Exploring Northern Eysturoy: An Absolute Must on the Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands have no shortage of amazing places to visit, and few places on this planet—if any—can compete with its stunning landscapes. Despite stern competition, Eysturoy is my favorite island. The northern part of Eysturoy is well worth seeing, in particular. 

After getting a taste of Northern Eysturoy on my first visit to the Faroe Islands, I was so happy when I got the opportunity to revisit a year later. On that trip, we explored this part of the island in more detail than even many locals would. 

The north of Eysturoy should be a priority on your Faroe Islands itinerary, with beautiful villages, stunning views, hiking opportunities, and more. Sounds like the rest of the Faroes, sure, but it’s on a whole new level with Northern Eysturoy. 

Based on my experiences, I’m bringing you this full guide. Keep reading to discover the best places to visit on this part of the island, along with tips on how to get there. 

Why I Recommend Giving Northern Eysturoy More Than a Day

When visiting the Faroe Islands for the first time, the temptation to zip through the archipelago is very tempting. After all, it’s tiny when you look at it on a map. However, doing so will stop you from truly experiencing the Faroe Islands in all their glory—and this is more true in the north of Eysturoy than many other parts. 

Northern Eysturoy is home to many of the Faroe Islands’ top attractions, along with some gems seldom seen by tourists. Gjógv is one of the archipelago’s best-known villages, and while not too big, it has beautiful views and fantastic photography opportunities. So, I recommend spending at least a few hours here alone.

Spending more than a day in the north of Eysturoy will also let you go at your own pace. For example, we spent one day exploring Gjógv and doing the nearby Hvíthamar hike, before going to Fuglafjørður in the evening. 

On other days, we went to Eiði—doing the Eiðiskollur hike—and Elduvík, separately. We combined those with visits to other parts of the Faroe Islands, such as the north of Streymoy. Having flexibility and spreading our trip over multiple days meant not caring about driving distances and times, too. 

My Favorite Places to Visit in Northern Eysturoy

Based on multiple trips to Eysturoy, here are my top recommendations for places to visit in the northern part of the island. 

1. Gjógv

Everything about Gjógv is appealing to me. This pretty village has some excellent views if you head up the trail on its side; the initial part is free, though you have to pay if you want to keep moving upward. The sight of the village with clouds rolling over the mountains was one of the most memorable moments on my second Faroe Islands trip. 

The natural gorge in Gjógv is also super cool. While it’s not a good idea to go down here when the sea is choppy (which is most of the winter), I do recommend seeing it if you visit the Faroes during the summer. 

The gorge in Gjógv features the only operating railway of any kind on the Faroe Islands. Despite many goods now reaching the village by road, it is occasionally used for these and boats. Historically, it’s been a crucial part of how the village functions. 

While in Gjógv, I also recommend walking around the village. It is very small, meaning you can see it without spending too much time. The houses are traditional Faroese style, while Gjógv also has a pleasant church. 

The village is blessed with lovely views toward the island of Kalsoy. Watching the North Atlantic Ocean crash against the shore is a mesmerizing sight. 

Gjógv has a small parking lot where you can leave your car. The road leading into it is a single-lane road, with lay-by spots to pull over if you need to let someone else pass. You should use these if they’re on your right-hand side or to let bigger vehicles pass. 

2. Hvíthamar

Hvíthamar is, in my opinion, the best hike on the Faroe Islands for an effort-to-views ratio. It takes less than 20 minutes to reach this viewpoint from the start of the trailhead, and yet, you get sweeping vistas like you’ve never seen before. 

From Hvíthamar, you can see Kalsoy, other parts of Eysturoy, and several mountain tops. The hike is completely free and pretty straightforward for beginners. 

When we visited, it was quite windy at the top. Make sure you have a windbreaker jacket and some good shoes. You will also see signs warning you not to go any further; for your safety, you should pay attention to these. 

Hvíthamar is on the way out of Gjógv. Once you leave the village, you’ll see another parking lot within around 5 minutes. Park your car here and continue on to the trail; the start of the trail is marked with a map. 

3. Elduvík

Elduvík was one of our best discoveries while on the Faroe Islands. This small village isn’t as popular as Gjógv, but the views are just as beautiful. Moreover, the ride there is certainly unique. 

The village is nestled between two mountains, and you will feel like you are a million miles away from everything. You will have nice views of nearby Kalsoy, in addition to the North Atlantic. A small stream runs through the town and meets the ocean from here. 

On the drive into Elduvík, you will see a viewpoint that I recommend stopping by. From here, you get amazing views of Funningur on the other side of the fjord. It’s a cool place for birdwatching, too; we saw oystercatchers and skuas. 

