Whilst shipping our car from Denmark to Iceland, we were fortunate enough to have a week-long stopover in the Faroe Islands.
And with a whole week here, on a small set of islands, we were worried that we would be stuck twiddling our thumbs half the time.
How wrong we were …
The Faroe Islands are absolutely incredible! And we found our 7 days here absolutely packed with wonderful things to do and sights to see.
Having our own car here allowed us to explore almost every island here, from top to bottom.
Along the way discovering many of the Faroe Island most famous places to visit, as well as the chance to uncover a few hidden gems we didn’t see mentioned in any other travel guides.
In fact, much had changed between 2023 and 2024, especially with the opening of the Sandoyartunnilin in December 2023.
So below is an up-to-date, in-depth rundown of the absolute best things to do in the Faroe Islands this year.
Along with some added insider tips & tricks to make the most of your stay.
Let’s get straight into it …
The view of Mulafossur waterfall with the picturesque Gasadalur village perched in the background is possibly the most iconic photo of the Faroe Islands.
When you first Google “pictures of the Faroe Islands”, that’s pretty much one of the first images that appears.
Well, I can confirm that this place is just as beautiful in real life, as it is on the internet (Thank gosh!).
Naturally, this is the type of place you’ll want to visit when there is a clear view, but even if you arrive and it’s a little foggy to begin with, just simply wait 5-10 minutes and it’s likely that the weather will change!
It’s super easy and free to visit this spot. You simply drive to Gasadalur village, park up, and walk down to the waterfall viewpoint which is signposted.
It’ll take you around 10-15 minutes from the car park down to the viewpoint.
Depending on the time of year you visit, you may be sharing this spot with other visitors, but just be patient and wait your turn to get those iconic pictures.
The good news is, you can also fly a drone here which is another way to get those epic shots.
Saksun is one of the most charming places in the Faroe Islands, and it’s truly an area where it feels like life just pauses, and slows down.
The village itself is famous for its unique location placed above a jaw-dropping lagoon. The mountains here are incredible and so are the many waterfalls to visit.
Most people visit Saksun to take a photo of the cute church, visit the Dúvugarðar Museum & Café (which is only open seasonally), and do some of the surrounding hikes/walks in the area.
One of the most popular walks is to the “Black Sand” Beach, which also goes along the Pollurin Waterfall, which is beautiful.
The Black Sand Beach's official name is “Út á Lónna”, and there is a hiking fee of 75DKK per person to walk along here, and you pay via card payment.
However (March 2024 update): when we visited, the turnstile which is the entrance point to the walk and where you pay to go further, had been removed! We don’t know if this is a permanent situation, but I thought it was worth mentioning.
We were happy that we saved some money!
The walk itself isn’t difficult, but it’s scenic and offers breathtaking views.
It will take you anywhere between 45 minutes to 1 hour and 30 minutes to return (not including time to take those epic pictures!)
Another very important point is that you can only complete this walk when the tide is out!
So make sure you check tide times BEFORE you visit!
Also, just so you’re aware, there are no toilets along the walk, but there are toilets located in the main village area.
Torshavn is the capital of the Faroe Islands and houses 40% of the entire population, so it’s the town that has the most going on!
Like any city, it has lots of restaurants and bars (including an Irish bar, of course ;) ), and there are a few museums. It’s certainly not the largest of cities, but there is one area in particular that holds a lot of charm. That is the old town area of Tinanges.
This is a very small area lined with red houses with grass rooftops, and is the oldest part of Tórshavn.
You’ll find a variety of buildings including, the Prime Minister’s Office and other government buildings.
It won’t take you long to visit this area, but it’s worth visiting.
Afterward, you can pop into one of the coffee shops that line the harbor with beautiful views of the boats!
The legend of the Witch's Finger is that “Trøllkonufingur” is the finger of a witch that came to drag the Faroe Islands to Iceland.
As she came to the sea south of Vágar, the sun came up and she was turned into stone and fell into the ocean.
But, because she was so big, when she reached the bottom of the sea, the back of her head and her finger remained above the surface. So her finger is Trøllkonufingur and the back of her head is the island of Koltur!
Spoookkky… either way, it makes for a very beautiful viewpoint and an easy walk in the Faroe Islands!
The Witches Finger Trail is located in Sandavágur and it will take around 30 minutes each way!
A word of warning, it gets very windy around this area, so be careful if you plan on trying to fly a drone.
Located on the island of Kalsoy, the hike to Kallur Lighthouse (also known as Kalsoy Lighthouse) is, I'd say, the most popular hike in all of the Faroe Islands.
