Things to do in Faroe Islands
And where to stay, the best time to visit, what a day costs, and the traps to skip.
Best time to visit Faroe Islands
• a note or something on ✦ an occasion worth the trip
Long daylight, puffins, all hikes and boats running.
Autumn colour, fewer visitors, weather turning rough.
Dark and stormy; many guesthouses and restaurants close or cut hours.
What's on
- Ólavsøka 28-29 July
National holiday in Tórshavn: rowing races, chain dancing, the whole country in town.
- G! Festival July
Music festival on the beach at Gøta.
Best things to do in Faroe Islands
Múlafossur Waterfall
The defining Faroes image: a waterfall pouring off a cliff into the ocean.
Tinganes
A thousand years of parliament among turf-roofed houses on the harbour.
Gjógv
The prettiest village in the islands, named for the gorge that is its harbour.
Kópakonan
The bronze Seal Woman on the rocks below Mikladalur, legend on the sign.
Kirkjubøur
Medieval cathedral ruins and a 900-year-old farmhouse still lived in.
Vestmanna Bird Cliffs
Two hours under 600-metre cliffs and into grottos, puffins overhead in summer.
Saksun
Turf-roofed village at the end of a dead-end valley with a tidal lagoon.
Fossá Waterfall
Two-tier roadside waterfall, best after rain, ten minutes off the drive.
Where to stay in Faroe Islands
Tórshavn
a first trip
Most restaurants, the old town, and the tunnel junction for day trips in every direction.
Klaksvík
the Kalsoy day
Departure point for the Kalsoy ferry; first sailing without a dawn drive.
Gjógv
one slow village night
Overnight in the prettiest village, gorge below and trails above.
Runavík
the northern islands loop
Practical Eysturoy base cutting backtracking to Gjógv, Eiði and Klaksvík.
Think twice about
- Suðuroy or Sandoy on a short trip
Ferry-dependent southern islands; the sailing schedules will eat a 5-day itinerary.
- Vágar beyond the arrival night
Fine near the airport on night one, but daily tunnel tolls and extra driving after that.
- Mykines overnight
It is a day trip: almost nowhere to stay and nothing to do after the last walk.
Best restaurants in Faroe Islands
ROKS
The KOKS sister restaurant: fixed seafood tasting menus in a turf-roofed house.
Áarstova
Faroese classics like beer-braised lamb in a 17th-century house.
Barbara Fish House
Straightforward excellent seafood, easier to get into than the tasting rooms.
Ræst
Adventurous tasting menu built on traditional Faroese fermentation.
Katrina Christiansen
Scandinavian plates with Faroese ingredients at Hotel Hafnia.
THE TARV Grillhouse
Charcoal-grilled steaks, salmon and wind-dried lamb in a Viking-style room.
Gjáargarður
The village lunch platter: lamb meatballs, smoked salmon, soup, valley views.
Best bars in Faroe Islands
Mikkeller Tórshavn
Craft beer bar with twenty taps and a local crowd, two doors from ROKS.
Best coffee in Faroe Islands
Fríða Kaffihús
The classic harbour café and waiting room for the Kalsoy ferry.
Kafe Umami
Harbour café with a modern lunch menu between sights.
Outdoor things to do in Faroe Islands
Kallur Lighthouse
The signature Faroes hike: a lighthouse on a headland with cliffs on all sides.
Trælanípa
The lake-above-the-ocean illusion at the cliff edge above Sørvágsvatn.
Slættaratindur
The 880-metre national high point, whole archipelago visible on a clear day.
Hvíthamar
A short ridge walk locals favour, with a fly-over-the-fjord view.
Risin og Kellingin
The Giant and the Witch sea stacks, best in evening light.
Mykines
The puffin island: lighthouse walk through colonies, May to August only.
Drangarnir
The spiky sea stacks seen properly only by boat from Sørvágur.
Best hotels in Faroe Islands
Hotel Føroyar
The big grass-roofed hotel on the hill with panoramic town views.
Hotel Tórshavn
Central, straightforward and well run on the main street.
Hotel Hafnia
Historic harbour-side hotel with the Katrina Christiansen restaurant.
Hotel Klaksvík
The practical base for the first Kalsoy ferry of the day.
Gjáargarður
Guesthouse at the top of the prettiest village, trails from the door.
Hotel Runavík
Simple central base on Eysturoy for the northern islands loop.
Is Faroe Islands expensive? What a day costs
| Budget | DKK 900 a person |
|---|---|
| Classic | DKK 1,800 a person |
| Splurge | DKK 3,500 a person |
| No limits | DKK 6,000 a person |
A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room
What to book ahead
- Vestmanna Bird Cliffs: a few days ahead
- Kallur Lighthouse: weeks ahead
- Mykines: weeks ahead
- Drangarnir: a few days ahead
- ROKS: weeks ahead
- Áarstova: weeks ahead
- Ræst: weeks ahead
- Hotel Føroyar: weeks ahead
- ROKS and Áarstova weeks ahead in summer.
- Kalsoy ferry car slot as early as possible.
- Mykines ferry and helicopter ahead; both cancel in wind.
- Tórshavn hotels months ahead for Ólavsøka.
Is Faroe Islands safe?
- Crime is essentially non-existent. The risks are cliff edges in wind, sudden fog, and sheep on night roads. Emergency number 112.
Faroe Islands travel tips: tourist traps to skip
- A three-day trip: the weather will take one day and you will be stressed.
- Driving it all without buffer days.
- Generic Nordic souvenir kitsch; the wool is real, the puffin plushies are not the point.
Getting around Faroe Islands: public transport and more
- Rent a car, book it with the flight; automatics are limited.
- Subsea tunnel tolls bill automatically to the rental car.
- Book the Kalsoy ferry car slot as early as you can.
- Build buffer days; fog can close a viewpoint within the hour.
Who Faroe Islands suits
| Solo travellers | Great |
|---|---|
| Groups of friends | Great |
| Couples | Great |
| Bachelor parties | OK |
| Families | Good |
| Bachelorette parties | OK |
Make Faroe Islands your trip
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