STAVANGER

In Stavanger, everything is within easy reach: Culinary experiences, colourful culture, medieval streets with a vibrant city life, world-famous street art, Northern Europe’s best-preserved collection of old wooden houses – and magnificent scenery right on your doorstep.

TOURIST INFORMATION Strandkaien 61, N-4005 Stavanger Tel: +47 51 85 92 00 1. June – 31. Aug: Every day 8 - 18 Rest of the year: Mon. – Fri 9 - 16 Saturdays May and Sept. – medio Oct. 9 - 14 Closed on Sundays Closed on public holidays, during Easter and the period between Christmas and New Year. www.regionstavanger.com

Photo: ©brian tallman photograpy Øvre Holmegate.

NUART STREET ART

Old Stavanger. Photo: Gunhild Vevik Town square. Photo: Elisabeth Tønnesen

EXPERIENCES

FOOD CAPITAL Interested in challenging your taste buds? Food capital Stavanger has a lot to offer. You can find everything from food trucks and microbreweries to food festivals and Michelin restaurants. Trendy cafés attract latte drinkers, while local seafood, lamb, vegetables and fruit from our local producers make their way to the wide range of restaurants in the city. The restaurants RE-NAA and Sabi Omakase have both been awarded stars by the renowned Michelin guide. You have to book a table well in advance at these restaurants.

THE CULTURAL CITY STAVANGER Stavanger is also a city of rich culture. Stavanger has, among other things, cemented its position as a street art destination. Spectacular murals bring life to the urban landscape, and Stavanger hosts the street art festival Nuart, which aims to spark debate by challenging preconceptions about what art is, and what art can be. The art works make for a magnificent and unforgettable visual experience.

SØLVBERGET Stavanger’s public library and cultural centre is the region’s cultural meeting place, and is situated in the heart of the charming city centre. The public library is of course free, and is a popular hangout spot in the city with room for everyone. There are lots of activities for adults and children alike at Sølvberget. You can relax with a good book, see interesting exhibitions or learn more about the well-known Norwegian writer Alexander Kielland at the Kiellandsenteret. Sølvberggata 2, 4006 Stavanger. Tel. 51 50 74 65. www.stavanger-kulturhus.no.

STAVANGER CONCERT HALL The city’s concert hall hosts exciting entertainment and cultural events in different musical genres. You can see concerts with Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, or national and international performers. The concert hall has two beautiful halls, an atrium and a good restaurant. Sandvigå 1, 4007 Stavanger www.stavanger-konserthus.no.

OLD STAVANGER Before the oil industry came to Stavanger, the city made its living from fishing and various forms of industry. People lived close together, and the city consisted mostly of small wooden houses. The city centre has now been modernised, but large areas of these old wooden buildings have been preserved. In old Stavanger, you can visit Northern Europe’s best preserved wooden buildings. The area is made up of 173 wooden buildings that were erected in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Old Stavanger is still a popular place to live, and the residents decorate their gardens during summer with beautiful flowers. Øvre Strandgate, 4005 Stavanger

FARGEGATA – THE COLOURFUL STREET It’s over 14 years since the hairdresser Tom Kjørsvik came up with the idea to paint the houses in Øvre Holmegata street in different colours. The street has become known as Fargetgata (the colourful street), and its cafés, pubs and small niche shops are popular among the locals. It has also become a tourist attraction and one of the most photographed places in the city.

RICH HISTORY The area around Stavanger has been inhabited for thousands of years. Stavanger’s proximity to the sea made the area a natural place for the Vikings to settle. New archaeological finds show that Stavanger was a ‘Kaupang’, where people traded goods and services in the Viking Age. It was also here that Harald Fairhair united Norway into one kingdom following the battle of Hafrsfjord in 872 AD. The majestic monument Swords in Rock (Sverd i fjell) has been erected on the site where the battle is said to have taken place. MEDIEVAL CHURCHES Five medieval churches can be found in the City of Stavanger. Stavanger Cathedral is one of the oldest churches in Norway, and was built, according to legend, in 1125. The cathedral is currently closed due to renovation work. The cathedral is nonetheless a spectacular sight, however, and a natural focal point in the city centre. The church at Utstein Monastery is also one of a kind, and you will find three of Norway’s oldest stone churches on the islands Talgje, Finnøy and Rennesøy. The churches on Talgje, Hesby and Sørbø are believed to have been built between 1130 and 1230, and they all stand in exposed locations at the ocean’s edge, and give you a sense of how the forces of nature have influenced life on these islands.

MUSEUM STAVANGER

The Museum of Archaeology Many of the archaeological finds made in the region are exhibited at the Museum of Archaeology in Stavanger at Peder Klows gate 30A, in close proximity to the city centre. The open air Iron Age Farm (Jernaldergården), which is part of the Museum of Archaeology is located at Ullandhaug and houses an exciting visitor centre.

