Giske: Church, Coast and Nature

When choosing a hotel in Giske, you can weigh up culture, coastal trails and nature watching. The church, coastal walk, sandy beach and Makkevika each offer a different local highlight. The wider Giske destination also includes archaeological and other historical attractions. This lets you tailor your plans to whether you are most interested in the church, time by the water or additional cultural destinations.

Church and Coastal Trail

Giske Church is the oldest church in Sunnmøre and a natural destination for coastal pilgrims. A walking trail runs along the shore from the car park by the bridge to the church. The coastal walk on the island of Giske is generally considered easy for people in normal physical condition and has few obstacles.

A pilgrim stamp is available year-round in a mailbox by the gate. Bus 664 from Ålesund stops near the church; check the timetable before travelling.

Beach, Nature and Stories

Gjerdesanden is a sandy beach on Giske. Makkevika is a protected area for wading birds that migrate south in autumn and north in spring. You can also watch seals playing in the water there.

Giskespelet is a historical outdoor play about the struggle for royal power and the Christian faith in historic Giske 1,000 years ago.

More destinations in the wider Giske area

In the wider Giske area, Godøy Coastal Museum has exhibitions on three floors of an older school building. The archaeological exhibition includes finds from the municipality’s four islands, including rich Stone Age finds from Godøya and unique Bronze Age finds from Giske.

The museum and the cave offer different ways to explore archaeology: the exhibition places finds from several islands in context, while Skjonghelleren itself is associated with traces of settlement and ancient animal remains. You can choose between an exhibition in a building and a cave destination with archaeological significance.

Skjonghelleren on Valderøya, in Giske Municipality, is also part of the wider Giske area. The cave lies 57 metres above sea level and extends 100 metres into the mountain. Traces of Stone Age settlements and animal remains more than 30,000 years old have been found in Skjonghelleren. The “Utom fjellet” trail runs along the west side of Valderøya and leads to Skjonghelleren as a standalone hiking destination. The circular route is 3.4 kilometres long and can be traversed with a pushchair or wheelchair. The route description was updated in 2023; check seasonal conditions, as the trail surface and accessibility may change.

In the wider Giske area, you can visit Alnes Lighthouse and the old lighthouse keeper’s house. The lighthouse is protected under Norway’s Cultural Heritage Act; you can book a local guide for your visit. As visiting conditions and availability may change, check both before making plans.

Discover more destinations: Alnes, Valderøya, Godøy, Vigra, Valderhaugstranda

Go to the wider travel overview: Giske.