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Holiday ideas

7 winter tips for bons viveurs in the Stavanger region's fjord cities

Winter
Last updated: 15.10.2024
The Stavanger city bridge seen at night with lights and colours.
Stavanger is the largest city in the region|© Brian Tallman Photography
Stavanger is the largest city in the region|© Brian Tallman Photography

Does any of this sound familiar? You are not a skiing or snowboarding person. You don't post daily snaps or videos on TikTok from the ski slopes of your dewy-fresh-glowed kids with rosy cheeks (or of yourself for that matter).


You will not be found on some mountain top every minute of the hour with a dog, partner and kids in tow. If this sounds like you, it's safe to read further! An urban winter break can offer a soft adventure, yet with fun activities for all.

1. Food adventure and a luxury hotel in Stavanger

Experience the gourmet restaurant with three stars in the MICHELIN Guide Nordic. Yes, we are talking about amazing RE-NAA! Staying at Eilert Smith Hotel, this architectural gem of a hotel in the middle of Stavanger is an experience in itself. Still, the fact that you also secure two seats at a three-star MICHELIN restaurant makes the experience complete. This package must be ordered three weeks in advance.

Read more and book the hotel package at Eilert Smith Hotel
Eilert Smith Hotel

Eilert Smith Hotel in Stavanger

Eilert Smith Hotel, a member of Small Luxury Hotels of The World, is the place for those seeking tranquillity and top quality, yet located in the city centre.

Michelin-rett

RE-NAA

3-star MICHELIN restaurant in Stavanger! Sven Erik Renaa and the team offer their best in a set menu.

Even more for the bon vivant: Spa and sauna!

Other Stavanger hotels with that little something extra:

  • Hotel Victoria
  • Clarion Hotel Stavanger
Also read: Top 10 hotels in Stavanger

2. Find serenity in Sandnes

In Sandnes, experiences are easily accessible in the city centre. For example, stay at Gamlaværket Hotell & Restaurant; a great, historic hotel that is also a commemoration of the city's history. The building was formerly a brick factory and formed the basis for the brickworks and pottery industry in Sandnes. At this hotel, you live majestically in large, airy rooms, where all rooms are unique. Perhaps a suite tempts you? With a four-poster bed, jacuzzi and high ceiling, you can enjoy lazy days.

Shopping, food and movie night in Sandnes

Should you feel like venturing out of your room, the Langgata pedestrian street is close by. Shopping is a favourite pastime on this street.

You won't go hungry for long in Sandnes either. Several good restaurants can be recommended; the hotel has its own restaurant that offers tasty, local food. If you are a sushi fan, Sabi Sushi Sandnes is a perfect choice.

In the evening, head over to the ODEON cinema Sandnes with its comfortable luxury theatre - sink into comfortable chairs and watch a film!

Read more about Sandnes
Dobbeltrom.

GamlaVærket Hotell

GamlaVærket Gjæstgiveri & Tracteringssted is more than just a hotel, it's a tale of the city's history.

sushitallerken

Sabi Sushi Sandnes

Honesty, authenticity and certainty. These are the basic pillars on which both Japanese cuisine and Sabi Sushi are built.

ODEON Sandnes

ODEON Sandnes

ODEON Kino Sandnes is located in Amfi Vågen, centrally in Sandnes. The cinema is one of Norway's most modern and among the most visited. We show movies every day and have a wide and varied film offer.

Barn på fjordcruise
Happy kids on a fjord cruise with Rødne Fjord Cruise|© Rødne Fjord Cruise

3. Cruise into the fjords from Stavanger

Take a refreshing fjord cruise to the Lysefjord! It is an absolute must when you are in Stavanger. Just the right level of activity for those of us who like lazing around, that is. You can concentrate on snapping great photos of spectacular fjord landscapes from the deck. The fjords are still accessible in winter, often showing themselves from a more dramatic side. Rødne Fjord Cruise sails from the centre of Stavanger on cruises to the Lysefjord and Preikestolen all year round. The three-hour fjord cruise offers great experiences for all ages.

The fjord cruise highlights

The cruise stops at sites such as Fantahålå (the Vagabond's Cave), where the tax evaders hid from the police in the old days. You get to see Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock), where Tom Cruise climbed the sheer rock wall in the film Mission Impossible 5 before the tour continues to the mighty waterfall, Hengjanefossen, where you risk getting a fresh shower of water in your face (if the waterfall is not frozen to ice)!

