Selje – Pilgrim Destination, Beach and Monastery Island

Selje combines a beach in the town centre with pilgrimage history, a cultural walk and Selja Monastery on the island just offshore. Selje Prestegard is centrally located in the town centre and also serves as a place to welcome pilgrims, provide accommodation and take a break in a historic setting. If you choose Selje for your holiday, you can enjoy walks and hikes, visit the monastery ruins and learn about the story of Saint Sunniva.

Pilgrim Centre and Historic Farm Complex

At Selje Prestegard, the Selje Regional Pilgrim Centre welcomes pilgrims and provides pilgrim accommodation. It has twelve pilgrim beds, which can be booked through the centre. The regional centre is one of four pilgrim centres along the Coastal Pilgrim Route. The Prestegard buildings date from the 16th to the 19th century; the farm complex is protected as a heritage site. This brings practical overnight accommodation for pilgrims together with a historic complex in the heart of Selje.

In summer, the Prestelåna Café at the Prestegard is open daily from mid-June to mid-August, from 10:00 to 17:00. Coffee, tea, juice and waffles are served. The cultural walk also ends at the Prestegard, where you can enjoy a traditional Norwegian lunch or a coffee break in the historic surroundings.

From the Harbour to the Island of Selja

Selja Monastery is on the island of Selja, off the centre of Selje. Monastery boats run from the harbour to the island daily; the journey from the centre to the monastery takes about 15 minutes. During the peak season, guided tours of the monastery ruins are offered daily. You can also combine a trip to the monastery with RIB Nordfjord, which departs by RIB from Selje harbour. This gives you different options for planning your day trip to the monastery: travel by monastery boat or combine the visit with a RIB ride.

At Innbyggartorget in Selje, the Sunniva exhibition introduces the legend of Saint Sunniva and the restoration work at Selja Monastery. It offers a separate way to learn about the monastery’s history before or after exploring the island and its ruins.

Beach, Cultural Walk and Risnakken

Seljesanden is a sandy beach about 500 metres long in the centre. At its southern end, there is a service building with toilets and showers, as well as a tourist information office. A water sports centre, including a guest harbour, is also at the southern end; car parks are located north and south of the beach. This gives you practical information for a stay where the beach and town centre are part of your day’s plans.

The cultural walk starts in Nabben and follows Seljesanden on foot to Selje Church. In summer, the church is open daily. Nabben is also home to the BUA equipment bank, where you can borrow equipment for outdoor activities free of charge. The walk ends at Selje Prestegard, with the option of a traditional Norwegian lunch or a coffee break.

If you want to plan another outing, you’ll find the day-trip cabin on Risnakken, just above the centre. The path there can be used year-round. There are outdoor exercise equipment, a shelter and a play area by the cabin. Selje Prestegard also rents out four electric bikes for adults: two mountain bikes and two road bikes. When planning your day, you can therefore consider a hike, time at the beach and bike hire as different options.

More local pages: Barmen, Flatraket, Stadlandet.

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