Thon Partner Hotel Stavanger Forum is located next door to the Stavanger Forum Conference Centre, just 5 minutes from the Stavanger city center. The hotel has 21 floors and a restaurant on the top floor, where you can enjoy breakfast with Stavanger’s best view.
Stavanger
What do you get if you combine Michelin restaurants with old wooden houses, world-class street art, and a great multicultural vibe? Travel to Stavanger to get the answer. Stavanger is the largest city in the southwestern part of the country, and an ideal starting point if you want to tick off famous nature attractions such as the Lysefjord and Preikestolen (The Pulpit Rock). The coastal area of Jæren is a beach bum’s paradise, home to some of Norway’s widest and whitest beaches. Surfing and kiting enthusiasts will also be in for a treat. Follow the North Sea road towards Egersund and discover how charming towns and villages, like the picturesque Sogndalstrand, lie one by one like a string of pearls along the coast.
It is easy to get around in Stavanger by foot, since many of the main attractions lie within walking distance from the town center. Walk along cobblestone streets in old Stavanger and look at the beautiful wooden houses from the 1700s. At the town’s harbor you will find plenty of pubs and restaurants, many of which offer outdoor seating. Come visit in July when the festival Gladmat (Happyfood) takes over the harbor. Here you can taste local seafood and take cooking classes.
An important part of Stavanger is the large number of museums that are perfect for days when the weather gets notoriously chilly. Learn about the city’s canned fish legacy at the Hermetikk Museum. You can look at amazing art from Norwegian and international artists at the Stavanger Art Museum. Play games from the stone age at the Norwegian Children’s Museum. Boat enthusiasts can entertain themselves with the model ship collection at the Stavanger Maritime Museum.
Don’t miss Konge Park to entertain the whole family all day long. This amusement park offers more than 50 rides and attractions, for example Norway’s longest bobsleigh track. Visit the park’s chocolate factory and attempt making your own sweets.
When visiting Stavanger don’t miss taking a ride on a cruise ship on the Norwegian fjords. Travel to Lysefjord and see a 400 meter high waterfall, go kayaking and hike to beautiful sights and mountain tops.
Lysefjord and Preikestolen
The Lysefjord lies behind you as you place your foot down on the first of 4 444 steps that take you 740 meters above sea level in less than two hours. The world’s longest wooden stairway can creak and squeak, but the construction is stable since it was previously used by the Flørli hydro power plant.
The Preikestol rises over 640 meter above the Lysefjord, and the path up is one of Norway’s most famous hiking trails. Over 300.000 people every year come to see the unique rock formation.
The eight kilometer hike starts at Preikestolen Fjellstue and takes around four hours round trip. The ride is steep in some places and is considered quite demanding. Join one of the guided tours that run daily from April to October (depending on the weather), admire the cliff from a sightseeing boat, or do both – some offer combined hikes and cruises.
If you don’t want to share your experience with too many people, you can start the hike at night. Then you also get a magical sunrise in the bargain! There are also usually fewer people if you do the tour in the afternoon.
