Gamle Stavanger

Gamle Stavanger is regarded as Norway's best-preserved wooden-house district. Around 173 white-painted wooden houses from the 18th and 19th centuries stand close together here; they were originally home to working families from the herring and canning factories and to seafarers. Look out for the roof extensions known as "Stavangerark", which created extra living space for several tenants. Some houses were dismantled elsewhere and re-erected here, which the log construction made possible.

Allow one to two hours for a stroll through the lanes. The houses are lived in, so please respect the residents' privacy. By the harbour, the Maritime Museum on Nedre Strandgate is worth a visit, and the Canning Museum recalls Stavanger's time as a centre of the tinned-fish industry. Take your time, as the lanes are residential streets.