And, rightly so! I’d say this is probably our favorite hike that we did and worth the 200 DKK per person fee.
But first things first, how do you get to Kalsoy Island?
Regardless of whether you've rented a car in the Faroe Islands, are relying on public transport, or you’re even on a tour, you’ll need to make your way to the town of Klaksvik.
From here you’ll be hopping on a ferry over to the island of Kalsoy. The route is called Klaksvik to Syðradalur and the ferry takes 20 minutes.
The ferry has a winter and summer timetable, and in winter time, it typically runs 6 times a day.
This little ferry is quite small, and therefore if you are taking a car over, you must pre-book your tickets online.
When I was researching this, none of the blogs I read knew that you could now pre-book vehicle tickets and slots before you arrive, and in this case, you are guaranteed a spot.
You book via this link here and there is also information on there to see the timetables.
Pricing also differs depending on the season, but for our car we paid 80 DKK (one way) which included the driver, and then another 20 DKK for an extra adult in the car.
If you do NOT pre-book your car onto that ferry, there is a chance you could be waiting hours to get on one.
The pecking order goes line 1 for locals, lines 2 and 3 for reservations, and lines 4 & 5 for people who have not booked.
If you’re a foot passenger, you simply pay as you board via cash or card.
Anyway, onto the hike!
Once you arrive on the island, it’s a 25-minute drive to the hike start point which is located in Trøllanes. From here you can park up, use the loo, and then head to the starting point.
There is a white building with a red roof where there will be a lady with a card machine ready to take your payment of 200 DKK per adult, and 100 DKK for children.
In terms of hike conditions, this hike requires some incline, which is made more difficult when it’s been raining and the entire hill turns into a mudslide.
The hike itself should take you around 45 minutes each way, and the weather will change very quickly the entire way through the hike.
But if, when you reach the lighthouse and there is fog over it, just wait and it should hopefully pass.
Just be aware, it can get extremely windy up here, and you are near cliff edges with very steep drops, so exercise caution.
After you’ve made it to the lighthouse and got your obligatory photos (woohoo!), it’s time to make a slight detour right and visit the headstone of James Bond!
Added more recently (spoiler alter if you didn’t see No Time to Die, whoops), this headstone represents the place where James Bond died in the movie.
If you haven’t guessed already, yes, it was filmed in the Faroe Islands, and this is the exact location featured in the movie (with a little help from CGI).
It’s actually a really cool spot, and the views are truly epic!
When you’ve reached the lighthouse and James Bonds grave, simply take a few minutes to take in your surroundings. This is truly one of the most beautiful sights on offer in the Faroe Islands.
On your way back down, just be careful of slipping in the mud (Yup, I fell 3 times….)
The trail opening hours are:
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Trælanípa, better known as Slave Cliff, is one of the most famous sights in the Faroe Islands, and one of the most famous hikes on offer.
If you’re wondering why it’s called Slave Cliff, then let me clear that up for you!
Supposedly, it has gotten its name from the Viking Age when old and sick slaves were pushed off the mountain. (Pretty dark!)
This is a beautiful walk, and what’s most unique about it is the optical illusion where the lake Leitisvatn/Sørvágsvatn looks like it is floating high above the sea, and it sort of just flows into the sea as one, hence the name “the lake above the ocean.”
The walk itself is fairly easy, there is some incline as you get closer to the edge of the cliff (although you could choose to avoid inclining if you didn’t want to).
It will take you around 2 hours on the return trip (it took us a little bit longer because we took so many pictures, and also a failed attempt at flying the drone).
The cost is 200 DKK per person, and for that entrance fee, the guy gives you some information on the hike, and there are clean public toilets available.
You can pay via card.
If you’re wondering if the hike is worth the steep fee, then I’ll say yes!
Unfortunately, the fees for hiking across the Faroe Islands are typically set to 200 DKK per person, and whilst, yes it’s annoying, it’s just one of those things. but you shouldn't let that stop you from seeing these magnificent views.
Also, there are plenty of hikes and walks in the Faroe Islands that are still free, so it sort of balances itself out!
Not only is a visit to Tjørnuvík worth it just for the stunning views of the town nestled between cliffs, but it’s also home to surfing in the Faroe Islands.
The waves here are strong, and if surfing in the cold is your thing, then you’ll be happy to hear that there is a surf rental shop located on the beachfront enabling you to rent boards and wetsuits.
Since I don’t surf, (or should I say, can’t - I’m terrible), I didn’t attempt this, and it also feels like a better summer activity!
Whilst visiting Tjørnuvík there’s also a little coffee shop located in someone's home where the host serves delicious waffles!