The Norwegian Petroleum Museum,

Kjeringholmen 1A. As the oil capital of Norway, Stavanger is the perfect place to learn how the Norwegian oil boom started, and how it has influenced and continues to influence Norwegian society. The Norwegian Canning Museum, Øvre Strandgate 88 & 90. A living museum in an old canning factory in the heart of Old Stavanger. Closed until November 2020 due to renovation. Stavanger Art Museum, Henrik Ibsens gate 55. You can experience the works of important Stavanger artists such as Frida Hansen and Lars

Fjøløy Lighthouse. Photo: Elisabeth Tønnesen

The islnds. Photo: Grim Bergenle Film

Hertevig, in addition to temporary exhibitions of Norwegian and international artists. Stavanger maritime museum, Strandkaien 22. The museum has exhibitions about shipping, trade and shipbuilding in the region.

Stavanger Museum and the Norwegian

Children’s Museum Muségata 16. The museum houses natural history and cultural history exhibitions and the Norwegian Children’s Museum. The museum also has a museum shop and a café. Ledaal, Eiganesv. 45. Royal residence and the former summer residence of the Kielland family. Breidablikk, Eiganesv. 40a. Norway’s bestpreserved villa dating from the 1880s, complete with authentic interior. Holmeegenes, Eiganesveien 64. Former country mansion and plant, dating back to the 1860s. It has a great collection of objects from the period between WWI and 1950. Kunsthall Stavanger, Madlaveien 33. Independent art venue with temporary exhibitions of international contemporary art.

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

BOTANICAL GARDEN It has plants from all over the world with a total of 3,000 species and strains. Here you can sit on the bench and enjoy the view of Jæren, the North Sea and Hafrsfjord, or relax on the grass with a tasty snack. The garden is always open and admission is free.

WALKS CLOSE TO THE CITY CENTRE Walks around Breiavatnet or Mosvannet lakes, close to the city centre, are accessible and easy. You can also climb up Bandåsen, which, at 513 metres above sea level, is the highest summit in the Ryfylke islands. On the City of Stavanger’s website, you can find 52 suggestions for walks. The walks are close to the city centre, with different levels of difficulty. www.stavanger.kommune.no/kultur-ogfritid/tur-og-natur/52-hverdagsturer/

CYCLING IN STAVANGER is adapted for cycling. Cycling routes and paths bind the region together, and it’s easy to find parking spaces for bikes. You can also hire bikes and if you buy a public transport ticket through Kolumbus, you will also be able to use the city bikes found all over Stavanger.

SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORT Stavanger has worked on sustainable development for many years. In Hillevåg, just outside Stavanger city centre, you will find a mobility hub with shared transport such as electric bikes and cars. Another sustainable option is to rent an E-Twizy through the tourist office. The cars have a GPS, which includes suggestions for walks.

FJORDS & MOUNTAINS

UNIQUE SCENERY Stavanger is set among high mountains and deep fjords, and it is the perfect destination for those looking for spectacular scenery. Stavanger is a great point of departure for day trips in Norwegian nature. This makes the city the perfect starting point for day trips to experience the Norwegian scenery. A visit to the beautiful Lysefjord is a must when you visit Stavanger. The Lysefjord can been seen by boat or by walking up to the world famous Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock). This distinctive mountain formation towers 604 metres above the fjord, and thousands of selfies are taken here every year. The Kjerag Bolt is an attraction that is gaining popularity, and although the walk there is physically challenging, the rock bolt that is wedged in a crack in the rock 1,000 metres above the sea is a popular destination. Walking up the Flørli steps is a less well-known trip. The 4,444 steps take you from the bottom of the Lysefjord to 740 metres above sea level. There is no road to Flørli, but the steps start at Flørli ferry quay, which means you can get there by boat from Stavanger city centre.

These are some of the ways you can get to the Lysefjord:

LYSEFJORD AND PULPIT ROCK FJORD CRUISE

WITH RØDNE FJORD CRUISE See idyllic islands, the beautiful Lysefjord and the majestic Pulpit Rock all year round. The boat has a kiosk with souvenirs, and guiding is provided in several languages. Skagenkaien 35-37. Tel.: +47 51 89 52 70. rodne.no

GO LYSEFJORD CRUISE WITH GO FJORDS

See idyllic islands, the beautiful Lysefjord and the majestic Pulpit Rock. tel. (+47) 480 60 333, gofjords.com.

THE FJORDS SIGHTSEEING ON A TOURIST CAR

FERRY on the Lysefjord. Experience the magnificent Lysefjord from the deck of a tourist car ferry, which takes you all the way up the Lysefjord. Only available during the summer months. Tel. (+47) 57 63 14 00, www.thefjords.no.

