Christmas
Stavanger Christmas market 2026: Byparken, Old Stavanger and the dates
Stavanger holds a Christmas market in Byparken on four weekends before Christmas, and a separate market day in Old Stavanger. Here are the 2026 dates, what you will find and where to stay.
This page contains affiliate links. If you book through them, Picolo earns a commission at no extra cost to you. Our picks are made independently by our editors.
Lights reflect in the Breiavatnet lake, and Byparken smells of roasted almonds. Little wooden Christmas huts stand close together, children queue to meet Father Christmas, and carols drift from the stage. Ten minutes away, in the narrow lanes of Old Stavanger, wreaths hang on the doors of white wooden houses.
Stavanger does not have one big Christmas market but two that complement each other: one in Byparken in the centre, open at weekends before Christmas, and a single market day in Old Stavanger with crafts and a smokehouse. Plan it right and you can see both in one weekend.
Short answer: when is the Stavanger Christmas market?
The Byparken Christmas market opens on 28 and 29 November, 5 and 6 December, 10 to 13 December and 17 to 20 December 2026. The Old Stavanger Christmas market is on Sunday 29 November 2026. The weekend of 28 and 29 November gives you both.
Best weekend: 28 and 29 November, with both markets
Best atmosphere: Byparken after dark
Best crafts: Old Stavanger
Best for children: the concerts and activities in Byparken
Best taste: smoked salmon at the canning museum
Byparken: Christmas huts by the lake
The Byparken market is made up of small wooden Christmas huts, a market hall and food stalls, with concerts and activities for children and adults. It sits by the Breiavatnet lake, between the railway station, the cathedral and Torget square, so it pairs easily with Christmas shopping in the centre.
The catch: the market opens Thursday to Sunday only, and just at weekends for the first two weeks. Arrive on a Monday and the huts will be shut.
Old Stavanger: one Sunday in November
On Sunday 29 November 2026, Old Stavanger dresses up for Christmas. Around IDDIS, home to the Norwegian Printing Museum and the Norwegian Canning Museum, there are open workshops, stalls and guided walks through the streets of white wooden houses.
At the canning museum there are smoking demonstrations and salmon tastings. The house at Øvre Strandgate 90, from 1836, opens its 1920s and 1960s interiors, and the IDDIS café serves food and drinks.
The Christmas tree in Breiavatnet
Each Christmas, a tree is placed out in the Breiavatnet lake, and its lights shimmer on the water. It is one of the most photographed Christmas sights in the city, and an easy stop between Byparken and the cathedral.
Shopping and food in the centre
From Byparken it is a short walk to the shopping streets and to Øvre Holmegate, the street of brightly painted houses. Many Stavanger restaurants serve Christmas menus in December, and the city has four Michelin-starred restaurants if you want to make the weekend special.
Book tables early in December, as the office party season fills restaurants from November.
Getting there
The airport bus runs from Stavanger Airport Sola to the centre in around half an hour. Trains from Kristiansand on the Sørland line arrive at the railway station, right beside Byparken. If you drive, use one of the multi-storey car parks in the centre, as there is no parking at the market itself.
Radisson Blu Atlantic
The lobby at Radisson Blu Atlantic in Stavanger.
Where to stay near the Christmas market
Byparken and Old Stavanger are both central, so hotels around the harbour and Breiavatnet are closest. See more in our guide to the best hotels in Stavanger.
Radisson Blu Atlantic: on Breiavatnet
The hotel faces the Breiavatnet lake, right across the road from Byparken. Many rooms look down on the market and the lights around the water. The easiest choice if the market is the main reason for your trip.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Radisson Blu Atlantic
Hotel Victoria
The lobby at Hotel Victoria in Stavanger.
Hotel Victoria: between the harbour and Old Stavanger
Victoria sits on the harbour, a couple of minutes from Byparken and close to the streets of Old Stavanger. Stay here and you can walk between both Christmas markets without thinking about buses or parking.
Book your stay: Check availability and prices at Hotel Victoria
Good to know before you go
Check the days: the Byparken market opens Thursday to Sunday, and only at weekends for the first two weeks.
Dress for rain: December in Stavanger is more often wet than cold.
Book your hotel early: office party season fills hotels at weekends.
Pair it with Old Stavanger: the weekend of 28 and 29 November gives you both markets.
Stavanger Christmas market: frequently asked questions
When is the Stavanger Christmas market in 2026?
The Byparken market opens on 28 to 29 November, 5 to 6 December, 10 to 13 December and 17 to 20 December 2026.
Where is the Stavanger Christmas market?
The main market is in Byparken by the Breiavatnet lake, in the city centre.
Is there a Christmas market in Old Stavanger?
Yes. On Sunday 29 November 2026 there is a Christmas market around IDDIS and the canning museum in Old Stavanger.
Where should you stay for the Stavanger Christmas market?
Hotels by Breiavatnet and the harbour, such as Radisson Blu Atlantic and Hotel Victoria, are closest to both markets.