More fjord cruises in winter here

Lysefjordcruise

Fjord cruise to the Lysefjord and Preikestolen from Stavanger

Rødne Fjord Cruise offers a must-try fjord cruise to breathtaking Lysefjord from Stavanger. Highlights include Preikestolen and Hengjanefossen waterfall.

hike in the snow to Preikestolen with guide

Preikestolen cruise and hike with guide from Stavanger - winter

Enjoy challenges? Love spectacular scenery? Experience both the Lysefjord on a fjord cruise from Stavanger and a hike to Preikestolen on this day trip!

En lang fjord med fjellvegger på hver side. Sett ovenfra.

Experience an exclusive winter cruise on the Lysefjord

Explore the Lysefjord in luxury with Private Cruise. Do you dream of experiencing the majestic Lysefjord in a unique way?

See more sightseeing on the fjord

4. Small-town charm in the footsteps of literature

A short break at Jæren can be really nice. If you are also more than moderately interested in cultural and literary history, you have the opportunity to learn more about the poetics couple Hulda and Arne Garborg. Arne Garborg was a renowned writer from Bryne and a patron for one of the two national languages in Norway (nynorsk). At Bryne, visit the Garborgsenteret, a tourist centre for the couple's writing. Garborgheimen at Undheim, Arne's childhood home, is also a museum today. So is Knudaheio, which was the couple's resort and writing space. Both Garborgheimen and Knudaheio are only open in summer but don't fret, try the digital Garborgløypa (Garborg trail) on your smartphone, everything outdoors along the trail is available all year round (and yes, that involves a bit of trekking in a field or two).

World-renowned street art at Bryne

On your visit, don't miss the world-famous street art work "Lovers" by Pøbel, also found in the centre of Bryne. Pøbel has furthermore been successful with the mural of the football idol Erling Braut Haaland! Erling Braut Haaland is a very well-known and sought-after Brynebu (Brynebu: Someone originating from Bryne). Explore more of Pøbel's art.

Where to sleep in Bryne

In the very centre of Bryne, you'll have a great stay at Bryne Kro & Hotell. The generous and typical regional hospitality is a given. The hotel also has a restaurant called Heldigvis (which translates to, fortunately). They listen to their guests and have a real love for the food industry (fortunately!) combined with a good dose of professional dignity. The food is made from scratch, which you can tell by the taste. Try your luck at the hotel's golf course if you feel the need to get that heart pumping. And who knows, maybe today is the day you hit the perfect "Albatross" or "Hole in one"

Hotell Jæren is another accommodation option at Bryne, a modern hotel with a children's room with a TV and toys for the toddlers to keep them busy while you and your partner find a nice place in the lobby, preferably in front of the fireplace with something warm in your mug. They also have scrumptious food in the hotel restaurant Matbaren at Hotell Jæren.

Package deals at Jæren

Golf break in Stavanger and Jæren

Golf break in Stavanger and Jæren

This is perhaps Norway's best golf package, where you can play on several great golf courses at Jæren and in the Stavanger region. You stay in a hotel in the immediate vicinity, which also has its own 9-hole course. All this at a fantastic package price.

Sauer ved havet

Jærruta

140 km on cosy roads in open countryside on an electric bike. On a bike along the Jærruta bike route, experience the Edge of Norway in the best way - with the wind in your hair in open landscapes.

5. Winter fun, but without the snow

Combine urban comfort with unexpected winter activities. You are fine with exerting a small level of physical winter activity? And you sort of enjoy ice skating? However, you cannot be bothered searching all over the region for that one lake with thick enough ice to skate on. And you don't own skates (other than the ones you used at the age of 12 that give you blisters today).

We have good news - indoor skating is possible in Stavanger

Not far from Stavanger, you can rent skates and go ice skating. And should you venture even more out of your comfort zone, you could even try curling and climbing.

You might even manage to send one snap to your friend or family group where your cheeks are wonderfully rosy (!). But do hurry back to the city's amenities with cafes, restaurants, museums, street art and shopping.

Sørmarka Arena Skating

Sørmarka Arena Skating

Skating is a great activity for big and small. Sørmarka Arena has 3 skating rinks: a 400m track, the hockey rink (30x60) and our penguin rink (8x60).

Sørmarka Arena climbing wall

Sørmarka Arena climbing wall

Norway's toughest climbing wall is at Sørmarka Arena. Beginners and experts will be stretched at our 'monsterwall' which is 17m high and has about 1000 m² of climbing surfaces. The wall has a great variety of angles and steepness allowing the wall to cater to all levels of climbers. If you have a Brattkort you can climb with your partner when you like, or if you have a sikringskort you can climb on toprope when our instructors are present. Beginners can try our offer 'prøv å klatre' or 'try climbing' where no experience or equipment is needed. All our different courses and climbing offers can be booked on our website under Hva skjer, kurs og aktivitetskalender.