WHAT’S ON

JANUARY

5 Final – ‘Det norske måltid’ cookery competition

MARCH

17 – 20 Stavanger Vinfest. Festival focusing on food and wine.

APRIL

24 Siddisløpet race. Race around Stokkavannet lake in Stavanger

MAY

4 – 10 Maijazz. Renowned jazz festival in Stavanger and Sandnes.

Finnøy. Photo: Monica Larsen

UTSTEIN MONASTERY

Tomatoes. Photo: Bjarte Vestbø Utopia. Foto: Vipe Productions

17 Constitution Day with children’s parade and cultural events

JUNE

6 Musikkfest festival. Local musicians play for free on different stages across Stavanger city centre. 12 – 13 The music festival Mablis in Stavanger 12 Nordsjørittet. Norway’s second largest mountain bike race 1 – 13 Altibox Norway Chess 2020. International chess tournament in the Stavanger region

JULY

20 Fishing festival on Sjernarøy for the 51st time, Finnøy 22 –25 Gladmatfestivalen. Food and culture festival, Stavanger

AUGUST

10 – 15 International Chamber Music Festival 19 – 22 Tomatfestivalen. A different kind of food festival on Finnøy. 27 – 28 Utopia Stavanger. City festival focusing on pop and electronica music

SEPTEMBER

3 Social Media Days Stavanger 16 – 20 Kapittel 21. International literature festival in Stavanger 16 – 27 Forskningsdagene 2021. Research festival in Stavanger and Sandnes

OCTOBER

25 Night at the museum

THE ISLANDS

The close proximity to the sea has led the people of the region to live by and from the sea. Author and Stavanger native, Alexander Kielland, described the people of Rogaland’s relationship to the sea as follows: They live their whole life with their faces turned towards the sea. The ocean is their company, their guide, their friend and enemy, their trade and their graveyard. With over 250 islands, Stavanger has everything a large modern city can offer, while visitors can also experience everything from the idyllic archipelago to the brute force of the North Sea.

TRAVEL LIKE THE LOCALS Travel like the locals offers package tours on public transport. Using the local transport company Kolumbus, you will get an authentic experience of how the locals live, and also get to experience exciting destinations.

UTSTEIN MONASTERY One of the real gems of the archipelago can be found where Norway’s first King; Harald Hairfair established his royal seat. Today, it is home to Norway’s only preserved medieval monastery. The monastery is situated in beautiful surroundings on Mosterøy, a 30-minute drive from Stavanger city centre. The monastery was built in 1260, but some parts of the building may be older, and originate from earlier royal estates. The church at the monastery is the only one of its kind in Norway, with the tower placed midway between the chancel and the main body of the church. Today, the monastery is run as a museum, conference centre, function room and concert venue. Ulstein monastery is a historical gem that should be experienced.

THE CULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF THE ISLANDS

Have provided fantastic walking trails. The landscape of the Rennesøy islands is shaped by their long and rich agricultural history. The many livestock that have grazed here have formed a green and almost park-like cultural landscape. This is a landscape of great biological and cultural history value, which it is very important to preserve. The eight islands therefore provide wonderful opportunities for boat enthusiasts, nature lovers and those interested in culture and history. Marked walking path are everywhere, and varied shore landscape offers small local harbours and large marinas, lovely bathing spots, small areas of woodland, islets and smooth bare rocks along the coast.

FJØLØY The locals enjoy taking trips out to Fjøløy where you will find, among other things, Fjøløy lighthouse. The lighthouse was built in 1849, and is beautifully located by the fjord. Its location at the ocean’s edge is beautiful on sunny days, but it also gives you a sense of the huge forces of the ocean. From the lighthouse, you can also continue walking on a good path along the sea to Fjøløy Fort. The fort from WWII, has now been converted into one of the region’s most exciting outdoor recreation areas, where you can combine nature experiences with Norwegian war and post-war history.

TOMATOES Did you know that 40% of all Norwegian tomatoes are produced on Finnøy? This makes Finnøy the natural place to host the annual tomato festival. With activities such as treasure hunts, concerts, lectures and exhibitions, it is an event that suits the whole family, and is definitely worth a visit.

THE GERMAN CAVES (TYSKERHÅLENE) Visitors are taken back to WWII through a creative ambulatory theatre performance. Combining tragedy and comedy, local actors show the impact of the occupying forces on the islanders. In addition to the gripping and amusing play, film and live music events take place inside the rock formation. Contact Ryfylke Livsgnist to book.

CYCLING TRIPS Little traffic, relatively flat terrain and good ferry connections make it easy and pleasurable to cycle around Finnøy, regardless of skills. Experience wonderful scenery, unique stone churches, small villages with shops and great bathing spots when you cycle across the islands Fogn, Sjernarøy and Finnøy