5 Great Day Trips from Stavanger

September 2, 2026

Stavanger’s own centre is a compact 2-3 day stop, so the real reason to stay longer is the region around it. These 5 day trips cover the range, from a moderate half-day hike to a full day for stronger legs.

1. Preikestolen and the Lysefjord

The classic: drive or bus about 40 minutes through the Ryfast tunnel to the trailhead near Jørpeland, then hike roughly 3.8km each way, 3-4 hours round trip, up to the flat granite plateau 604m above the Lysefjord. There’s no fencing at the summit by design, so take real care near the edge. Pair it with a Lysefjord cruise from Stavanger harbour if you’d rather see the same cliffs from the water. Best done May through September.

2. Kjerag and the Kjeragbolten boulder

For hikers who found Preikestolen too easy, Kjerag is a meaningfully harder step up: roughly 2.5-3 hours each way from the Øygardsstølen trailhead, chain-assisted sections, and closed in winter. The reward is Kjeragbolten, a boulder wedged in a crevasse over a 241m drop; walking onto it is optional. Reckon on about a 2-hour drive from Stavanger plus a summer ferry leg to Lysebotn if you want the full loop (verify current route). Late June through September only.

3. The Jæren coast and Sola beaches

South of the city, the Jæren coast flips the usual Norwegian script: a flat, sandy, roughly 60km shoreline instead of fjord cliffs. Sola, about 5km from the centre, has around 5km of sandy North Sea beach that’s a known windsurfing and watersports spot. It’s an easy half-day out, and one of the few places in Norway you can genuinely call a beach day.

4. Utstein Abbey

Norway’s best-preserved medieval monastery sits on the island of Klosterøy, about 30 minutes from Stavanger via the undersea Byfjord tunnel. The present building dates to the 13th century under King Magnus VI, was home to Augustinian canons until the 1537 Reformation, and now runs as a museum and event venue. It’s a quieter, shorter outing than the fjord hikes, good for a half-day or combined with the Ryfylke region.

5. Flørli and the Ryfylke fjord region

The Ryfylke region northeast of the city is the gateway to Preikestolen, but it holds more than the one trail. Flørli, roadless and ferry-only, is home to the Flørli 4444 stairs, a wooden staircase widely said to be the world’s longest, climbing to the Ternevatnet reservoir above a 1918 hydroelectric station. Flor og Fjære, a seasonal garden island reached by boat with a set-menu lunch, is another Ryfylke-adjacent half-day option.

Planning notes

Preikestolen is doable as a half-day if you start early; Kjerag genuinely needs a full day and a summer weather window. Jæren and Utstein Abbey are the pair to choose if you want a lower-key day between hikes. None of these require a rental car if you’re comfortable with buses and seasonal boats, though a car gives you more flexibility for Kjerag and Ryfylke.

For a full trip that builds these in around the city’s own sights, see our hiking areas guide , and for a day-by-day plan, see our 5-day itinerary .