How to spend one day in Stavanger, Norway, including the top things to do in Stavanger that you can do all in one day! This post will show you how to make the most of your day in Stavanger following the itinerary that we followed for our own one day in Stavanger.

During our one week trip to Norway, we had only one day to spend in the city of Stavanger. We spent our one day in Stavanger hiking to Pulpit Rock, visiting the Swords in Rock monument, and exploring the city as much as we could.

While we wish we had more time to spend in the city of Stavanger during our trip, we are here to tell you that it is still possible to see many of the top things to do and attractions in one day. Let us tell you how to spend one day in Stavanger, Norway!

Table of Contents Show

Pin this blog post to reference back to later while you are planning your trip to Norway!

This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you make a booking using one of these links we will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you, helping to fund our future travels. For more information, read our Disclosures page.

Where to Stay in Stavanger

If you only have one day in Stavanger, it is recommended to stay within walking distance of the downtown, or Stavanger Sentrum, so that you can see as much of the city as possible in your limited time there. You don’t want to waste any of your precious time commuting into the city! And there are plenty of great centrally located hotels in Stavanger to choose from.

Where We Stayed in Stavanger

We chose to stay at Stavanger Bed & Breakfast for its affordable price that included breakfast, its close walking distance to downtown, and because it was on the list of pickup locations for our tour to Pulpit Rock that would be picking us up at 12:30am...

We knew we didn’t need anything fancy for our one night in Stavanger since we would only be using the room to sleep, spending as much of our time exploring the city as we could. We were happy with our experience staying here, and as a bonus, they made amazing Norwegian Waffles for breakfast (we will tell you more about that later in this post).

If you are looking for an affordable stay with a central location for your stay in Stavanger, Stavanger Bed & Breakfast is a great option to consider!

Book your stay: Stavanger Bed & Breakfast on Booking.com

Other Hotels in Stavanger Sentrum

Here are a few of the top-rated hotels in Stavanger ranging from budget, mid-range options, to luxury. All of these hotels have great reviews and are centrally located in the downtown of Stavanger – the perfect location for your short stay in Stavanger.

Budget ($): Stavanger Bed & Breakfast, the only budget hotel with good reviews in the city center.
Mid-Range ($$): Radisson Blu Atlantic Hotel, Thon Hotel Maritim, Hotel Victoria
High-end ($$$): Eilert Smith Hotel, a high-end boutique hotel located off of the Stavanger harbor.

Pulpit Rock Sunrise Hike from Stavanger Norway

Hike to Pulpit Rock / Preikestolen

Location: Preikestolvegen 521, 4100 Jørpeland, Norway [Google Maps]

Stavanger has been called the “gateway to Pulpit Rock” as many tourists come to stay in the city with the sole purpose of hiking Pulpit Rock. And with the building of Ryfylke Tunnel in 2019, the trailhead to Pulpit Rock is now just a short 42-minute car ride from Stavanger.

What is Pulpit Rock?

The hike to Pulpit Rock is one of Norway’s most famous and popular mountain hikes. Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen, is an iconic mountain plateau formed by glaciers over 10,000 years ago that sits 604 metres above the Lysefjord.

The hike to Pulpit Rock is moderately difficult with a distance of 7.6 km / 4.7 miles and an elevation gain of 350 meters / 1150 feet. On average, it takes about 4–5 hours to complete this hike.

Sunrise Hike to Pulpit Rock

One increasingly popular way to experience the hike to Pulpit Rock is by doing a sunrise hike tour. Besides seeing the beautiful sun rise over the fjord, two benefits of doing the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock are that the trail will be less crowded and you will have almost an entire day remaining in Stavanger to explore the city afterwards (you will just be a little tired).

We did the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock in late April 2018. Doing this hike in April was a gamble because of the weather, but we had the usually-crowded trail and Pulpit Rock all to ourselves. We started the hike at 2am to get to the cliff in time for sunrise. Although it ended up being foggy at the summit of Pulpit Rock, it was still incredibly beautiful.

For more details about doing the sunrise hike to Pulpit Rock and our experience, read the blog post.

Hike to Kjeragbolten from Stavanger — *Image Source:* *Wikimedia Commons*

Alternatively: Hike to Kjeragbolten

Location: Fv500 10, 4127 Lysebotn, Norway [Google Maps]

Another one of Norway’s most famous mountain hikes is that to Kjeragbolten, which is also most often reached through the city of Stavanger. It is only about a 2-hour drive from Stavanger to the trailhead of Kjeragbolten.

We were not able to do the hike to Kjeragbolten during our trip to Norway since we were only in Stavanger for one day, but we definitely hope to do this incredible hike on a future trip to Norway.

What is Kjeragbolten?

Kjeragbolten (or “Kjerag Bolt” in English) is a famous boulder on the mountain Kjerag, wedged within a mountain crevasse. The Kjerag mountain is 1,110-metres tall and sits on the southern shore of Lysefjorden.

