Faroe Islands what to see and do in the unspoilt archipelago of the North Atlantic, a paradise of hiking and nature lovers.
In this past and present land you meet and you can taste the atmosphere of the times gone, but without having to give up modern comforts. Welcome to Faroe Islands18 pearls that emerge in cobalt waters North Atlantic and where 50,000 inhabitants live in perfect harmony with nature and among them.
Index of Article
Faroe Islands What to See
Thorshavn the capital
The Faroe Islands are only two hours of flight from Denmark and continental Europe, but they are a completely different experience. When you arrive in the Faroe Islands, you immediately perceive the slowed pace and you enter a world now forgotten, where children play in the streets and sheep graze freely for the island all year round, even in the capital. And it's just... capital Thorshavn, which is perceived best as a city life and nature intertwine harmoniously.
Although it is one of the smallest capitals in the world, Thorshavn offers all kinds of services, from 4 star hotels to Scandinavian design shops, excellent restaurants where you can taste typical Nordic cuisine based on local products, without forgetting a lively cultural and musical scene.
The streets wind between wooden houses and shops full of woolen elbows of every color. Each house has its own style, because the Faroese keep us to put their footprint in the house, so if the neighbor’s house is red, you will choose a different color to paint your own.
Particularly interesting is the old part of the city, Reyni, with the characteristic wooden houses and roofs covered with grass. Worth a visit museum list, which houses permanent exhibitions of paintings and contemporary art, and Nordic House, the cultural center dedicated to the whole of Scandinavia, where concerts, shows and temporary exhibitions of painting take place regularly.
In the old town area Tinganes, near the port, there is the office of the Prime Minister and one should not be surprised if from time to time he comes out to greet. The Faroese are, in fact, incredibly friendly.
He likes to tell about himself, his life and discuss the latest football results. Precisely football is a weakness of the inhabitants of the island and the victory of a local opponents can put their souls in subjugation. Each noteworthy village has its own football field, where young people can train to driblare and mark.
To sleep, you should choose a cosy boutique hotel and full of atmosphere like theHotel Havgrím, made in an ancient residence overlooking the ocean. Its rooms are designed inspired by the fjord: the colors remind meadows, the chilling sky and all the colors of the sea when it is calm and when it is burrascous.
Villages and countries
It is, instead, moving away from Thorshavn to the discovery of the small villages scattered here and which is observed the wild and fascinating nature of the islands. In the Faroe Islands, rivers and streams do not flow lazyly through the landscape, but they jump, instead, fast along the sides of the hills and cliffs, because on the islands there are practically no areas in the plain.
Villages and villages rise by the sea, often with high mountains that divide them. But if it comes to think that it is difficult to explore this land unravelled with its 18 islands and countless bays and fiordsi, you will be pleasantly surprised. In fact, everything is at hand and the infrastructure is modern and functional, how traditional and romantic are the colorful wooden houses of the country.
The nature of the Faroe Islands
Underground tunnels, underwater tunnels, bridges and ferries ensure that most islands are reached in a few hours. Every time you cross a curve, the landscape changes and surprises, it is not necessary to go far to live new and unforgettable experiences or to come across the largest population of the Faroe Islands, that is the 75,000 sheep that populate the island and that pascolano serene, also in the middle of a busy road.
And then there are birds – an incredible variety – sea fleas, saddles and procellaries. The bird watcher paradise, coming from every corner of the world to watch them. The animal population fills with enchanted colors and sounds this group of 18 islands in the heart of the Atlantic.
The gastronomy of the Faroe Islands
All this nature and travel to discover the islands certainly puts appetite, and the Faroe Islands also offer excellent restaurants. Among these we mention that of the hotel Hotel Føroyar in Tórshavn, the capital, where the best chef in the area, Leif Sørensen (who together with Renè Redzepi of the now famous Copenhagen Noma subscribed to the manifesto of the new Nordic cuisine). About the Noma, Renè supplies itself on these islands of some ingredients for its delicious dishes.
The restaurant KOKS (opened in 2011) boasts two Michelin stars and his young chef Poul Andrias Zisca also received the prestigious Michelin Nordic Guide Young Chef 2019 title. The KOKS stands out for its strictly seasonal menu that combines tradition and modernity in a simple and delicate way.
A more accessible but equally authentic culinary experience is represented byHeimablíndi, literally "hospital at home", offering tourists the opportunity to dine in a Faroese house, such as in house-factory of Anna and Óli, open on some days also at dinners for small groups. It is also possible to complete the experience by attending "home" concerts of typical Faroese music.
The Faroese know how to make visitors feel welcome on their coasts, welcoming them with rare warmth and hospitality. It is probable not to immediately notice the Islands on the map – the entire area is lower than that of London – but once you visit it you remember forever.
What to do in Faroe Islands
Hiking
Hiking is one of the most popular experiences to discover the Faroe Islands. Just a short hike through the mountains to discover numerous panoramic spots among majestic peaks in one direction and the uncomposed surface of the ocean in another. At the Faroe Islands hiking is very easy, you do not have to go far to immerse yourself in a magnificent and unspoilt nature.
Among the most spectacular destinations, the high cliffs of Djupini, the Akraberg area with the famous lighthouse on the southernmost tip, and the island of Stóra Dímun, inhabited by one family, a unique opportunity to discover the Faroese life.
Birdwatching
One of the most amazing aspects of the Faroe Islands in summer is the large number of birds present in the archipelago. A total of 305 species were recorded in the Islands. Summer is the breeding season for Faroese birds is the best time for a Birdwatching experience. The whole west coast and in particular the island of Mykines is a real paradise, with thousands of sea fleas, and many other marine birds.
Bicycle
Exploring the Faroe Islands by bicycle is a great idea to get in more direct contact with the nature of the islands by being able to admire their spectacular beauty at the slow pace of the pedal. The roads in the Faroe Islands are excellent, all the islands are accessible by underwater tunnels, bridges or ferries. If you add the scarcity of traffic on most roads, you understand why cycling in the Faroe Islands is a truly enjoyable experience.
Faroe Islands how to get
Faroe Islands are easily reached by plane, Atlantic Airways and SAS operate daily flights from Copenhagen, but there are direct connections all year round from Denmark, England, Iceland and Norway.
To move from one island to another, there is an excellent network of internal connections, through roads, bridges and tunnels under water, which allow you to reach all the islands and villages of fishermen.
