Stavanger punches well above its weight for a city of its size. The old town — Gamle Stavanger — is one of the best-preserved wooden townscapes in northern Europe, its whitewashed 18th-century houses climbing the hillside above the harbour. The medieval cathedral dates from 1125 and anchors the compact city centre.
The Canning Museum tells the story of Stavanger's sardine industry, which dominated the economy before oil took over. The Norwegian Petroleum Museum makes an honest and engaging case for understanding the oil era that transformed the country. For the fjord itself — Pulpit Rock, Kjerag, and the boat trip into Lysefjorden — see Day Trips.