It’s hard to drive five minutes in the Faroe Islands without uttering an ‘ooh’ or an ‘ahh.’ Like something out of a Hans Christian Andersen fairytale, the splendour of this small island nation is felt from every picturesque corner. Filled with more sheep than people, and a slew of painter’s palette villages, life in the Faroe Islands is as wild and rugged as it is beautiful.
‘One thing that really makes the Faroe Islands stand out is its isolation from the rest of the world through the centuries,’ says Høgni Reistrup, founder of Guide To Faroe Islands. ‘This has preserved our unique culture in a way that is found in very few other places in Europe.’
Accessible by car, boat, tunnel, bridge and helicopter, its 18 islands dot the North Atlantic between Iceland and Norway like elongated drippings from a Sámal Joensen-Mikines painting. Its natural beauty is otherworldly, a place where a deep breath of salty ocean air clears the mind and boosts the spirit.
Vágar
This is where travellers will first set foot on the Faroes. Emerging from the airport built by the British during WWII, it’s the ideal spot to pick up a rental car from Unicar and head to what is arguably the Faroe Islands’ most alluring attraction. While you’ll probably pass posters of it in the airport, there’s nothing like the real thing. A 15-minute drive west to the village of Gásadalur is Múlafossur Waterfall. A quaint village and a towering peak frame this massive waterfall tumbling into the ocean.
This touristy village recently welcomed a slew of brand-new apartments and cottages, making it a dreamy place to spend the night. The island’s best restaurant is Fiskastykkið. Open for lunch, it highlights the island’s history of salting and drying cod to send to Portugal. Try the bacalao salad, their signature fish soup and homemade rhubarb soda.
Streymoy
The largest and most populated of the islands, Streymoy is home to the country’s capital, Tórshavn. With the top hotels and restaurants dotted throughout one of the world’s smallest capitals, it’s the best place to base yourself.
Hotel Brandan and Hilton Garden Inn Faroe Islands provide four-star service in minimalist Scandi-chic rooms under a grass roof. But the country’s premier hotel is Hotel Føroyar, perched high above the capital city. It recently debuted the country’s first Scandinavian spa house, Ress Spa. Decked out in Scandi-design, this multi-level spa includes multiple hot pools, saunas and steam rooms while sheep graze nearby.