Storied Stavanger: A Walking Tour Through the Old Town

Wealthy Stavanger began as a small Viking settlement. On this walking tour through the historical centre of Norway’s fourth largest city, you’ll trace the city’s transformation from a medieval religious center to a canning industry powerhouse and, eventually, the wealthy ”Oil Capital of Norway” we see today.

Starting outside Stavanger Tourist Information, you’ll walk through the winding streets of Gamle Stavanger’s (Old Stavanger). You’ll see Northern Europe’s best-preserved neighborhood, where 18th and 19th-century buildings and wooden houses reveal the city’s working-class roots. Along the way, you’ll visit landmarks, some over 900 years old, including the magnificent Stavanger Cathedral, whose construction in 1125 marked the city’s official founding.

The tour weaves together tales of herring booms, witchcraft trials, petroleum discoveries, and even connections to American history, showing you how this coastal community at the edge of the North Sea has repeatedly reinvented itself. As you make your way to Fisketorget Stavanger, the Fish Market where our tour ends, you’ll hear about some of the Michelin-starred restaurants that have earned the city recognition as a culinary hotspot. You’ll also discover its identity as a street art destination, with plenty of pieces by international artists.

On this 90-minute tour, you’ll have a chance to:

• Discover the fascinating tale of Norway’s oil adventure at the waterfront, where the distinctive Norwegian Petroleum Museum stands
• See the colorful Fargegaten (Color Street), where a hairdresser’s ambitious Miami Vice-inspired painting created one of the city’s most vibrant attractions
• Explore old narrow alleyways like Netlandsmauet, so slender you can’t easily pass through with an open umbrella
• Visit Valberget Utsiktspunkt Tower, a former watchmen’s residence that now offers panoramic views of the harbor
• Learn about the important role Stavanger played in Norway’s emigration history, as the departure point for many Norwegians seeking new lives in America
• Encounter surprising art installations, including Antony Gormley’s Broken Column project with steel figures placed precisely throughout the city

By the end of this tour, you’ll have a greater appreciation for a city that has continually adapted, while staying true to its distinctive maritime character and architectural heritage.