Cruise port guide · Western Norway
Dock right in town, walk into the old wooden streets, and take a boat to the Lysefjord if you've got the time.
Most ships dock right in the centre of Stavanger, a few minutes from the old town, and then the day is easy. The one thing to check before you arrive is your berth, because on busy days some ships go to Mekjarvik, well outside the city. After that, it's a choice between a relaxed day on foot and a boat trip into the Lysefjord.
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white wooden houses in Old Stavanger
the age of Norway's oldest cathedral
from the centre to Mekjarvik, the overflow port
round-trip hike at Pulpit Rock, plus transport
The classic trip from Stavanger. Boats leave from the harbour, so you can walk there from a berth in town. Allow about 2.5 to 3.5 hours.
Find a fjord boatYour ship's daily programme tells you.
Walk · 10 min to the centre
The two sides of the Vågen harbour, right in the centre. The old town is only a few minutes from Strandkaien.
Free shuttle bus · 30 min to the centre
The overflow port on busy days, about 10 km northwest of the city and around 15 minutes by road. Ask your cruise line how you get into town and what it costs. Taxis get expensive out here.
Time in port, minus the trip into town and back, and 30 minutes' margin before all aboard.
| Quay | 4 h stop | 6 h stop | 8 h stop |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strandkaien or Skagenkaien | 3h 10m | 5h 10m | 7h 10m |
| Mekjarvik | 2h 30m | 4h 30m | 6h 30m |
About 1 h 35 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
About 3 h 20 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
About 5 h 5 min of sightseeing. Works from every quay.
One of Northern Europe's largest collections of preserved wooden houses, from the 18th and 19th centuries, with more than 170 of them lining narrow cobbled streets. People still live here, so keep your voice down and your drone at home.
Norway's oldest cathedral, from the 12th century, and a short walk from the harbour.
Øvre Holmegate got its bright colours in 2005 and has been everyone's favourite photo ever since. It's about ten minutes on foot from the old town.
Right on the harbour, in a building that looks like an offshore platform. It explains how oil changed Norway, with interactive exhibits, models and films. Better than it sounds, and good on a rainy day.
Boats leave from Strandkaien and go into the Lysefjord, below Pulpit Rock. Allow about 2.5 to 3.5 hours, and be at the boat at least 20 minutes before it leaves.
Find a fjord boatAround four hours of walking round trip on uneven ground, plus the transport to and from the trailhead. It only works on a very long stop of nine hours or more, with an early start and organised transport. If you've got eight hours or less, take the boat and look up at it instead.
Check the return time against your all aboard, and pick a boat that leaves from the city harbour.
Find a fjord boatMost shops in Norway close on Sundays and public holidays. Museums, cafés and restaurants in the centre usually stay open, often with shorter hours. Here are the public holidays for the next twelve months:
From a berth in the centre, you don't need the ship's excursion. You can walk to everything, and the fjord boats leave from the same harbour. If your ship is at Mekjarvik, or you want to try for Pulpit Rock, the ship's excursion takes away the worry about getting back on time.
Last checked November 2026. Sources: Adventour Begins, Stavanger cruise port guide, Rødne Fjord Cruise, travel information, CruiseEurope, Stavanger port information.