It is a strenuous 6-hour, 11-kilometer out and back hike to see this iconic boulder, including steep sections with chains and slick rocks. Like the hike to Pulpit Rock, you can do this hike entirely on your own or with a tour guide. The cost for parking is NOK 300.

However, the county road to the Kjeragbolten trailhead is only open from May to October/November depending on the snow conditions. During the winter it is only possible to do this hike with a guide.

Pulpit Rock vs Kjeragbolten

Instead of doing the hike to Pulpit Rock during your one day in Stavanger, you could choose to hike to Kjeragbolten. However, be aware that it is much longer and considered to be a more difficult hike than the hike to Pulpit Rock.

It would not be possible to do both hikes in one day. The hike to Kjeragbolten will take up more (if not all) of your one day in Stavanger so you will have to decide what is most important for you to do and see during your stay.

If you are staying in the Stavanger area for longer than one day though, you could definitely do both of these epic hikes! Many people come to stay in the Stavanger area for a few days specifically to do these two famous hikes.

Learn more: Hiking to Kjerag on VisitNorway

Walk along the Stavanger Harbor

The Stavanger Harbor port area, called Vågen by the locals, is lined with colorful historic buildings and usually bustling with activity. A visit to the Stavanger Harbor is a must for your one day in Stavanger. And if you’re staying in Stavanger Sentrum, it’s impossible to miss!

Come take a stroll along the waterfront and admire the beautiful buildings, take pictures, and watch the boats come in. There are also some benches along the water where you can sit and enjoy the view.

Peter and I sat here for for quite some time people watching and observing the comings and goings of the boats in the harbor. We saw everything from large cruise ships to tour boats and small fishing boats make a stop into the harbor. According to the Port of Stavanger website, the harbor receives 55,000 annual calls and 500,000 cruise guests!

Shopping & Restaurants

The Stavanger Harbor is comprised of many restaurants, pubs, and shops worth exploring. Make sure to check out the Fisketorget (the Stavanger Fish market), which has both a restaurant and a fish and seafood market. When the weather is nice, enjoy outdoor dining at the restaurant shop fronts and watch the boats come in while you eat.

After your meal, you can do some souvenir shopping in the cute shops. There are clothing stores, book stores, souvenir stands, and more within a short walk of the port.

At night, these former sea houses become a popular area for nightlife. After dinner, enjoy some drinks with live music at one of the bars or restaurants. Or simply walk along the water and enjoy the view of the city lit up at night reflecting in the water.

Stavanger Tourist Office

Here along the Stavanger Harbor you will also find the Stavanger Tourist Office. This is where Peter and I went to ask about the Sverd i fjell (Swords in Rock). The helpful worker explained to us how to get there from the city center and everything we needed to know!

If there is a particular local attraction or hike that you are interested in learning more about, or if you just want to see more options of things to do in the area, make sure to stop by the tourist office.

Learn more: Vågen Stavanger on VisitNorway

One day in Stavanger Swords in Rock statue

Visit the Sverd i fjell (Swords in Rock)

Location: Møllebukta, 4044 Hafrsfjord, Norway [Google Maps]

Visiting the Sverd i fjell or Swords in Rock during your one day in Stavanger isn’t as simple as walking a few minutes from your hotel to the Stavanger port, but it is well worth the effort to visit this breathtaking monument! This was one of our favorite parts from our day in Stavanger.

From Stavanger Sentrum, it is only 10 minutes by car and about 30 minutes by bus (including a little walking) to reach the Swords in Rock monument.

What are the Swords in Rock?

The Sverd i fjell (translating to “Swords in Rock” in English) is a monument consisting of three bronze swords fixed in the ground. The three swords commemorate the battle in Hafrsfjord and symbolize peace, unity and freedom. The monument was completed in 1983.

The battle of Hafrsfjord “is considered to be the most important battle that contributed to the gathering of West Norway and Norway into one country” (Source: VisitNorway). According to VisitNorway, this was where Harald Fairhair formed Norway into one kingdom in 872.

Learn more: Swords in Rock on VisitNorway

How to get to the Swords in Rock by bus

Unless you are renting a car for your one day in Stavanger, you will need to get to the Swords in Rock by means of public transport. Luckily for you, since it is such a popular tourist destination, there is a bus that runs from Stavanger Sentrum to the Swords in Rock!

We ended up visiting the Stavanger Tourist Office for information about the bus and they were very helpful in explaining the bus route to us and helping us book our bus tickets. Instead of trying to book this on your own, I would honestly just go to the Tourist Office [Google Maps]!

Here are the directions from VisitNorway.com: “From Stavanger city centre to Swords in rock: Go by bus number 16 from bus stop 20 or 32. Get off at bus stop Madlaleiren and walk approximately 300 metres along Madlaveien. Return by same bus number in direction Stavanger city centre.”

You can buy tickets for this bus route online from the bus provider, Kolumbus, on the Kolumbus website. Or you can buy bus tickets from the Stavanger Tourist Information Office.

