Stavanger, Norway: A Land of Immense Beauty and Adventure

Stavanger and Sandnes Norway are located within one another. The land area of these cities stretch from the sea in the east and the mountains in the west. The cities themselves were founded back in the Viking Era in 872 AD. With history a thousand years old and a large array of different land types, this area is breathtakingly beautiful and full of amazing things to do.

The pulpit rock is a breathtaking cliff with a view of the neighboring sea. Scientist believes that the cliff was created by layers of frost over thousands of years. This area is defiantly a full day trip. The hike to the top of the cliff takes hours and there is many views along the way. The drop down from the edge of the cliff is over 200 meters down to the bottom. There is no safety bar guarding the edge and those who like to truly live dangerously sit down with their feet over the edge and take in the scenery. The trip is long and the climb is steep so only those with reasonable health should attempt to climb to the top. Make sure to pack a lunch and plenty of water.

Gamla Stavanger is the oldest part of Stavanger that is still standing. All the buildings are whitewashed and the area boast the largest collection of wooden buildings in Europe. Set aside as a part of an open air museum in 1957, Gamle Stavanger houses many different types of businesses and homes. One of the main attractions is the canning museum. An actual factory that was use in the 1920's the factory was reserved for future generations. All of the machines still run and everything is left exactly the same way it was when the factory closed. The museum houses over 250 buildings and a walk through tour is available in all of them. This is a must see place before you leave the city.

The beaches of Jarean are white sand beaches that cover miles of shore. The serene views make it impossible to not feel relaxed and amazed . There some old homes on the beaches as well as rocky enclaves. Open year round this is the perfect get away from reality. The surfing in the area is sometimes amazing with huge waves.

The Food Festival of this area is a city wide celebration of local customs and food. The Festival takes place during the 24th through the 27th of July. Vendors and Chefs from both Sweden and internationally set up stalls and begin a series of competitions. The samples are free and the food is exquisite. It is suggested that this is a day you skip breakfast and even lunch and head straight to the festival to fill yourself with fuel and satisfaction.

Covering such a large area of Sweden these cities have many things to do. With many festivals throughout the year there is always something active going on in the city. With beaches and mountains, museums and villages, there is something for everyone. With a history thousands of years old this area of Sweden is rich in culture that has been passed down through the families.