Sail Away Stories: Taking a Scenic Fjord Tour in Stavanger, Norway

The final port of our recent 7 day Norwegian Fjords cruise on P&O Iona was Stavanger, a new port for us. After the drama and beauty of the previous three days, deep in the heart of the fjords, I wasn’t expecting too much from Norway’s fourth largest city. We were leaving the fairy-tale fjords behind for urbanity, retail and industry. Would Stavanger be another Haugesund? Or would we be enchanted by Stavanger’s architecture, art scene and fun vibes? It turns out it was the latter. And our visit was only enhanced by taking a fjord tour along the Lysefjord. Yes, I think we’re going to need a smaller boat.

We spent a day ashore in Stavanger as part of our 7 day cruise on P&O Iona. We also visited Olden and Flåm on our trip! You can find similar P&O Norwegian fjord cruises here!

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From cruise port to city

The excellent thing about a stop in Stavanger – and in fact all of the stops on this Norwegian fjords cruise – is that the port is located in the heart of the city. We’re just minutes from Strandkaien quay, and we can see the wooden houses of Gamle Stavanger from our breakfast spot. Step off the ship and you’re in Stavanger. No shuttle buses, no transfers, no messing around.

Stavanger – at least the parts you’re most likely to visit on a fleeting cruise visit – is compact, flat and easily walkable. There are a few short sharp inclines through Gamle Stavanger though, and cobbled streets which might play havoc with the ankles in the wrong footwear.

Our fjord tour with Rødne Fjord Cruise

Swapping a big boat for a little boat hadn’t been pre-planned. In fact we hadn’t really planned much for our day in Stavanger. A Hop-On Hop-Off Bus tour maybe? A quick stroll around the city, taking in the sights before returning to the ship? Instead we end up rushing back to Iona, wishing we had a little longer in Stavanger. Not least because we had left Ma and Pa Lee in the pub.

But let’s not skip to the end of the visit just yet. On the waterside at Strandkaien we’re met by a plethora of boat tour options. With a staffed ticket stand, we enquire about prices and availability with Rødne Fjord Cruise. There’s a boat departing at 11am, boarding starts in abut 10 minutes, and it costs £55 per person, compared to £70 for a later sailing. With similar costs to other vendors, we decide to book on. Pa Lee does try to swing a birthday discount but the apologetic yet firm ticket seller wasn’t falling for that old chestnut.

Our tour takes in Lysefjord, Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock) and Hengjanefossen Waterfall. We sail at 11am, disembarking just after 2pm. Make sure you take return times into account, although it does dock thankfully close to the cruise terminal. If you’re not on a tight cruise schedule, you might want to consider taking an afternoon tour.

If you prefer to pre-book, our exact Electric Fjord Cruise is also available through Get Your Guide

I expect the passengers to be crammed onto the electric-powered catamaran like the canned fish that this city in Norway is so famous for. We were early in the queue, and so we were able to have our pick of the seats on embarkation. But even as we set sail, it’s clear that there’s plenty of room for everyone, inside and out. We chose to sit on deck but there was lots of comfortable seating available inside, with large picture windows so no-one misses out on the views.

You’ll probably want to bring a waterproof and warm jacket with you if you plan to stay on deck. We were lucky with exceptional weather but there were still times when the wind whipped around our ears and we were glad of our layers.

Stavanger is on the south west coast of Norway, so summer temperatures can be pleasant – and even hot, as we experienced! I didn’t expect to leave Stavanger with sunburn – pack your sunscreen!

As we leave Stavanger, it’s all very pretty but where’s the drama? The epic landscapes? The towering cliffs? Oh, don’t worry. As soon as we enter the narrow channel of Lysefjord we are in a picture postcard scene. Isolated houses sit on rocky outcrops. We sail up close to Fantahålå – also known as Vagabonds’ Cave – and even pay a visit to a pair of mountain goats, going about their business of sitting and eating.

Our vessel lingers in front of the impressive Preikestolen – glad we’ve taken a more leisurely way to view the 603m flat-topped rock formation than attempting a hike to the top. We make out a few tiny people, peering over the edge, whilst we appreciate its grandeur from below. Finally, we’re treated to the stunning Herjanefossen waterfall, which only gets more impressive as our captain makes a slow about turn so that we can all feel the force and the mist of the falls.

NB: This post isn’t sponsored in any way; I just really recommend this tour through the majestic Lysefjord!

Highlights of Stavanger

Back on dry land, and we have a couple of hours left before we need to return to Iona. We loosely discuss finding food, but decide to settle for a liquid lunch instead. Stavanger is an incredibly vibrant city, with plenty of pubs, bars and restaurants lining the waterside. We’re heading slightly away from the water though, to the colourful streets of Øvre Holmegate.

Øvre Holmegate

Locals call this area Fargegaten – the street of colours. As well as a multitude of bars and cafes – most sporting a combination of Pride and football flags – there are tattoo artists, vintage boutiques and barber shops. Street art and murals decorate walls already brightly painted. It reminds me of Gloucester Road in Brighton, or Camden before it got touristy. It’s busy and bustling, with both locals and tourists.

Stavanger Fun Fact: It was actually local hairdresser Tom Kjørsvik who had the vision to create this colourful community. Maybe he’s also responsible for the fun “You Look Gorgeous But What’s With The Hair?” slogan? ✂️🌈

There are so many appealing places to grab a drink – although being Norway, naturally you’re going to shell out for the pleasure. Cirkus is perfect, with a great selection of local craft beers and cocktails. There’s also plenty of board games available – I spot THREE different versions of Ticket to Ride but Mr Fletche reminds me that we really don’t have time to set up a game.

I LOVE Ticket To Ride but do you know where I first spotted it? At Labeerynt, in Gdansk. Couldn’t understand the rules though, it was all in Polish 🤣 You can read more about Labeerynt, and other places to eat and drink in Gdansk here.

We leave Ma and Pa Lee for a second eyewateringly expensive round in Cirkus, reminding them to return to the ship at a sensible time. I don’t want to be watching them stagger down the pier at 4:30 when everyone else is on board. They may be independent cruisers now but I feel like I’m the responsible adult when we holiday together. Actually no, that’s Mr Fletche.

Gamle Stavanger

We head back towards the port, but before we return to Iona we stroll around the charming wooden whitewashed houses of Gamle Stavanger. 173 cottages line this area of “old” Stavanger, many with brightly coloured window boxes or hanging basket displays or flags. It’s still largely a residential area so we make sure we’re always respectful, especially of where we’re pointing a camera lens.

Final thoughts on Stavanger

Stavanger is a big city with small town vibes. Our time in port gave us time to see the sights, and experience some of the surrounding spectacular scenery. It’s one of those places where a short cruise stop is a simply a taster, and is definitely worthy of a longer visit.