6. "Okka by" – Egersund

If you wondered, "okka by" means our town, but this does not mean that it could not also be your town for a couple of days. Egersund has a warm and inviting centre with wooden housing from around 1750-1800.

Recommendations in Egersund

It is recommended to visit the area called Haugen, also called Egersund's medieval town. As you would expect, the city has a historic hotel where you shall want for nothing. The Grand Hotell Egersund has unique architecture and proudly poses in the middle of the city. If you choose a junior suite, you will also satisfy your comfort gene, with all the conveniences for a relaxing stay.

The restaurant at the hotel, Eigra kitchen & bar, should not be underestimated. By concentrating on local ingredients such as fresh, crisp vegetables and beets from Jæren, fish and shellfish from local fishermen and fish receptions, cured meats and other meats developed together with local farmers and food producers, they bring you tasty and nutritious food.

Ready-to-go packages

If you travel with your partner, you can try a love package at the hotel. Or do you have the entire family in tow? Test the hotel's packages, but be aware - if you have a touch of the lazy: Prepare for some physical exertion if you choose the activity packages.

Package deals from Grand Hotell Egersund
Gågata

Egersund town centre

Experience the historic town of Egersund: A cosy town filled with historic wooden houses and a beautiful centre with many restaurants, cafes and niche shops.

Fasade.

Grand Hotell Egersund

Grand Hotell Egersund is located in one of Norway's best-preserved wooden buildings - a short distance to shops, attractions, activities and trains.

Eigra kjøkken & bar food on plates and restaurant interior

Eigra kjøkken & bar in Egersund

Welcome to Eigra Kjøkken & Bar! In the heart of Egersund city, you will find Grand Hotel Egersund's restaurant.

7. Small, accessible walks

City life and chill at the hotel are all good and well, but do you need some space to breathe? And just a tad more steps on the pedometer, after all? You can actually find strolls for even the most pronounced couch potato. The walks are of course merely a stone's throw away from the city centres in the Stavanger region:

The Blue Promenade

Blue promenade is also technically slap bang in the centre of Stavanger. It is particularly nice in the evening, as first then you'll see why the walk is named in the way it is. The walk is illuminated with blue lights.

Lake Mosvatnet

A little further stone's throw away from the Stavanger city centre is the walk that most locals will know. You can walk from the city centre to get to the hike around Lake Mosvatnet. This is an easily walked path with the possibility of several stops along the lake. You wouldn't want to wear yourself out of course, so resting along the trail is allowed.

Sandvedparken

The planet trail at the park, Sandvedparken is one of several smaller hiking paths in Sandnes. Despite the park's location being this central, you'll be amazed at how rural the park feels with birds singing and clucking from the creek. It is a green lung that Sandnes can be proud of. The park itself stretches 3,5 kilometres along the stream Storåna from Sandnes centre to the lake Stokkalandsvatnet. Follow the planet trail where you walk along the planets to get a sense of the distances in real life. It is a replica of the solar system on a scale of 1:1 billion.

Hike Hafrsfjord

The walking path along a historic site at Hafrsfjord is within 10 minutes from Stavanger by car or bus. The bay, Møllebukta at Hafrsfjord, is a popular recreational area, with walking pathways both northbound and southbound. They are illuminated and therefore also accessible at night. A highlight of the hike is the memorial site for the famous Viking battle of Hafrsfjord, Swords in rock.

Fritz Røed Skulpturpark

Bryne also fostered other artists than just writers. Most known is the sculptor Fritz Røed. His largest art piece is the Swords in Rock (just mentioned above), however, in the centre of Bryne, you can also witness his artwork in the sculptor park, Fritz Røed Skulpturpark. It shows 10 different pieces symbolising freedom, consideration, joy, peace, hope and joy of life. The walk in the park is a walk that everyone can take.

Vannbassengene

In Egersund, a nice area for a walk with a minimum of big arduous romps; Vannbassengene; is the city's unique outdoor area, located east of the city centre. With its small ponds, paths, light trail and vegetation, the area bears its name rightly (translates to "the water pools").

There you go. Quickly, now hurry back to the hotel room. No need to exaggerate your hiking adventures any further.

Create memories for life

Plan your winter break to the Edge of Norway today!

Spend your winter holidays in the snowy mountains of Sirdal, in one of the Stavanger region's fjord cities and amenities, or on the edge of Norway with the North Sea as your nearest neighbour.

Find out more

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