The forces of nature are powerful where the fjords meet the open sea. Here, wind and waves have shaped the landscape through thousands of years, creating distinctive coastal landmarks, some of which have been important navigation points for sailors for centuries. Where the fjord and the sea meet, nature offers the most magnificent of sights, sounds and experiences.
Take a trip to Utvær, Norway’s westernmost island. Take time to also visit Bulandet in Askvoll, Norway’s westernmost active fishing community. Bulandet is a conglomerate of islands and skerries at the edge of the open sea. Further north lies Florø, Norway’s westernmost town, founded in 1860. And furthest north on the FjordKysten coastline is the West Cape, the westernmost point on the Norwegian mainland.
The FjordKysten coast has a rich and dramatic history. Here you will find well preserved historical monuments, and many exciting sites from the Viking age, including the Gulating, "the cradle of democracy". On the island of Selja, a 15-minute boat trip from Selje, lie the ruins of Selje Monastery from the twelfth century. Here, too, are traces of more modern industrial history, showing the extent of the traffic when the sea was the main highway for all trade along the Norwegian coast.
Many an artist has found, and still finds, inspiration from the wonderful scenery of FjordKysten. The Norwegian poet Jakob Sande came from Dale in Sunnfjord, where there is now a Nordic artists' centre. Today, art flourishes through a wide diversity of artists, galleries and studios. Go on a painting course, or visit a gallery and take home with you a very special souvenir from your holiday trip.