Top Places to Visit in the Faroe Islands

For once, you can have it all in one trip: waterfalls and superlative seafood restaurants, windy mountain roads, and surf beaches.

The joy of being in the Faroe Islands – a small island group with a population of 53,000 and a total landmass of 1399 sq km – is that everything is close by. As long as the weather is on your side, you can see just about all of these key sights during a short break.

Travel here is highly seasonal and very weather dependent. You might plan to visit a certain island, but as to whether you will be able to or not during your stay… you’ll have to wait and see. Here are just a few of the must-visit spots of the Faroe Islands.

1. Múlafossur Waterfall

Best for awesome nature

Until 2004, the only way you could get to the village of Gásadalur and the location of Múlafossur waterfall was to walk the steep cairn-marked hiking trail over the mountain and back. Just ask the postman, who used to do it three times a week. Today, a tunnel links it with the road from Vágar airport, making it an easy first or last stop on your trip.

Park in the main parking area and follow the path down to the cliffs for views of the waterfall. You can feel the sea spray from the cliff top as you watch the torrent of water cascade over the edge and crash into the sea below; in summer, you might see a few fat-footed puffins flapping around the sandy, grassy cliffs here too.

Planning tip: Drop into the local shop, Uanni, for something special to take home, including hand-knitted jumpers made from Faroese wool.

2. Tórshavn

Best for food

The capital of the Faroe Islands is a characterful place, with ancient alleyways, a colorful harbor, and some great places to eat. If you’re looking for nightlife, bars, and shopping, this is the place to go.

Mikkeller, an offshoot of the successful Danish microbrewery, doubles as a cozy spot to shelter and play board games during rainy days. Expect everything from sea urchin roe to the long spindly legs of snow crabs, and dishes garnished with fish scales resembling confetti. Ráest, down the street, also has a great reputation.

Planning tip: If you’re looking for something less extravagant, the city’s fish and chips scene is said to be the best in the country.

3. Tjørnuvík

Best for beach lovers

I have a soft spot for the remote village of Tjørnuvík on Streymoy, with its black-sand beach looking out to the sea stacks of Risin og Kellingin (the Giant and the Witch). It’s a charming village at the end of a long road winding through the hillsides, with a hike leading to the remote village of Saksun over the mountains and a surf shack offering lessons just off the beach.

It’s a place to discover antiques and whale bones in a little local shop, or buy waffles and coffee at a cafe. In winter, Tjørnuvík is one of the few spots on the island to experience 24 hours of darkness, feeling like a setting for a dark historical drama or a strange love story.

4. Trelanípan

Best for easy hiking

You may have seen Lake Leitisvatn (also called Lake Sørvágsvatn) on social media – it’s one of the Faroe Islands’ most famous landscapes. In drone shots, taken from across the cliffs, it appears to hang suspended over the ocean thanks to an optical illusion. The hike to Trelanípan – the “Slave Cliff” – is a well-maintained route that takes around an hour each way.

Planning tip: Guided tours enrich the experience by sharing gruesome tales about Vikings and local myths and legends.

5. Gjógv

Best for coastal walks

The fishing village of Gjógv is named after its gorge, a striking natural scar in the cliff offering a safe harbor. The drive there alone is worth it, descending the green hillsides to the sea. The road was created over 400 years ago, serving as a shortcut to the best fishing grounds.

Today, the tiny village features whitewashed, turf-roofed houses, a quaint church, and a few inhabitants. If you walk down past the gorge, you’ll catch views of dark islands on the horizon and nesting birds in the cliffs during summer. A bench on the clifftop commemorates the 2005 visit of then Crown Princess Mary, now Queen Mary of Denmark.

Planning tip: Enjoy lovely walks from Gjógv, including a 4km (2.5 miles) hike to Funningur, a quiet seaside village at the base of the Faroes’ highest mountain.

6. Dranganir Sea Arch

Best for drama

The natural sea arch of Dranganir is located on an island shaped like a triangle just off the coast of Bøur. You can admire it from the shore or take a boat ride around it and the nearby island of Tindhólmur. Birds nest on the basalt cliffs, especially in spring and summer, while the sea roars around the stacks year-round.

Planning tip: Ferry trips to the popular puffin island of Mykines include a pass by the sea arch, offering two attractions in one.

7. Kalsoy

Best for Bond enthusiasts

In the northeast of the Faroe Islands, Kalsoy can be accessed by a car ferry from Klaksvík. Its claim to fame is its feature in the 2021 James Bond film No Time To Die. Adventurers visiting this epic spot will surely appreciate the view and the hiking path leading to the island’s lighthouse.

8. Sandoy

Best for off the beaten track

Sandoy has always been connected to the rest of the archipelago by ferry, but with the opening of a new undersea tunnel in 2024, this island is now more accessible than ever. Explore the tiny villages, enjoy dining with locals, and don’t miss the island’s unique feature: a yarn-bombed rock.

Planning tip: For a prime bird-watching experience, take a boat trip from Sandoy to the island of Skúvoy, renowned for nesting Great Skuas.