I really wanted to check this guy out as he has lots of praise on Google reviews, but he only opens in the summer tourist season (which is typically May to October)
So make sure you go and let me know how the waffles were!
Type “Privat Kafé” and you’ll find it. Cash only or if you’ve forgotten he can also accept a bank transfer, but cash would be better!
Psssst, it’s also possible to do a hike here to Saksun village!
I won’t lie to you when it comes to waterfalls, I’ve got a pretty high standard.
But that’s also because I’ve been lucky enough to experience some of the world's greatest waterfalls (Niagara, Tumpak Sewu Waterfall & Iguazu Falls, I’m looking at you!).
That being said, Fossa waterfall on the Faroe Islands is worth a visit, especially since it’s going to be on route after you’ve visited Saksun & Tjørnuvík.
At 140 meters tall it’s not only the tallest waterfall in the Faroe Islands, but also hard to miss since it’s on a main road.
There is a very limited pull off/parking spot, but if you do get a space, you can make the walk up to the second level of the waterfall!
But, be prepared to get soaked!
Whether you’ll be able to see puffins on Mykines entirely depends on the time of year you are visiting the Faroe Islands.
For us, we visited Faroe in March, and the puffins did not arrive until May, so we waited to see them in Iceland.
However, if you are here during puffin season, then this is absolutely one of the best things to do on the Faroe Islands!
You’ll need to make your way to the westernmost Faroe island of Mykines and to do that, you’ll need to take a ferry from Vagar.
Mykines is open to travelers between 1 May and 31 August each year.
This is also the Mykines puffin season. The puffins come to Mykines in late April and leave again in early September. The number of puffins on Mykines peaks in July.
You cannot get a ferry as a tourist outside of this season.
It’s recommended that you try and visit Mykines at the beginning of your Faroe itinerary, in case weather conditions see your ferry canceled. May is the riskiest summer month to visit Mykines, as the sea is often rocky during this month and sometimes you can find yourself stuck on the island.
The public ferry to Mykines departs from the boat marina in the village of Sørvágur each morning at 09:15 AM then at 13:15 PM and at 17:15 PM from 1 May to 31 August.
The return ferry departs from Mykines at 10:00 AM, then at 14:00PM, and finally at 18:00.
But make sure you double-check schedules.
When you reach Mykines, you can look for puffins and head out on a hike. The most popular hike is to the lighthouse.
However, the path to Mykines Lighthouse on Mykineshólmur is closed throughout the summer season of 2024. You are unable to enter the Mykineshólmur islet in 2024.
If you don’t want to organize getting to and from Mykines yourself, then the best thing to do is simply take a day tour! These are some great options below.
Please note: According to the official Faroe Islands website, between 1 May and 31 August, each person traveling to Mykines with the ferry must pay DKK 500 (DKK 400 if you book online prior to arrival) per person in addition to the ferry ticket and must be accompanied by a guide whilst on the island.
The Faroe Islands is pretty much one big epic viewpoint, but as you’re driving along the different islands, there will be some that are extra special, so I’ve noted some of my favorites!
This beautiful viewpoint is located in a pretty epic location. You’ve got to drive up mountainous roads to access it, and when it snowy (when we visited), it makes for a dramatically beautiful landscape! It’s located here. And if you fancy driving down into the little village, then there’s also a picturesque church on the water!
This viewpoint is located not far outside Toshaven and located on a mountain road, and basically, it’s an “old” road mountain pass (they’ve built a road lower down now), but we think its worth taking the higher mountain road for the EPICS views on offer. You’ll know you’re at the right point when you see a military base, located here. Although, it kind of looks like it would make an excellent hotel location too!
Located on the island of Sanoy, this wonderful viewpoint offers dramatic views of the ocean, alongside views of another Faroe Island, which actually has no roads, and seems to be a graveyard. Location is here. The little town itself is also adorable.
This is another serene and charming town in the Faroe Islands, and the viewpoint overlooking the town is awesome. There’s actually a little bench at it, a perfect spot to just sit for 5 minutes and breathe in that fresh mountain air. You can find it here.
This is one of the most beautiful little villages in all of the Faroe Islands, and I’m also going to give it the title for the windiest (at least while we were there!).
This village is located at the end of a deep valley and to get there you have to undertake a mountain pass road (with epic views, but be careful with snow in winter).
It feels completely secluded like it’s at the end of the world.
The village bears its name from a beautiful 200-meter-long sea-filled gorge that has been used as a natural harbor. There are stairs all the way down to the gorge and you can listen to the almighty sound of the sea.
