Faroe Islands: A First-Timer's Guide to the North Atlantic's Most Photographed Archipelago
The Faroe Islands are the 18-island Danish archipelago in the North Atlantic — properly remote, properly cinematic, and over the past 10 years properly discovered through Instagram for the iconic green-roofed turf houses, the Mulafossur waterfall, and the Michelin-starred KOKS (the world's most isolated Michelin restaurant). Tórshavn is the smallest national capital in the world; the surrounding 18 islands are connected by sub-sea tunnels, ferries, and the world's most photographed road network; and the dramatic landscape (cliffs, fjords, sheep outnumbering people 2:1) sells the islands on their own.
This guide is built for the kind of slow Atlantic trip the Faroes reward. We've started with picking the right base (Tórshavn capital vs the famous Gjógv village) and worked through the hotels (the grass-roofed Hotel Føroyar above Tórshavn, the 2020 design hotel Brandan, the iconic village inn Gjáargarður at Gjógv), the restaurants (Ræst's Faroese fermented meat traditions, the Koks alumni currently in Greenland with occasional Faroese pop-ups), the cultural sights (the small but excellent National Gallery), and the famous landscapes — including the Mykines puffin colony.
Quick facts
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Where to base yourself
First-time visitor? Pick a neighborhood that matches your vibe and stay there.
Tórshavn
The Capital Faroe
The world's smallest capital — 21,000 people, the historic Tinganes peninsula (parliamentary site since 825 AD), the harbor, the few restaurants. Walkable in an hour.
Vágar (airport island)
The Gateway Faroe
Where the airport is — Sørvágur village (gateway to Mykines), the famous Lake Sørvágsvatn that appears to float above the ocean, the Múlafossur waterfall.
Eysturoy (eastern island)
The Village Faroe
The most famous Faroese villages — Gjógv (the sea-gorge village), Funningur, Saksun. Where most of the postcard photos are taken.
Streymoy (Tórshavn's island)
The Main Faroe
The largest island — Tórshavn is on the eastern coast, but the western coast (Vestmanna, Saksun, Tjørnuvík) has the most spectacular cliffs.
Mykines (puffin island)
The Bird Faroe
The westernmost inhabited island — 13 people year-round, 50,000+ Atlantic puffins in summer. Boat-only access (in fair weather). The defining Faroese island.
Suðuroy (southern island)
The Southern Faroe
The southernmost island — 2-hour ferry from Tórshavn. The least-visited inhabited Faroese island, the most spectacular cliffs (Beinisvørð), properly remote.
The Insider's Edit
Three picks Faroe Islands regulars send their friends to — curated from Tatler 2026, the World's 50 Best lists, and verified hospitality reporting.
Above the capital with grass-roofed wings designed to disappear into the hillside.
The defining village inn at the foot of the islands' most photogenic sea gorge.
Tórshavn's restaurant celebrating Faroese fermented meat traditions; an acquired and unforgettable taste.
Where to stay
Above the capital with grass-roofed wings designed to disappear into the hillside — the most architecturally significant Faroese hotel. Panoramic harbor view.
“The Katrina Christiansen restaurant inside is among the country's best.”
A 2020 design hotel beside Tórsvøllur stadium — the most contemporary stay in the islands.
“Properly Scandinavian design throughout.”
The defining village inn at the foot of the islands' most photogenic sea gorge. Traditional Faroese hospitality.
“The most cinematic village stay in the Faroes.”
Central Tórshavn hotel — properly comfortable, walking distance to everything.
“Among the most reliable capital choices.”
Long-running Tórshavn hotel — properly traditional Faroese hospitality.
“Among the most established capital options.”
Saksun is the most photographed Faroese village — turf-roofed church beside the lagoon.
“The guesthouse is properly local.”
Heimablídni (home hospitality) is the proper Faroese way to stay — local families host travelers in their homes with home-cooked meals.
“Among the most authentic Faroese experiences.”
Where to eat
Two Michelin stars. Chef Poul Andrias Ziska's fermentation-driven Faroese cuisine — operates from Greenland now, with occasional Faroese residencies. Check ahead at koks.fo for current location.
“Among the most internationally celebrated Nordic restaurants.”
