Norway: Stavanger and Pulpit Rock
2 day itinerary
The Stavanger Region stands out for its many scenic attractions, including the Lysefjord , Sola beach and the world famous Preikestolen (“the Pulpit Rock” or Pulpit Rock). Preikestolen is located 604 meters above sea level, making it the most visited attraction in Rogaland County. The publication Lonely Planet recognized the attraction as the best panoramic visual world.
Stavanger is a university city and is home to many higher education and research institutions. This quality is reflected in the lively urban atmosphere of the city and in the wide variety of opportunities for shopping and gastronomic experiences. In 2008, the Stavanger and Sandnes Region was recognized as the European Capital of Culture, confirming its variety of cultural events and activities.
Currently, Stavanger is the European capital of oil and energy and most of the dividends of the local population come from activities related to the oil sector.
Stavanger’s city center is very compact, making it easy to access most attractions on foot. The historic center has one of the best preserved wooden houses in Europe, with more than 170 white wooden houses.
How to get to Stavanger:
By plane: Stavanger has the second largest airport in Norway in terms of international air traffic. From / to Stavanger Sola International Airport there are direct flights from over 60 destinations in Norway. A bus service transfers between the airport and Stavanger city center. The buses leave every 20 minutes and the journey time is about 30 minutes.
By bus: there are several daily bus departures from Oslo, Bergen and Kristiansand to Stavanger. Leaving Oslo, the journey takes approximately 10 hours, Bergen takes five hours and Kristiansand takes four hours.
By train: NSB offer regular shipments to Stavanger from Oslo via Kristiansand. The trip takes about eight hours. The local train that covers the route between Stavanger and Egersund leaves every hour, allowing easy access to the Jæren area.
By boat: if you plan to bring your car from another country, you can take a ferry from Hirtshals in Denmark to Kristiansand, with a four-hour drive to Stavanger, or to Tananger, about 20 minutes from Stavanger. From the Stavanger boat terminal, you can choose from a variety of passenger boat options for the Ryfylke areas, as well as all the islands in the vicinity of Stavanger.
1st day: Recognizing Stavanger
My arrival in Stavanger was in the morning (at Stavanger airport), and at 1 pm I already had the rental car in my hand heading towards the hostel.
See more about my accommodation in Norway in the post Full Tour of Norway .
For the traveler who is not going to rent a car, the best option is to take the Flybussen bus , at the airport, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes to the center, or take bus number 9, which takes around 1 hour.

I did my check in , left the bags and after a short rest I was already walking on the streets of the small town and making local recognition.
As I arrived on a Sunday, a lot was closed and the streets were deserted. It was just to get a little feel for the weather, take some pictures of the city, which has a lot of graffiti, and stop for a quick fast food in the center.
Stavanger has become a reference point in world graffiti, hosting Nuart , a contemporary festival of street art.
Check out the works created at the Nuart Festival 2016 below and create your Street Art tour!
The 2017 Festival will take place between 08/31 until 09/02.
After that short walk (my hostel was about 15 minutes walk from the center) I returned and ended my day.
It was not a day of many wanderings and visits, exactly, because everything was closed.
2nd day: Small City Tour in Stavanger and Pulpit Rock Trail
For the second day we did a small and quick city tour in the morning in the city of Stavanger, and then we went on to the first track in Norway: Pulpit Rock .
In the city of approximately 130 thousand inhabitants the options of attractions are:
-
- Stavanger Cathedral
- Ovre Holmegate
- Valberg Tower
- Gamle Stavanger
- Monument to the 3 Swords
- Petroleum Museum
- Port Region
We went through some of the options, took pictures and went on our first adventure in Norwegian lands.
We drive to Pulpit Rock . The trip lasts, more or less, 1 hour and a half and has a part that must be made by ferry.
If you are not driving, the best option is to take a bus that takes you to the park entrance. The traveler purchased the bus tickets through the company Tide . You can check the times by accessing this link and to buy the ticket access this link .
Other companies transport to Pulpit, check out more information on the official websites: Rodne , Pulpit Rock Tour and The Fjords .
Values:
Pulpit Rock park parking: 150 NOK
Bus from Stavanger to Pulpit Rock ( Tide company ): 320 NOK
Stavanger tourist information:
Domkirkeplassen 3 – 4006 Stavanger – Tel.: +47 51 85 92 00
1 June – 31 August: Monday – Sunday: 9am to 8pm
Rest of the year: Monday – Friday: 9am to 4pm
Saturday: 9am to 2pm
Closed on holidays
(You can rent a bike at the tourist information center – take a document and 200 NOK for deposit)
There are 3,800 m of walking in a quiet and structured hiking. We took a sunny and relatively hot day. We started our hike at 11 am and ended around 6 pm (3 hours walk to go and 3 hours walk back).
Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) is one of the most visited attractions in Norway, and one of the most photographed places. In 2011 it was named one of the most spectacular views in the world by CNN GO and Lonely Planet . Visiting this popular fjord, located 604 meters above the Lyssefjord, is a fantastic experience with nature.
After getting to know one of the most stunning viewing platforms in the world, we follow our road trip for another adventure in Norway. Our destination now was the city of Odda.
Check also the other posts about our routes in Norway:
> Complete itinerary in Norway – Road trip from Stavanger to Bergen
> 2-day itinerary in Odda and Trolltunga
Important Tip : always be aware of the time you are going to travel to Norway, if you are in the European autumn / winter you probably will not have all trails cleared or you will have to hire a guide for the routes. The ideal is to visit the country in the summer (June to September) if the idea is to go hiking and outdoor sports and if you want to see the northern lights it is better to go in the winter and look for the best months through information from the country and specialized agencies.
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