other tourist things. They are pretty to look at, coming in several different designs, and practical to use. The cheese slicer (ostehovel) is most traditional, and the fish server (fiskespade) is one I've never seen outside of Norway.

Eat

Ekofisk is across from the fish market & sells fresh fish. They make excellent fish soup; eat it there, at the little tables, or take it home for dinner. 55 nok per serving. We also recommend the "fiskegrateng" -- a casserole with fish, noodles, cheese, etc.

Drink

Beer and spirits are outrageously expensive in Norway but wine is more reasonably priced.

Stavanger has a varied and exciting nightlife, by many seen as one of the best in Norway. Much of the reason lies in the high density of pubs and bars, most of which are situated around Vågen (the bay) or a stones throw away from it. Also, weekday nightlife is more vibrant in Stavanger than in most towns in Norway.

On the western side you will find Checkpoint Charlie, a legendary hangout for rockers and students. It is also home to CCAP, a record label that hold Thomas Dybdahl and Popface in their expanding stable. Though its clientel has gradually gotten younger over the years (now around 18-22), it retains much of its old feel. (Lars Hertervigsgt. 5 4005 Stavanger, tel: 51532245)

Another bar well worth the visit is Cementen . Situated on the third floor of a concrete building alongside the bay, it has a great view of inner city Stavanger. It is easy to find, just look for the cement mixer hanging from the outside wall seven meters above its entrance. The recently added dance floor has resulted in increased popularity. (Nedre Strandgt.25, 4005 Stavanger)

For the see and be seen crowd, Taket is the place to go (Nedre Strandgt. 15, 4005 Stavanger Tel: 51 84 37 01). Hall Toll is another popular hangout that was added to the night scene in 2004. With Hall Toll, the Stavanger night life scene has finally gotten a taste of the international cosmopolitan jet set, complete with drunken bimbos, obnoxious bouncers with headsets and a separate VIP line at the entrance. Hooray.

Clubbers are advised to seek out Sting , located next to Valbergstårnet. It is a bit cramped, but they keep great DJs and the atmosphere is inviting. The first floor is cafe style, and basement is a night-club. The rooms to the right when you enter the cafè is traditionally for gay people. If you get tired from dancing there is a lounge area, Indian style, with lots of pillows to lie down on.(Valberget 3, 4006 Stavanger, Tel: 51 89 32 84, c-sting@online.no)

Munken (The Munk) is a traditional bar that serves beer, wine and spirits. Crowd varies a great deal in age (22-72), often many english speakers. Usually not very loud music. Free entrance. Prostebakken -in the Alley by the Dressmann haberdashery.

Sleep

There are countless hotels in Stavanger, still not nearly enogh for the buisness travelers during non holiday weekdays, so book in advance or pay through the nose. There is also a combined youth hostel and camping site by Mosvannet.

Get out

Go south, to rural areas in Jæren. Take a fast-boat to some of the islands like Usken. Go to the family theme park Kongeparken close to Ålgård.

is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway.

The city of Stavanger was established as a municipality January 1, 1838 (see formannskapsdistrikt). The rural municipalities of Hetland and Madla were merged with Stavanger January 1, 1965.

The city is located on a peninsula on the southwest coast of Norway. It is the centre of the third largest metropolitan area in the country. The climate is maritime mild temperate (marine west coast - cfb) and rather windy, with all monthly temperature averages above freezing, and precipitation 1200 mm/year. Summers are pleasant and lowland areas in and around Stavanger have the longest growing season in Norway (220 days).

The city is a combination of new and old. There is a significant foreign influence with a nearby NATO base called JWC, as well as foreign oil interests. Norway's oldest Cathedral, Stavanger domkirke, is situated right in the city centre. Stavanger has several beautiful lakes, which are popular recreation areas. Breiavatnet is located in the heart of Stavanger, while and Stokkavatnet are situated right outside.

Stavanger Airport is located 14 km from the city centre, in the municipality of Sola.

Population

Stavanger is the 4th largest city in Norway, with a population of 117,157

More important still are the associations ensuring from the concept, such as tolerance, freedom of speech, hospitality, history, development, innovation and quality.Through its work on Stavanger2008 the wider Stavanger area will appear as a region which is open and including towards new impulses, foreign expressions and new citizens.

Culturally, the region will appear as a melting pot which, based on its own traditions and history, as well as impulses from the whole world, reshapes these into expressions and activities that will form its present and its future through the tools of openness and creativity.

Sport and Recreation
One of the local football clubs, Viking F.K., plays in the Norwegian Premier League (2007). The club plays its home matches at a new football stadium, Viking Stadion, which was opened in 2004.

Every May, Stavanger is host to MaiJazz, the Stavanger International Jazz Festival. Stavanger was the host port of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race in 1997 and 2004.

Tourism

There are a variety of sights and activities for tourists.

Outdoor activities
Lysefjorden is popular for hiking. Not too far from Stavanger, alpine centers are ready for skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter season.

Prekestolen (aka the Pulpit Rock) is a massive rock overhanging the fjord known for its hiking. Kjeragbolten is a rock wedged in the cliff 604 meters above the fjord. The free fall makes Kjerag a very popular location for BASE jumping.

Along the coast south of Stavanger there are a number of large, sandy beaches, among which the one at Sola is within closest reach from the city.

City center

For the more urban minded, Old Stavanger (Gamle Stavanger) is located right next to the city centre. This collection of eighteenth- and nineteenth century wooden structures is one of the finest in Northern Europe.

Stavanger domkirke (St. Svithun's cathedral) was built between 1100 and 1125 by the English bishop Reinald in Anglo-Norman style, and in the late 13th century a new choir was added in Gothic style, with a vaulted roof. Among old stone churches in Norway, the cathedral in Stavanger is among the best preserved.

The city centre itself is small and intimate, with narrow streets and open spaces protected from car traffic. The open-air vegetable market is one of the very few in Norway where you can buy produce directly from local farmers every working day through the year.
Museums
The Stavanger Museum is also located in Old Stavanger, commemorating the city's past glory as the herring capital of Norway.
The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is located at the harbour. The museum reflects the fact that Stavanger has been Norway's oil capital since oil drilling activities started in the North Sea in 1966.

Sister cities

Stavanger has several sister cities (twin towns), they are:

Aberdeen, Scotland (since 1955)

Antsirabe, Madagascar

Esbjerg, Denmark

Eskilstuna, Sweden

Esteli, Nicaragua

Fjarðabyggð, (previously known as Neskaupstaður), Iceland

Galveston, Texas, USA

Harlow, England

Houston, Texas, USA

Jyväskylä, Finland

Nablus, Palestinian territories