Discover Stavanger

Explore Stavanger through its cultural history, museums and waterside paths. If you are looking for a hotel, you can start by considering which themes matter most for your stay. Historic sites, exhibitions and connections with nature around lakes and waterfront paths offer different perspectives on the city.

Finding your way around the centre

In central Stavanger, Byparken surrounds Breiavatnet. The park is home to Stavanger Cathedral, Kongsgård, Kiellandshagen and the bandstand. The lake itself is one of Stavanger’s attractions. Byparken therefore serves as a landmark between the water and several named places in the city.

The bandstand in Byparken was built in 1922 and is a landmark of the park. It is of significant cultural and historical value to Stavanger and was historically used for concerts, ceremonies and public events. Its history connects the park with the city’s public cultural life.

Cultural history and museums

The medieval city of Stavanger developed during the 11th and 12th centuries and is one of the largest contiguous automatically protected cultural monuments in Rogaland. Kongsgård, the bishop’s residence with its chapel and ring wall, was built in the 13th century. These dates provide two distinct historical reference points for Stavanger.

Old Stavanger lies on the west side of Vågen in the city centre and comprises 173 wooden houses. The Stavanger Maritime Museum and the Norwegian Canning Museum are located there. The houses and museums offer different ways to explore this part of the city.

The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is located at Kjeringholmen in central Stavanger. It shows how offshore operations became Norway’s most important industry and offers experiences related to this field. Stavanger Museum houses the Norwegian Children’s Museum as well as exhibitions on natural history and the history of Stavanger. The museum topics therefore range from city history and natural history to offshore operations.

Waterfront paths and nature

The Blue Promenade passes the Norwegian Petroleum Museum. Blue lights in the ground mark it as a walking route along Stavanger’s central waterfront. On busy days, RIB boats, sightseeing boats and guided walks can be seen in the Vågen harbour area and along and around Vågen; the availability of individual operators’ services may vary.

Swans, mallards, tufted ducks, coots and several species of gull can be found around Breiavatnet. Rarer birds also appear there, particularly in winter. The Mosvatnturen runs around Mosvatnet, which is considered Stavanger’s third-largest lake and the city’s first waterworks. The route also leads to 110-metre-high Limahaugen, offering wide views over the fjord.

The nature-related features differ: around Breiavatnet, the focus is on bird species and the additional species found there in winter; on the Mosvatnturen, the described features include the lakeside circuit and the view from Limahaugen. If you are looking for hotels in Stavanger, you can consider which focus is more important to your trip: cultural sites and museums, or waterfront paths and wildlife observation. You can then choose a specific hotel based on your own needs.

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