Tórshavn's restaurant celebrating Faroese fermented meat traditions — an acquired and unforgettable taste. Skerpikjøt (dried mutton), ræst kjøt (fermented mutton).
“Among the most unique culinary experiences in Europe.”
Modern Faroese cuisine in the Hotel Føroyar — local ingredients, contemporary technique.
“Among the Faroes' most consistent fine dining.”
Traditional Faroese restaurant in a historic Tinganes building — properly atmospheric, properly local cuisine.
Surprisingly good Faroese sushi — the local salmon (Faroese-farmed) is properly fresh.
Faroese seafood — fish straight from local boats.
“Among the most loved Tórshavn dinner spots.”
Where to have breakfast
Tórshavn's most loved modern café — properly cooked Western breakfast, well-pulled coffee.
Long-running Tórshavn harborside café — properly local, daily breakfast.
Best buffet breakfast in the Faroes — local cheeses, fish, properly cooked Faroese specialties.
“With the panoramic view.”
Faroese village bakeries — properly cooked bread, traditional Faroese cinnamon snails (kanelsnegle).
Booking a heimablídni stay includes home-cooked Faroese breakfast — among the most authentic morning experiences in the Faroes.
Museums worth your time
Small but excellent — Faroese landscape painting from a tradition almost no one knows. The 20th-century Faroese painters (S.J. Mikines especially) are a revelation.
“Among the most thoughtful small national galleries in Europe.”
Visit website →Faroese history from Viking settlement to present — at Hoyvíkar Garður (a restored Viking-era farm).
“Among the most properly preserved Viking heritage sites in Northern Europe.”
Visit website →Nordic cultural center in Tórshavn — concerts, exhibitions, the proper cultural heart of the islands.
“Built 1983 by Norwegian architects.”
Visit website →Where the Faroese parliament has met since 825 AD — possibly the oldest continuously-used parliament site in the world. The red-painted historic government buildings.
“Free, always accessible.”
The medieval bishop's seat — the unfinished Magnus Cathedral (1300), the Roykstovan (a 900-year-old continuously-inhabited farmhouse).
“Among the most properly medieval European heritage sites.”
Only-here places
The most photographed Faroese site — a waterfall falling 30m straight off a cliff into the Atlantic. The village (16 people) sits at the edge.
“Among the world's most cinematic single landscape views.”
The optical illusion — from a certain angle, the lake appears to float above the ocean (cliffs are 100m, lake is at 30m). 2-hour return hike from Bøsdalafossur.
“Among the world's most striking optical-illusion landscapes.”
The most photogenic Faroese village — at the head of a 200m natural sea gorge cut through basalt cliffs. 50 people.
“Among the most cinematic small villages in Europe.”
Turf-roofed church beside a tidal lagoon — at low tide you can walk to the black-sand beach. 14 people.
“Among the most photographed Faroese villages.”
Boat from Sørvágur (1 hour each way, weather-dependent) — one of the most concentrated Atlantic puffin populations on earth. 50,000+ puffins May-August.
“The lighthouse hike is the proper Faroese day.”
Boat tour from Vestmanna into the sea caves and along the 600m cliffs — among the Faroes' most cinematic boat experiences.
“2 hours.”
The most famous Faroese hike — to the lighthouse at the northern tip of Kalsoy island. Featured in the James Bond film No Time to Die.
“2-hour return.”
Tours & things to do in Faroe Islands
In partnership with GetYourGuide, Locals Insider recommends these tours and things to do in Faroe Islands.
Nature & quiet
The Faroes' highest peak (882m) — 3-hour return hike. The panoramic view across the islands is the prize.
“Best in summer; weather changes fast.”
The cliff where Vikings allegedly threw slaves to their deaths — 2-hour return hike along the Sørvágsvatn lake to the edge.
Two of the smallest inhabited Faroese islands — boat from Tórshavn.
“Properly remote.”
Black-sand beach at the northern tip of Streymoy — the view to the Risin and Kellingin sea stacks.
“Among the most photographed Faroese beaches.”
The Faroes' second-largest town (5,000 people) — proper fishing-village character, the modern church, the Föroya Bjór brewery.