There’s also a little viewing platform called “Queen Mary’s Bench”. Whilst the bench itself is nothing special, the view is spectacular and very windy!
I found this little village one of my favorites to photograph, and there’s also a coffee shop called Gjáarkaffi, which serves up coffee, beer, and waffles with a cute rooftop sitting area.
Again with great views. Unfortunately, it’s seasonal, so it opens its doors in May. You’ll also find accommodation and a campsite in this little village!
Because Kirkjubøur is located only a 15-minute drive from Toshaven, it’s one of the popular things to do in the Faroe Islands.
This beautiful village is one of the oldest areas of the Faroe Islands and is home to some historic sights.
First up is the remains of the St Magnus Cathedral, which is a beautiful spot and the ruins are the largest medieval building in the Faroe Islands.
You’ve also got Saint Olaf’s church, which is the oldest church in the Faroe Islands that is still in use today!
There’s also a traditional farmhouse you can check out which has been owned and passed down by the same family for 17 generations. It dates back to the year 1100 and it’s a beautiful building to photograph too!
Opening hours:
Sanoy is one of the more southern islands in the Faroe Islands and only recently in December 2023 was a tunnel completed underwater connecting the island from Torshavn, making it much more accessible.
What I can say is that this island was probably our favorite for breathtaking views all over.
The drive was wonderful, and whilst there isn’t a million and one things to do on the island, it is home to some unique attractions and probably the randomest attraction on the Faroe Islands.
One of them is the biggest, blue mailbox in the world. I mean, it’s totally random and worth a visit, and unfortunately you can’t actually post a letter in it!
Whilst you’re on the island of Sanoy, enjoying all the amazing views and driving to all the little villages on offer, you should definitely stop at Caféin á Mølini located in the village of Skálavík.
This adorable little cafe is well-priced (for Faroe standards), beautifully decorated, cosy, and filled with board games and cute corners to chat in.
It’s also one of the very few coffee shops on the island that is open all year around.
You can check their Facebook page for winter updated prices, but in the summer months, they’re open every day!
Again on Sanoy island, this beautiful little village feels like it’s completely isolated from the rest of the world.
It’s a stunning little village surrounded by natural beauty, but the drive to get there is what really sets it apart …
You can drive along a cliff pass with epic views of the sea, cliffs and waterfalls.
One of which was actually blowing upwards due to how windy it was!
They’re actually in the process of building a tunnel to reach Dalur (I imagine the sea-travelled road can get quite rough at certain times of the year!).
But even when the tunnel is finished, I think, if you’re able too, it will still be worth taking the longer, more scenic route to this cute little settlement.
We took the ferry from Denmark, and onwards to Iceland, which offered some wonderful views of the Faroe Islands from the water.
However, ferries still exist to the island of Suðuroy (which we chat more about below).
It’s just over a 2-hour journey south, so you’ll definitely have some fantastic views along that route!
There are other opportunities to enjoy the views from the water.
Many smaller ferries still continue to run between the islands (they last around 20-30 minutes each way), or you can always opt for some boat tours which will allow you to see bird and sea life!
Booking the right accommodation in the Faroe Islands is important.
It’s great to feel close to nature, which is one of the main reasons for coming to these windswept islands in the first place.
We stayed in the Hilton Garden Inn, and just opposite was a big natural walking area. And the views of the sea and surrounding town from our hotel room were a magical place to relax (and also write this guide!).
The Faroe Islands has so much to see and do, that you might find yourself almost too busy to unwind, but make sure you take some time and savor the simple moments and the simple joys of the stunning surroundings.
Read more in my in-depth review of the Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands.
When you find yourself on Kalsoy island for the Kallur Lighthouse hike and that visit to James Bonds's headstone, make sure to stop here!
On your return journey back to the ferry, you should stop in at the town of Mikladalur, and visit the Seal Woman.
I don’t want to spoil the story for you, because you should go and read the board which has the story (bit of a twist at the end!).
But this is a pretty awesome statue. She’s located right on the edge of the sea and looks majestic and the waves crash up and around her.
It’s definitely worth a visit. There’s also a seasonal coffee shop there too to grab a drink with an epic view.
There is also the opportunity to stay here in this remote community, and I wish we had booked a night or two here! Check out the listing here.
For amazing views, quaint villages, and random attractions, hop in your car and make your way to the Northern Isles of the Faroe Islands.
The Northern Isles are made up of Kunoy, Borðoy & Viðoy and they come with some pretty cool attractions.
But even if you don’t want to “do” anything on these islands, they’re worth driving to simply to enjoy the views and amazing beauty that surrounds every turn.
