I've always had a mental list of places I want to travel. I’ve been adding to it since I was a kid. Greece, Italy, Great Britain, Australia…the list goes on and on. One of the places I never considered was Norway. When I hear people talking about Norway, I hear things like “my ancestors were Norwegian” or “the nature is beautiful.” In my head, it just didn’t seem like a good fit. I’m not Norwegian. I’m the rare Minnesotan who doesn’t have Scandinavian relatives. I'm also not adventurous. I'd rather look at pictures of nature than go outside.

In fact, Norway never crossed my mind until I met my boyfriend two years ago. When I heard that the new (cute!) high school exchange student was from Norway, I wanted to learn more. After we began dating, I traveled to Norway to see where my boyfriend came from. Since then, I’ve been to Norway three times. I hope to travel all over Norway in the future--especially since I’m studying Norwegian in college--but for now, I’ve only been to Stavanger. That said, it is definitely worth adding to your travel list.

One of the first things I noticed in Stavanger is that it has the best of both worlds. It’s right on the southwest coast of Norway, so it has mountains and the ocean. The ocean is a deep blue and, with the wind from the coast, the water creates the most peaceful sound. If you can manage to tear your eyes away from the water, it doesn’t take long to spot the mountains. As if this wasn’t enough, Stavanger also has incredibly lush landscapes. There are lots of patches of green grass where sheep graze and long, winding roads that take you to your destination. The entire city looks like it belongs on a postcard.

For the adventurous, there are a million things to do in Stavanger, like visiting Prekestolen (above). In English, it’s called the Pulpit Rock. This famous cliff is almost 2000 feet high. I haven’t ventured up Prekestolen yet, but I’ve heard the views are incredible.

If you aren’t into hiking, you can catch one of the boat rides that take you deep into Norway’s fjords. The boat ride I went on lasted about two hours. We saw little homes built into the rocks, goats standing on hills, and mussels growing on the sides of the fjords. The trip ended with a stop at a waterfall, which was so clean that we could drink from it. A staff member grabbed a large bucket and dipped it into the waterfall, then passed around cups full of the coldest, freshest water I’ve ever tasted.

On the edge of Stavanger, you can visit Sverd i Fjell, or Swords in Rock. On a rock right next to the ocean, three giant bronze swords (each 33 feet tall) stand. Photographs don’t do them justice. In person, they’re beautiful and so large that it’s overwhelming. I definitely recommend checking them out--and it’s free!

Let’s take a minute to talk about the food.The lefse in Norway is unbelievably good. They have the BEST waffles. The cheese in Norway has so much more flavor than anything I’ve had in the U.S. Honestly, just about everything tastes better in Norway. If you’re craving pizza, the chain restaurant Pizza Bakeren is my go-to; I have to have it when I visit. They sell fantastic spice mixes that you can buy and sprinkle onto your pizza. I have several containers at home. Now, I can’t eat pizza without it.

As far as other things to do in Stavanger, there are dozens of cute shops downtown, all lined up on cobblestone streets. There are a couple of beautiful churches to visit. There’s also a giant indoor ice skating rink that was packed the day I went. The city is full of underground tunnels that you can drive through; one of them even goes under the ocean to take you from Point A to Point B. And if you get lost, it’s no problem! Students begin learning English in second grade, so almost everyone speaks English if you need help.

Norway is definitely a “Must-see” to add to your list--even if you don't have Norwegian ancestry!