Stavanger is a city and municipality in the county of Rogaland, Norway, located on a peninsula on the southwest coast of Norway. It is the centre of the third largest metropolitan area in the country. The climate is maritime mild temperate and rather windy, with all monthly temperature averages above freezing, and precipitation 1200 mm/year.

Tourism, attractions

For tourists, an interesting suggestion is to head for the hills. Two of the best day hikes in Norway (some would say in the world) are located a couple of hours out of town on the beautiful Lysefjorden. Not too far from Stavanger, alpine centers are ready for skiers and snowboarders throughout the winter season.
Prekestolen (aka the Pulpit Rock) is a massive rock overhanging the fjord. It's a 3-4 hour round trip hike with fabulous views. Kjeragbolten is a rock wedged in the cliff 604 meters above the fjord. It's a more strenuous 4-5 hour hike out and a longer drive, but a spectacular look down from the rock. The free fall makes Kjerag a very popular location for BASE jumping.
Along the coast south of Stavanger there are a number of large, sandy beaches, among which the one at Sola is within closest reach from the city. The beaches are quite unique in a country where fjords and mountains dominate. These beaches are widely used by the locals for walks and wind surfers all year around and for bathing during summer.
For the more urban minded, Old Stavanger (Gamle Stavanger) is located right next to the city centre. This collection of eighteenth- and nineteenth century wooden structures is one of the finest in Northern Europe. Most houses in Old Stavanger are privately owned and maintained, and in the area you will also find the studios of a number of local artists and artisans. The Norwegian Canning Museum is also located in Old Stavanger, commemorating the city's past glory as the herring capital of Norway. The city centre itself is small and intimate, with narrow streets and open spaces protected from car traffic. The open-air vegetable market is one of the very few in Norway (if not the only one) where you can buy produce directly from local farmers every working day through the year. Stavanger domkirke (St. Svithun's cathedral) was built between 1100 and 1125 by the English bishop Reinald in Anglo-Norman style, and in the late 13th century a new choir was added in Gothic style, with a vaulted roof. Among old stone churches in Norway the cathedral in Stavanger is among the best preserved. The cathedral is recognized as one of Norway's most beautiful medieval structures. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum is located at the harbour. The museum reflects the fact that Stavanger has been Norway's oil capital since oil drilling activities started in the North Sea in 1966.
Every May, Stavanger is host to MaiJazz, the Stavanger International Jazz Festival. Stavanger was the host port of the Cutty Sark Tall Ships' Race in 1997 and 2004.