STAVANGER, NORWAY

From the pier we travel by coach through the harbour area, with its quaint fish and farmers’ market. We continue past both old and modern residential districts, heading for the verdant and peaceful Mosterøy Island.

From the pier we travel by coach through the harbour area, with its quaint fish and farmers’ market. We continue past both old and modern residential districts, heading for the verdant and peaceful Mosterøy Island. En route we will traverse an undersea road tunnel, 5,860 metres (19,225 feet) long, 223 metres (731 feet) beneath the sea surface and 45 metres (148 feet) below the sea bed! On the western tip of Mosterøy Island lies one of the country’s finest medieval monuments – Utstein Monastery. One of the royal estates of King Harald Fairhair around 1000 AD, the first king to claim sovereignty over all of Norway, sometime later Utstein was donated to the monks of the St Olav Monastery in Stavanger, who established an Augustinian monastery here, before evolving into a Danish style country manor in the middle of the 18th century. Today, Utstein monastery has opened its doors for congresses, and classical, as well as jazz, concerts are frequently held in the chapel. During our visit we will attend a short organ concert and have a guided tour of the premises. Both the interior and exterior display a wealth of fine details, such as the altarpiece, the baptismal font, the narrow tower stairs and the peaceful gardens with many old trees. We will have refreshments in the monastery before departing for our ship. We may stop in Old Stavanger for a stroll through the pretty, narrow streets with their lovely wooden houses. This tour involves walking and several steps in the monastery. It may prove unsuitable for passengers with limited mobility or wheelchairs.