What to see in Faroe Islands: 10 must-sees
Discover what to see in Faroe Islands: 10 must-see destinations, from Tórshavn to Múlafossur. Predominantly city and natural; each entry includes the best time to visit and the link to its official source.
City(4)
Swim in the 10th-century harbor or simply stroll among the grass-roofed houses of Tinganes, the old town where the Faroese parliament has met since the year 900. Explore Tórshavn, the world's smallest capital with some 20,000 inhabitants, and go from the fish market on the pier to the cafés of Niels Finsensgøtu in ten minutes. Take in the fjords that frame the city and the green hills where sheep graze ten minutes from downtown. Try ræst, the typical fermented lamb, before the fog changes the sky for the fourth time in a day.
Watch how the grass-roofed houses blend into the hillside in Saksun, a village in northern Streymoy ringed by mountains. The old fjord was cut off from the sea and today forms Dúvugarðar, a tidal lagoon you can walk across at low tide down to the black sand. Trails climb through pastures where livestock grazes, with waterfalls tumbling from the cliffs after rain. The Dúvugarður museum farm shows how people lived in these islands centuries ago. Bring waterproof footwear and a camera: the light changes every ten minutes and upends any photography plan.
Discover Klaksvík, the second-largest town in the Faroe Islands, nestled in the Borðoy fjord and surrounded by steep mountains. Here the fishing harbor still sets the daily rhythm, the modern Christianskirkjan church stands out for its bell tower inspired by old ships, and the undersea tunnel connects to the island of Eysturoy. From the pier you'll see seabirds flying over the cold water as boats unload the fish that sustains the local economy.
Follow the trail down to Gásadalur and you'll see grass-roofed houses beside the Múlafossur waterfall, which plunges straight into the Atlantic. This village on Vágar remained isolated until 2004, when the tunnel connecting it to the rest of the island opened. Walk through its meadows, watch puffins on the nearby cliffs, and take in the silhouette of the island of Mykines off the coast. Here Faroese nature shows itself unadorned: wind, tall grass, and the constant sound of the sea.
Natural(3)
Discover Múlafossur, the waterfall on the island of Vágar that plunges 30 meters from a cliff straight into the Atlantic, beside the tiny village of Gásadalur. Follow the trail along the valley to the viewpoint facing the falls, where the wind sweeps the spray out to sea. Look for puffins and fulmars on the cliffs from spring into summer, and watch how the light shifts the hues of the grass and volcanic rock with every hour of the day. Arrive by car through the Gásadalur tunnel and explore the surroundings on foot.
Take the ferry from Tórshavn across the 7-kilometer strait that separates Nólsoy and walk its trails among colonies of puffins and fulmars nesting on the cliffs. You'll climb up to its lighthouse, one of the tallest in the Faroe Islands, from where you can make out Sheep Island and the east coast of Streymoy. In summer, thousands of pairs of puffins occupy the western slope, while the inhabitants of the only village keep alive the tradition of small-scale fishing. Wear hiking boots, as the paths over peat and basalt rock demand a steady footing throughout the hike.
Take in Streymoy, the largest island in the Faroe Islands, where fjords open between cliffs and waterfalls plunge straight toward the Atlantic. Walk trails through grasslands with ocean views and spot puffins and fulmars in the coastal bird colonies. Visit Tórshavn, the Faroese capital on its southern coast, and the grass-roofed villages scattered between mountains and sea.
Beach(3)
Camp on Mykines, the westernmost island of the Faroes, reached by ferry from Sørvágur or by helicopter from Vágar. Between May and August, thousands of puffins nest on the cliffs alongside gannets and fulmars, and you can get within a few meters of them. Hike the trail up to the Mykineshólmur lighthouse, crossing the bridge over the gorge with the Atlantic roaring below. On the way back, head down to the village's small dark-sand beach, where the cold, clear water invites gazing more than swimming. At the village's only café—some ten houses in all—try the homemade soup before the last boat.
Climb to the cliffs of Vágar, the most visited island in the Faroes, where Lake Sørvágsvatn seems to float above the Atlantic and the Múlafossur waterfall plunges straight into the sea beside the village of Gásadalur. Hike its trails among lakes and seabird colonies, then head down to the beach to walk the shoreline, snorkel in clear waters, and rest on the fine sand with the sound of the waves in the background.
Visit Sandoy, the Faroe island where black sand stretches beneath the cliffs facing the Atlantic. Walk the shoreline as the waves break hard—conditions that attract surfers prepared for cold waters. Explore the coast on foot, watch the seabirds perched on the crags, and breathe in the salty ocean air. Here the beach is not for calm swimming: it's a place to take in the volcanic landscape and experience Faroese nature without the crowds.
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