However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t some great attractions!
Kanoy is home to Kanoy Park, which is oddly enough, the only forested area in the Faroe Islands.
If you haven’t noticed by now, there aren’t any trees on the Faroe Islands, actually there’s not a lot of anything that grows here.
But this little park is randomly surrounded by a massive cliff and apparently offers a tranquil escape!
There’s also the Villingardalsfjall Peak, which we drove to in order to get a beautiful view, but unfortunately, it was a little foggy (however still looked cool). When the weather is good, it is possible to hike this peak.
It’s an elevation gain of 700 meters but only around 2km, but because it’s a steep hike it can take a little longer and it can be done in around 2-3 hours.
Be aware there is no defined path or trail. There are blue poles that are used as markers for the vertical ascent along the mountain. This hike can be very challenging due to the steep elevation gain and terrain. If there is lots of mud, water, strong winds, and fog, then it can be quite dangerous and should be avoided for another calmer day.
The hike costs 200 DKK, but this one is cash only and you put the money in a post box at the trail starting point.
Now, before we get into it, I will be totally honest and say this is the one thing we did not visit on the Faroe Islands, but it is worth mentioning.
Why didn’t we visit?
Simply because I didn’t want to spend over 4 hours on a ferry there and back for one day. I was on a ferry for 3 days getting from mainland Denmark to Faroe, then would be on another ferry in a few days to get to Iceland, and I simply didn’t want to do another long ferry journey! Apologies.
So if you are going to visit, I suggest that you spend at least an overnight stay on the island to make it worth the travel journey.
Also, fun fact, you can get a helicopter there!
But, because getting to the southernmost islands requires a bit more effort, that does mean they are the least visited by tourists, which does bring its own charm!
The islands offer breathtaking views and wonderful walking opportunities but one of the other popular attractions is the lighthouse located near Sumba. This is a postcard-worthy lighthouse at the edge of the Faroes and has withstood storms since 1909.
You have 4 options, rent a car, use local transport or go on tours.
For car rentals, the best search engine with the most choice is Rentalcars.
We have used them multiple times throughout Europe, such as when renting a car in Italy for our 7 day road trip. They are not always the cheapest, so I do recommend having a quick search with Discover Cars as well. However, in the case of the Faroe Islands, Rentalcars come out top in terms of choice.
You also have the option of driving yourself around in your own car! To do this you will need to grab the ferry from mainland Denmark.
When it comes to accommodation in the Faroe Islands, you're going to have the most choice around the capital, which is Torshavn.
Throughout the islands, there are select hotels and Airbnb's, but most people opt to use Torshavn as their base.
This because the distances in the Faroe Islands aren't overly large, so you can easily sightsee from the capital every day.
Be aware, accommodation in the Faroe Islands is not cheap, and it gets more expensive in high season (summer months of June, July, August and September)
We opted to stay the Hilton Garden Inn, which was an excellent option, and we even went half board!
To learn more, check out our review of Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands.
There are only four underwater tunnels that you need to pay for. They vary in price from around 10 euro to upwards of 20 euros, but to learn how to pay and register your details, check out the local authority’s guide here.
If you're renting a car make sure that you check with the car rental company that the tunnels are included, otherwise you'll needed to pay for them on your return of the vehicle.
The good news is, apart from the four underwater tunnels on the Faroe Islands, all other bridges and tunnels are free.
It's certainty possible to charge an electric car on the Faroe Islands, but it will require some preplanning.
There are a number of great chargers on the islands.
However, you won’t find any super fast chargers, like Tesla’s ones. The quickest we could find are 150kw, however, in reality the fastest we ever got out of these in March was 75kw. You can find these all on the website here.
We spent 7 days, and it was the perfect amount to do everything on this list. Just be aware that the weather can change quickly here, so it’s always good to have an extra day or two longer than you think you need, to account for the changing weather.
With the ongoing tunnel development in the Faroe Islands, every year seems to unlock new islands and isolated settlements to discover!
We loved this about the Faroe Islands, taking time to discover age-old top tourist sites, such as Torshavn or Sandavágur.
But also being able to discover previously hard-to-reach areas such as Dalur and Skarvanes on the island of Sandoy.
My point being, take time to explore all of the amazing things listed in the guide above, they really are wonderful.
But if you can, take time to explore smaller towns and areas, seek out your own waterfalls and viewpoints.
Then drop a comment below and let me know!
If there are places you discovered that you think deserve a spot on this guide, I would love to hear.
Similarly, do you have any questions you think I didn’t answer?
Let me know in the comments, and I will help how I can.
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