Our Visit to the Swords in Rock

During our visit to the Swords in Rock, Peter and I sat at a picnic table along the shore and admired the three swords for a long time. Even though they were completed in 1983, they felt as though they had been there for centuries.

Eventually, we got up and walked to the swords to see them in all their glory from up-close. Also, Peter set our camera up on a tripod and captured this dipping kiss picture. You can just sort of see us, but it made for a cute memory nonetheless.

Seeing the Sverd i fjell (Swords in Rock) in person was definitely one of the main highlights of our one day in Stavanger. It is definitely worth the bus ride to go see this impressive monument during your one day in Stavanger too.

Eat a delicious meal in downtown Stavanger

With only one day in Stavanger, you want to make sure that you spend your meals eating the most delicious things in the city.

We only had time to try one restaurant in Stavanger for ourselves (Døgnvill) so I can’t make many personal recommendations, but after much research here are just a few of the top-rated and reviewed restaurants in downtown Stavanger.

Where to eat in Stavanger Sentrum

Fisketorget: Website | Google Maps | $$

We mentioned it earlier in the Stavanger Harbor section and it is worth mentioning here. Fisketorget is one of the most reviewed and highly rated places to eat in Stavanger! It is a fish market and restaurant in one, serving freshly caught local fish and seafood specialties.

RE-NAA: Website | Google Maps | $$$$

If you’re feeling fancy and don’t mind the price tag, make a reservation at Stavanger’s first Michelin-starred restaurant RE-NAA. The farm-to-table menu focuses on pure, local ingredients and is based on what is in season from the lands to the fjords.

Tango Restaurant: Website | Google Maps | $$$

Another fine-dining option that is a little more accessible (no Michelin star, yet) in Stavanger Sentrum is Tango Restaurant. Like RE-NAA, Tango Restaurant focuses on high-quality, local ingredients.

Egget: Website | Google Maps | $$$

Egget has no set menu, which changes daily and is listed on a chalkboard above the bar. Focusing on locally produced food and the whims of the chef. Another pricey option, however.

Døgnvill Burger: Website | Google Maps | $$

Døgnvill focuses on creating high-quality burgers in a comfortable atmosphere. This is where Peter and I got dinner in Stavanger and we can earnestly recommend it. The food was delicious and more affordable than other options for the quality. You can read more about our experience below.

Our Breakfast in Stavanger: Norwegian Waffles

To start our day in Stavanger, we had delicious, homemade Norwegian waffles served fresh to us at our hotel, Stavanger Bed & Breakfast. I would stay at this hotel again for these waffles alone! They were delicious. If you are not staying at Stavanger Bed & Breakfast, I would definitely look for a breakfast restaurant serving Norwegian waffles to try these bad boys for yourself.

Norwegian waffles are served with sour cream and berry jam on top. It may sound weird to put sour cream on a waffle, but it is amazing. Peter has recreated this meal several times since we got home.

Eat a delicious burger at Dognvill Stavanger

Our Dinner in Stavanger: Døgnvill Burger

Location: Skagen 13, 4006 Stavanger, Norway [Google Maps]
Website: Døgnvill Burger

Our hike to Pulpit Rock included breakfast at the Preikestolen Mountain Lodge and we got a second breakfast of fresh Norwegian waffles at our hotel, so we weren’t hungry for lunch. That meant we only had one meal, dinner, to try some amazing food from a restaurant in Stavanger.

After much research, we decided to have our only dinner in Stavanger at Døgnvill Burger. Døgnvill Burger immediately caught our interest because of the thousands of positive reviews on TripAdvisor and Google and their menu of both classic and unique burgers.

I can’t remember exactly what we ordered but I do remember it being delicious. And I am not normally a “burger person”. Especially after a long day of hiking and exploring the city we had worked up a mean appetite and this really hit the spot.

Every aspect of the burger is handmade including the light and fluffy bun. All of the ingredients are high-quality and locally sourced. The beef for the burgers are from grass fed animals sourced from the Jæren area. They also offer some chicken and vegetarian burger options which is awesome! If you’re in the mood for a delicious burger, I would definitely stop by Døgnvill.

Will you be spending a day in Stavanger, Norway?

Now you know how to spend a day in Stavanger, Norway and make the most of your limited time in the city. Learn from our experience and stay in Stavanger Sentrum, visit the port and the Swords in Rock, and definitely do the hike to Pulpit Rock if you can (and hopefully you will have better weather than we did for the hike).

Are you spending a day in Stavanger? Or will you be staying in Stavanger longer than one day? I would definitely recommend it if you can! We wish we had more time to spend in this incredible city and hope to visit again someday. I’m sure that this post only brushes the surface of the things to do in Stavanger. If you have any recommendations to add to this list, please leave them in the comments below and help your fellow travelers.

If you’re planning a trip to Norway and will be visiting Stavanger, I hope that this post has been helpful to you. Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.

Make sure to subscribe to the Adventures with Pinny YouTube channel and follow us on our Instagram so you don’t miss a thing. Thanks for stopping by our blog, see you again soon!