“1 hour from Tórshavn via the world's longest subsea tunnel.”
City festivals
- July 28-29Ólavsøka (St. Olaf's Wake)
The Faroes' national festival — celebrating St. Olaf (the patron saint), with horseback parades, rowing competitions, traditional Faroese dance, and parliamentary opening ceremonies. The defining annual Faroese event.
- AugustG! Festival
Music festival in Norðragøta — three days, properly local music plus international acts. Among Northern Europe's most distinctive small festivals.
- JulySummartónar music festival
Classical music festival across the islands — concerts in churches and community centers. Properly cultural Faroese summer.
- Year-roundFaroese folk dance (Føroyskur dansur)
The unique Faroese chain dance — UNESCO Intangible Heritage. Performed at most major events. Properly traditional.
- Year-roundSheep + lamb seasons
Faroese sheep agriculture has a rhythm — May lambing season, September slaughter (skerpikjøt fermentation begins). The properly local annual cycle.
Travel safety & inclusivity
Among the safest places in the world to visit. The biggest practical risks are weather-related (the Faroese weather changes every 15 minutes — pack for everything), the cliffs (no railings, properly dangerous in fog), and driving (narrow roads, free-ranging sheep, fog).
The Faroe Islands legalised same-sex marriage in 2017 (later than Denmark proper). Tórshavn is small but tolerant; tiny LGBTQ+ scene. Faroese society is broadly accepting; rural conservatism persists in some areas.
Safety scores reflect UK FCDO & US State Department travel advisories. LGBTQ+ scores reflect Equaldex and ILGA-Europe rankings. Both refreshed quarterly.
Frequently asked about Faroe Islands
Where do locals eat in the Faroe Islands?
Three picks across the spectrum of how Faroese actually eat on the iconic North Atlantic archipelago.
For the iconic two-Michelin-star institution: PAZ, at Tórsgøta 11, 100 Tórshavn. Chef Poul Andrias Ziska's restaurant — formerly the head chef of KOKS (the Faroes' iconic original Michelin-starred restaurant which suspended operations in 2024), Ziska opened PAZ in 2025 and earned two Michelin stars in its debut year. Properly serious Faroese cuisine emphasizing fermented (ræst) lamb, dried fish (skerpikjøt), foraged seaweed, sheep tallow, and the iconic North Atlantic seafood — a 20-course tasting menu format. Reservations 2-3 months ahead.
For the modern Faroese pick: ROKS, at Tórshavn harbour, 100 Tórshavn. A contemporary seafood-focused restaurant directly on the Tórshavn harbour — daily fresh North Atlantic catch (langoustine, cod, haddock, the iconic Faroese salmon), more accessible price point than PAZ. Reservations recommended.
For the affordable Faroese standard: Heima í Stovu ("At Home in the Living Room") — the iconic Faroese home-dining experience. Local hosts welcome small groups (typically 8-12 guests) into their homes for proper Faroese family dinners — fermented lamb, the iconic Faroese knetti meatballs, salt-cured fish. Bookings via the Visit Faroe Islands website. For a properly casual standard, the SMS Mall food court in Tórshavn has the most affordable everyday Faroese food options.
Where can I get the best seafood with champagne or sparkling wine in the Faroe Islands?
The Faroe Islands have very limited fine-dining infrastructure (the entire archipelago has fewer than 55,000 permanent residents). For Faroese seafood with serious Champagne, the destination is PAZ (covered above), where the seafood-and-Champagne tasting menu pairings are properly serious — Champagne and grower-producer pours alongside the iconic Faroese fermented ingredients.
For a more accessible alternative with a serious wine programme, ROKS (covered above) and Áarstova at Gongin 1, 100 Tórshavn in the iconic 19th-century timber turfed-roof house in the centre of Tórshavn offer serious Champagne service alongside Faroese lamb, fish, and seafood programmes.
The Faroe Islands import almost all their wine via Denmark and Iceland; the Vínrøkt monopoly limits standard selection but PAZ and ROKS have built serious Champagne and sparkling-wine cellars over the past 5-10 years as the islands' fine-dining scene has emerged.
Which historical boutique hotel should I stay at in the Faroe Islands?
