The Best Things to See and Do on the Faroe Islands

As the most westerly island in the Faroes archipelago, Mykines is home to thousands of migratory birds, including the adorable and iconic puffin. Covered in puffins as far as the eye can see, the western-most section of the island comes alive with busy bird activity in the summer months.

Watch the birds from the lighthouse at the tip of the island and enjoy panoramic views of the entire island. As you walk back, be careful to stick to the path, avoiding the nesting puffins. With a small but pretty village home to eight residents, Mykines makes a wonderful day trip and can be reached by a twice-daily ferry service from Storvagur.

Anything but your average fine dining experience, KOKS is situated in a delightfully quaint Faroese cabin at the end of a bumpy ride around the lake. With young head chef and prodigy Poul Andrias Ziska at the helm, KOKS has been awarded a prestigious Michelin Star and offers a truly unique and unforgettable dining experience.

Each of the 18 courses celebrates locally sourced and foraged ingredients, such as seafood and vegetables, fermented lamb and fish, and even (somewhat controversially) whale blubber. Each course is paired with wine or fruit juice for non-drinkers. If you love food and innovation, you’ll love KOKS.

On the island of Vagar, the lake is the biggest in the Faroe Islands and is renowned for the optical illusion created when the lake seems to hang over the sea below. Walk to the viewpoint and enjoy a stunning vista across the cliffs and lake. Be sure to wear something waterproof as the weather can be unpredictable, to say the least! Bosdalafossur Waterfall rages into the sea from the edge of the lake. It’s an awe-inspiring, if not a little terrifying, sight that’s not to be missed.

Also famous in the area is Traelanipa, a rock wall 142 meters above the sea, where Vikings are said to have pushed their slaves off the mountain.

While you’ll now pay a fee to the landowner for hiking here, we think it’s worth it. But do be careful in the dense fog and poor weather conditions.

The jaw-droppingly beautiful Mulafossur Waterfall is truly a sight to behold. Located just south of Gasadalur Village, it falls straight into the North Atlantic. Spend a night in Gasadalur and envelop yourself in its wonders. To get there, head east from Vagur Airport through the town of Bour and take a short walk down to the fall’s viewpoint.

Positioned atop sheer cliffs on the Earth’s precipice (or at least that’s what it looks like!) and on the island of Kalsoy in the northern part of the Faroe Islands archipelago, the Kallurin lighthouse is famous for a reason. With views hard to replicate anywhere else in the world, once you’ve completed the easy, 1-hour hike to the lighthouse, you can spend a little time exploring the rest of the island, before stopping in the town of Mikladalur to see the Seal Woman Statue.

Brimming with charm and visually stunning, Gjogv is on the northern tip of Eysturoy. Colorful, timber-walled cottages are dotted all over the enclosed valley. There’s even a creek that flows right through the middle of the town. However, the town is most famous for its scenic 200m gorge that’s one of the best natural harbors in the Faroes and used to supply the town’s once-thriving fishing industry.

Every July, on the national day of Ólavsøka, you can experience a true Faroese cultural event. Locals from across all the islands descend on Torshavn wearing colorful national costumes, ready to indulge in a weekend of festivities. A whole lot of fun, the festival includes cultural, musical and sporting activities, such as the national rowing race.

Take a guided kayak tour that will show you the Faroe Islands from a completely different perspective. Ensuring that you’re fully equipped to properly enjoy it, they supply you with all the necessary equipment such as dry bags and dry suits to keep you warm and toasty as you glide through the tumultuous waters of the North Atlantic.

The capital of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn is situated on the southeast coast of Streymoy and has around 1,500 residents. While it can’t exactly be described as buzzing, it has plenty to keep you occupied, including the historical old town that dates back to the 1400s. You can also visit the colorful harbor area of the city, which has a few fantastic restaurants for a delicious dinner or a leisurely lunch.

The city also has an old fort, called Skansin. It dates back to 1580 and while there isn’t much of it left, it does give wonderful views back toward Tinganes and the rest of the city. 

A tiny little village, Saksun is located in an old, natural amphitheater and isolated fjord and has just 14 residents. With a quaint, traditional cottage that can be found plastered all over Instagram, Saksun actually has so much more to offer. It is brimming with photogenic spots and panoramic vistas accessible by a series of hiking paths. With the farmer who owns the Insta-hit cottage fed up with tourists trampling across his land, you’ll need to get your own social media shot from the lagoon.

There are over 18,000 waterfalls on the Faroe Islands. At 140 meters high, Fossa is the tallest and by far the most impressive, especially after a period of heavy rainfall when the water roars over multiple tiers and coats the area in a fine, heavy mist. About an hour north of Torshavn, on the island of Streymoy, Fossa Waterfall is a must-see stop-off for anyone touring the northern islands.

Experiencing everything that the Faroe Islands have to offer will make you ache for a simple way of life and yearn for the untroubled simplicity of island dwelling. The perfect antidote to the stresses and strains of modern life, a trip to the Faroe Islands belongs on every serious traveler’s must-visit list. Provided you’re prepared for the unpredictable weather conditions, you’ll have a magical and inspirational time there.