Villages and places
Finnøy
Finnøy is a combination of several islands in Ryfylke, with close to 3 100 habitants. There are in total 16 habited islands, with both bridges, ferries and boats connecting them.
The main island is Finnøy where the centre of the island is called Judaberg. Other islands are Talgje, Fogn, Fisterøyene, Sjernarøyane and Ombo. Finnøy has long traditions in agriculture. Mainly livestock and greenhouses are dominant, and especially tomatoes, close to 40 % of the country's tomato production takes place at Finnøy.
Varied experiences
At Ombo, you will find a petroglyph field from the Bronze Age. At Løland, five ships are carved into the rock. As mentioned above, tomatoes are the most important product of the islands. Most of the greenhouses are located on Talgje, Fogn and Finnøy. Finnøy is known, among other things, for its tomato festival, which has been held here since 2002 and has attracted around 4000 visitors each of the last few years. Of course, the focus is on tomatoes, but there are also various activities and entertainment for young and old.
Finnøy is also an Eldorado for boat tourists. There are many sheltered bays where boats can safely anchor, as well as several guest harbors with service buildings. There are many opportunities for an exciting vacation exploring the islands. In addition, sea fishing can be done anywhere in the area, which is very popular.
Cultural history
There are also many valuable historical churches on the islands - as an example, the medieval churches on Hesby and Talgje and the Renaissance church on Kyrkjøy (church island) can be mentioned. Cleng Peerson, who called himself the "father of Norwegian emigration", moved to Finnøy when he married the Swedish widow Ane Cathrine Sælinger. Together they lived in Kindingstad. The Cleng Peerson house is here to this day. It is privately owned and used as a vacation home, but parts of the interior still date from Cleng Peerson's time.
There are numerous hiking trails and paths on Finnøy, Talgje, Fogn, Rossøy, Halsnøy, Ombo, Bjergøy and North Talgje. The islands are also good for cycling due to the low traffic, easy terrain and beautiful nature.
Holiday ideas for Finnøy and surroundings
Go exploring!
Culture
Hesby kyrkje (church)
Stavanger
Hesby church is a single-nave long church from the Middle Ages. It is built of stone and the walls are 1 meter thick, and the roof is high and steep. The church is located on the west side of Finnøy and is visible from the sea and the road below.
Culture
Sjernarøy church
Stavanger
Sjernarøy church is one of five churches from the 1600s in the county. A beautiful wooden church in nice surroundings at Kyrkjøy providing a quiet and serene place for contemplating life.
Culture
Galleri Perlemorstrand
Finnøy
The former trading place Ramsvig in Sjernaøyane is open in summer. The place is located in one of the region's warmest and most beautiful bays, also known as "Ryfylke's pearl". The hosts Mette and Jostein endeavour to maintain the reputation of this gem.
Outdoor activities and nature
Hiking from Kvitevik to Vignesneset
Finnøy
A nice roundtrip hike of 10,2 kilometres. Marked trail in a landscape with rocky shores and pastures stretching over the entire coastline on the west side of the island.
Culture
Food show with Ryfylke Livsgnist
Finnøy
Welcome to a tasty and cheerful food show – introduced by the Ryfylke chef Frode Selvaag and Tor Øyvind Skeiseid from Ryfylke Livsgnist.
Culture
Galleri Perlemorstrand
Finnøy
The former trading place Ramsvig in Sjernaøyane is open in summer. The place is located in one of the region's warmest and most beautiful bays, also known as "Ryfylke's pearl". The hosts Mette and Jostein endeavour to maintain the reputation of this gem.
How to get here
How do you travel to Stavanger and the surrounding region? It doesn't matter how you get here, as long as you get here. We are not that far away, whether you’re travelling by plane, bus, ferry, car or train.
Getting to and around the Stavanger regionService with a smile
Food and drink
Handelsstedet Ramsvig - summer restaurant
Finnøy
Elegance is a word that comes to mind when describing Handelsstedet Ramsvig (ancient trading centre) in Kyrkjøy in the Sjernarøyene islands. Handelsstedet Ramsvig has an exceptionally beautiful location between Judaberg and Nedstrand. A true island gem!
Accommodation
Utsyn Misjonssenter on Finnøy
Tau
Utsyn Misjonssenter on Finnøy in Ryfylke, about 40 minutes drive from Stavanger. The campsite has newly renovated premises and is beautifully located with panoramic views of the fjord.