It is a port that features on the bulk of itineraries sailing between Northern Europe or the United Kingdom and the Norwegian Fjords, so if you have been there before and want to see just what else is on offer other than walking around the city on foot, this is the list for you.

But just what are the top 10 Stavanger shore excursions? That is just what we answer in this list, which is based on our experience of visiting the port on a cruise holiday and the research we did before visiting there.

Shore Excursions In Stavanger

Swords in Rock (Sverd I fjell)

This is one of the iconic images of the city, but it is sadly too far of a walk from where you dock, so if you want to visit Norway’s most famous sculpture, you will need some sort of transport.

This is our number one pick as it was the ‘excursion’ we did the last time we visited the city but that not strictly true as we didn’t do it as an excursion.

We simply walked to the bus station and jumped on a service bus that drops you off just a short stroll from the Swords in Rock sculpture.

If you prefer things to be more organised, just about every cruise line will offer an excursion taking to the outskirts of the city and to the neighbourhood of Madia, where the impressive sculpture can be found.

Lysefjord Cruise

Stavanger sits at the head of the idyllic Lysefjord, one of Norway most beautiful and home to the Pulpit rock amongst other highlights.

After setting sail from next to your cruise ship, you head out to wards the fjord, going past bridges and rocky islands before cruising down the fjord itself for incredible views of the massive cliffs, waterfalls and wildlife found all along the fjord.

RIB Wildlife Tour

Setting off just a short stroll from where your cruise ship docks, visitors can head out on a RIB boat into the nearby fjord and cruise around the many small islands that can be found around the city.

These are home to lots of wildlife, including seabird and seals whilst the sea around the city is home to many species of whales, including Minke and Humpback whales whilst it is also possible to see Orcas, if you are lucky enough.

Helicopter Fjord Tour

There is so much to see in the region around Stavanger including lakes, glaciers, waterfalls, fjords, cliffs and more but one of the biggest issues is the time it takes to get to them all with only limited roads in the region.

One way to see everything on offer without all of that travelling is to take to the skies and fly over it all on a helicopter- although this is one for those with a bigger budget.

Pulpit Rock

The Pulpit Rock, or Preikestolen in Norwegian, is a highlight of any trip to Stavanger and one of the most recognisable tourist attractions in Norway.

Sitting just over 600 metres (1,980ft) above the beautiful Lysefjorden, the Pulpit rock is a flat top of the cliff that is around 25×25 metres in size and that offer an almost vertically view back down to the foot of the cliff and the fjord below you.

With no fences or other safety features, visitors can get as close as they dare to the edge, with some going further as it is a popular spot for daredevil base jumpers.

Kjeragbolten

If you have a head for heights and want to take the perfect Instagrammable photo, this is the perfect spot to head for.

After taking a coach ride along the beautiful Lysefjord, you will need to hike up to the edge of a cliff but when you get there you are met by incredible views, an element of danger and the chance to stand on the Kjeragbolten rock- a glacial deposit wedged in a crevice.

Hop On Hop Off

This is a staple of these sorts of lists and that is for good reason as it remains one of the better ways to see a destination to dock at.

In Stavanger, Hop On Hop Off buses start from near where you dock and whilst they are limited in where they can visit in the centre itself, they take around the outskirts of the city and give you a much better overview of the immediate region around the centre of Stavanger.

As ever, you get a audio guided tour, giving you a brief history of what you are looking at and you can jump on and off as many time as you want to explore what you want to explore.

Whilst it is easy to book these buses for yourself, either when you arrive in the city or online before you get their but if you want to use onboard credit or loyalty discounts, many lines offer them as a bookable excursion.

Highlights of the Region Coach Tour

Stavanger is a great city and somewhere we love to visit but it is also somewhere we have covered all that is available in the centre, so the last time we visited we headed off to the outskirts of town.

We did this via public transport but if you prefer to have everything organised for you, most cruise lines and local excursion companies will offer organised coach tours of surrounding villages and the beautiful coast and beaches surrounding the city itself.

Viking Farm Visit

If you have an interest in the history of Norway, the chances are that you will have interest in the Vikings and with intrigue increasing recently due to films and television programmes somewhat glamorising the marauders.

If you want to gain more a authentic look at the Vikings a visit to an historic Viking farm is a great way to do just that.

Experience the home life of Viking warriors and hear the stories of knowledgeable locals about the real life of Vikings.

Walking Tour

As mentioned, Stavanger is easy to explore on your own, is mostly flat and it is almost like the city planners were exciting cruise ships to drop 1000’s of explorers off in the main harbour.

That is because the centre is split into 4 separate areas from a visitors point of view; the Byparken area, the shopping district, the UNESCO listed Gamle district with the Vagen harbour district which is where you dock and that sits in the middle of the other districts.

What you do miss out on from walking around the city on your own, unless you are like us and do your research before you go, is just what you are looking at.

To gain an understanding of the history of the building and streets you stroll around, why not take a guide tour where a local expert shows you the best of Stavanger and give you all of the fascinating history of this beautiful city?

Stavanger ShoreEx

The Norwegian city of Stavanger is a popular stopping off port of call for cruise ships heading to the Norwegian fjords where it is normally the first or last stop for ships setting off from the UK, Germany or other Northern European cruise ports.

It offers a great day ashore where you can visit historic sights, walk around a UNESCO listed district or simply enjoy some shopping but there is so much more to the city and the region surrounding it and that is where Stavanger shoreex comes into its own.