Port
Maloy, Norway
Activity Level
Moderate
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At
$169.95
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
3 Hours
Meals Included
Meals not included
Experience the Saga island of Selja -- the place where the stories of the first saint, Norway's only female saint, some of the country's first churches, and one of the oldest monasteries in the Far North all began. A thousand years later, the legends live on. Today, although your visit here is like stepping into a Nordic Saga, it's your own story that you will carry with you when you leave.
After a scenic boat ride from Måløy, step ashore onto the mythic Selja Island. Climb the narrow stairs to the top of the church tower and hear the church bell toll -- it's no coincidence that it seems to echo down the centuries.
Around 1090, English monks of the Order of Benedictine established the first monastery in Norway right here on Selja. You'll see only its ruins, of course, but in its heyday, it came with a colonnaded cloister, arches, and beautiful, carved stone ornamentation. The monastery collapsed into ruin after the Bubonic Plague and the Reformation equally took their toll. As you explore, don't miss the holy Sunnivahole Cave, and a chance to sip springwater from the Sunnivakjelda well -- reputed to bring good health.
Return by boat to Måløy and the pier.
Notes:
Dress warmly in layers with a windproof and waterproof outer layer; bring a warm hat, gloves and a scarf. Terrain includes even and uneven surfaces, rocks, stones, inclines, gravel, grass, and many steps.