For a contemporary boutique stay in the Faroe Islands (the islands have very limited heritage-hotel infrastructure), the reference is Hotel Føroyar, at Oyggjarvegur 45, 100 Tórshavn.
A contemporary luxury hotel on a hillside above Tórshavn with sweeping Atlantic views over the Faroese capital — 106 rooms, the iconic grass-roof traditional Faroese architecture, and a properly serious restaurant. Among the islands' most-cited accommodations.
Pricing from around DKK 2,500/night. For a more boutique alternative, Hotel Hafnia at Áarvegur 4-10, 100 Tórshavn (a contemporary 76-room boutique in central Tórshavn with serious Faroese contemporary art collection) is the modern town-centre choice. For a properly atmospheric small-island experience, Gjáargarður Guesthouse in the village of Gjógv (on the northeast tip of Eysturoy island, accessible by spectacular winding road) is the iconic remote-Faroese village stay.
What is the LGBTQ+ scene like in the Faroe Islands?
The Faroe Islands legalised same-sex marriage in 2017 (the Faroese parliament passed it; the Folketing in Copenhagen extended it to the autonomous territory). The Faroes are widely LGBTQ+-friendly, but the islands' small population (around 55,000 across all 18 inhabited islands) means there is no dedicated LGBTQ+ scene or nightlife.
The neighborhood: There is no defined gay quarter in the Faroe Islands. Tórshavn (the capital, with around 22,000 residents) has the only urban centre on the archipelago and is widely LGBTQ+-friendly without dedicated LGBTQ+ venues.
The venues: The Faroe Islands have no dedicated LGBTQ+ bars, clubs, or saunas. The annual Faroe Pride (Pride Føroyar) takes place in late July-early August in Tórshavn and is the only major dedicated LGBTQ+ event on the archipelago. Most LGBTQ+ Faroese travel to Copenhagen (3-hour flight) for queer nightlife.
Cultural notes: The Faroese are properly tolerant in a Nordic-Scandinavian sense, but the islands are also deeply traditional with a strong Lutheran church presence. The LGBTQ+ rights movement has emerged primarily over the past 15 years; older generations may be more conservative than younger Faroese. Public expression is widely accepted in Tórshavn; rural villages may feel more conservative.
What unique small museum, new 2024-2026 landmark, or 1-3 day itinerary should I plan for the Faroe Islands?
The famous-person small museum: National Museum of the Faroe Islands (Tjóðsavnið), at Brekkutún 6, 100 Tórshavn. The contained museum dedicated to Faroese history and culture — properly atmospheric, with the iconic 11th-century church pews of the Kirkjubøur stave church (the oldest surviving Christian artefacts in the Faroes), traditional Faroese boats, and the islands' iconic medieval-to-modern cultural history. Closed Mondays.
The recent landmark: Eysturoyartunnilin (Eysturoy Tunnel) — the world's only undersea roundabout, opened in 2020 — a 11.2-km subsea tunnel system connecting the islands of Streymoy and Eysturoy via a central undersea roundabout featuring the iconic illuminated sculptural installation by Faroese artist Tróndur Patursson. Among the most architecturally and engineering-significant infrastructure projects in the North Atlantic. The drive through the tunnel is the iconic Faroes road-trip experience.
1-3 day itinerary: Day 1 — Tórshavn (Tinganes peninsula with the iconic 17th-century turfed-roof Parliament buildings, the National Museum, evening dinner). Day 2 — Vágar and Mykines (drive to Vágar — Sørvágur with the iconic Múlafossur waterfall at Gásadalur, Trælanípa cliff above Sørvágsvatn lake — the iconic "lake above the ocean" optical illusion). Day 3 — Northern islands (Klaksvík via the Eysturoy tunnel undersea roundabout, Viðareiði — the northernmost village in the Faroes — Gjógv natural harbour on Eysturoy, bird-watching for the iconic puffin colonies May-August).
Planning more than just Faroe Islands? Our Denmark travel guide covers the whole country — weather and currency live, hotels and restaurants across regions, must-visit experiences and where else to go.
Articles in this section are written by the Locals Insider editorial team. Got a Faroe Islands tip we missed? Email us at hello@localsinsider.com — we read every one.