Part of the drive toward Elduvík is along a road that isn’t very well-maintained. This goes along a mountainside, and it can be a bit nerve-wracking if you aren’t used to these types of conditions. Nonetheless, getting to Elduvík is rewarding.

4. Eiðiskollur

We did the Eiðiskollur hike to ease ourselves into our second trip to the Faroe Islands, and it was another rewarding adventure. The hike is steep in parts, but anyone with decent fitness levels can do it. From here, we saw great views of Eiði—the closest village—and other islands on the archipelago. 

Once you’ve climbed to the top, you will see some abandoned bunkers. These were used by the British during their strategic occupation of the Faroe Islands in World War II. It’s one of many examples of the conflict you can see around the archipelago. One lasting legacy is that Cadbury’s fingers, the greatest chocolates in the world, are still loved on the Faroes 🙂. 

You can start this hike from the village Eiði, which is also where you can also park your car. 

5. Eiði

Eiði is best known for the views of its soccer field, which you’ll see as you drive toward the village. But even if you aren’t a big sports fan, I recommend coming here anyway. It’s one of the larger settlements on the Faroe Islands, and like many places on the archipelago, it has an enviable backdrop. 

The winding road into Eiði is pretty cool, in particular, and from here, it’s easy to reach villages on other islands—such as Tjørnvík. 

In addition to the village itself, the views by the old soccer field—which is now a campsite—are worth checking out. 

6. The Road to Funningur

The road to Funningur is the coolest on the entire Faroe Islands, in my opinion. It zigzags along the mountainside, offering some excellent photography opportunities. As you head further down the mountain, the village of Funningur will slowly reveal itself. 

Funningur has great fjord views, and while driving down the road, you’ll also see the surrounding scenery. It is a single-lane road, but there are a number of lay-by spots. Moreover, the road itself has been well-maintained on both occasions when I’ve used it. 

Since the road is in the mountains, it can be quite windy. If you want to take photos, I recommend getting someone else to drive and having your camera ready, since there aren’t any places to stop. 

7. Fuglafjørður

Of all the places we visited on the Faroe Islands, I would say that the town of Fuglafjørður surprised me the most. We went here as a detour on the way back to Tórshavn from Gjógv. I had seen it mentioned elsewhere beforehand, and since it’s not a place that many tourists go to, I thought it was worth visiting. Those beliefs were confirmed when we visited. 

Fuglafjørður is one of the few settlements on the Faroe Islands with a population over 1,000, and it does feel like a big-ish town when you’ve spent so much time in nature elsewhere. You’ll find a small beach here with nice fjord views, in addition to a cool church. 

The town is still an important fishing town in the Faroes, and you may even see people practising rowing here. Rowing is an incredibly popular sport across the archipelago; it’s the national sport, in fact. 

Getting to the North of Eysturoy

You can reach Northern Eysturoy quite easily. Driving and guided tours are available, while public transport will take you to some parts. 

Driving

Driving is the easiest way to reach Northern Eysturoy and explore this part of the island at your own pace. From Tórshavn, you can take the Eysturoy Tunnel—which is the world’s first undersea tunnel with a roundabout. 

To use this tunnel, you will need to pay 175 DKK each way. To save money, you can drive via the Streymin Bridge. This connects Streymoy with Eysturoy; the journey takes a bit longer, but the views are great, so it’s worth it. 

Once you’re in the northern part of Eysturoy, a network of roads will get you around the villages. Most of the time, the roads leading into the villages are single-lane roads. 

Guided Tours

If you don’t have a car, you can see some parts of the Northern Eysturoy with a guided tour. For example, I took this “see-it-all” Faroe Islands tour on my first trip to the archipelago. We saw the soccer field at Eiði from afar, along with spending time in Gjógv. 

While on this tour, we also got to see the winding road to Funningur. It was a great way to see other parts of the Faroe Islands, too, such as towns like Saksun and Tjørnvík on Streymoy. 

Public Transport

Some towns and villages on Eysturoy have direct buses to and from Tórshavn. For example, you can take the bus to Fuglafjørður. 

Getting around, however, can be difficult if you only rely on public transport. You’ll have to rely on schedules, and it isn’t possible to reach all towns and villages. So, I don’t recommend this option for exploring the north of Eysturoy.

Final Thoughts

All of Eysturoy is worth seeing, but the northern part of the island is particularly scenic. You’ll find some of the Faroe Islands’ most iconic villages here, in addition to a number of beautiful viewpoints and some cool hikes. If you’re into photography, coming here is a must—but even if you aren’t, it’s still worth visiting. 

Getting around Northern Eysturoy is best done by car, but you can also use guided tours if you don’t have access to one. Be sure to allocate more than one day to this part of the Faroe Islands, too; doing so will help you go at a more leisurely pace.