Stavanger

Since the days of the Vikings, Stavanger's fate has been tied to the sea. The region in southeastern Norway was first settled 10,000 years ago, and Vikings set forth on their seafaring expeditions from these shores. In more modern times, fishing was the city's moneymaker, and sardine canning was big business. Today, the North Sea oil industry rules Stavanger, which is often referred to as the Oil Capital of Norway.

Stavanger is Norway's fourth most populous city, but it won't seem like a bustling metropolis when you set foot off your ship. The harbour area where ships dock is easily walkable, with the small white cottages of Old Stavanger immediately to the west, a tangle of pedestrian shopping streets to the east and restaurants housed in old warehouses lining the harbour itself. Most major attractions, such as the Canning and Petroleum museums, are a quick stroll away.

If you came to Norway to immerse yourself in fjords, Stavanger is the jumping-off point for boat trips into the Lysefjord, with its dramatic cliffs (including the towering Pulpit Rock) and gushing waterfalls. However, if you want to learn a bit about what makes Norway tick, Stavanger can offer unique museums not typically found in other destinations. Sardines and petroleum might not be your first loves, but Stavanger's museums find ways to make the seemingly mundane fascinating.