Visiting the Faroe Islands for the First Time: My 24 Top Tips

When I visited the Faroe Islands for the first time in March 2024, I was convinced that there is no place on Earth as epic as this windswept archipelago. After being fortunate enough to visit again one year later, I now hold that opinion even more strongly than before. The Faroes are the ultimate outdoor adventure, with some of the most stunning landscapes you’ll ever see. 

Though the Faroe Islands are more accessible than you think (they’re just two hours from Copenhagen by plane), planning your visit is vital. Travel here will be a culture shock if you’re not used to similar environments, and you also need to keep various rules and customs in mind. Based on my two visits so far, I’m bringing you this comprehensive list with all my main tips. 

I’ll cover the most useful things to know in several areas, such as transport, language, and hiking. By the end of this guide, you should have a better understanding for your trip. 

1. You’ll Sometimes Need to Pay to Hike 

Unlike Sweden, Norway, and Finland, there is no right to roam law in the Faroe Islands. While many hikes are free, you’ll often need to pay if you wish to venture along trails that cross private land. 

Fees vary depending on the trail; some include a guide, whereas others do not. The Faroe Islands Tourism Board has a useful article with hiking fees for various popular trails. This includes the hike to Kallur Lighthouse on Kalsoy.

As annoying as the fees might be, it’s also important to remember that you are hiking on private land. While pretty, it’s still technically someone’s garden or farm.

To be honest, I have done various free hikes in the Faroe Islands and still found my trip fulfilling. All of the hikes between towns and villages, such as from Tórshavn to Kirkjubøur, are free. I also recommend the Klakkur hike in Klaksvík, which is relatively simple and does not cost money.

2. Safety While Hiking in the Faroe Islands 

Hiking in the Faroe Islands poses a number of challenges. The weather is very volatile; we got caught in a storm while doing the Eiðiskollur hike on Eysturoy, for example. Moreover, many hikes have steep edges that drop hundreds of meters.

Staying safe while hiking is vital, and you can do various things to do so. First and foremost, respect all signs that you see. You’ll see signs warning that it’s too dangerous to continue on your own, and you should take these seriously. Below is one example I saw while hiking Hvítahamar.

Besides heeding the warning signs, you should also stick to the cairns. These are piles of rocks that will guide you up the trail; if you can’t see them, you might have strayed away from the trail by accident.

Some of my other top tips for safe hiking in the Faroe Islands are:

• Never start your hike when it’s foggy or dark. If it gets foggy on the trail or the weather changes for the worse, stay next to the closest cairn; conditions will normally improve before long.
• Understand the hiking difficulty BEFORE starting. The start of each trailhead normally has an information chart where you can see the hike’s difficulty. If it’s above your skill level, I strongly suggest reconsidering. This page explains trail difficulty in more detail.
• Wear the appropriate hiking equipment. Bring good hiking pants, a windproof jacket, and a solid pair of hiking shoes. The Faroe Islands are *not* the place for hiking in jeans and sandals.
• Turn back if you need to. It’s better to retry the hike on a better day than to put yourself in unnecessary danger.

The Faroe Islands’ Tourism Board has put together a really useful safe hiking leaflet. I’ve also been able to pick these up in Tórshavn, so it’s worth considering them. Always consult a local if you’re unsure about a hike’s dificulty or whether you should start.

3. The Faroe Islands Are the Perfect Place for Slow Travel 

Thanks to an impressive network of tunnels, it’ll often take you less than two hours to drive from one side of the Faroe Islands to another. But let’s be honest: Where’s the fun in doing that? 

The Faroe Islands are the perfect place for slow travel. I said on my first trip that I wish I had spent longer, and despite being there for 9 days when I returned, I still could happily have spent 2-3 weeks exploring the archipelago.

As soon as you step off your plane at Vágar Airport, you’ll feel the enviably slow pace of life here. And while traveling around, I recommend taking things easy. You’ll have a much more enjoyable trip if you go to the Faroese pace of time and not treat it like rush hour in London.

4. Rent a Car if You Can

I grew up in London and live in Copenhagen, and as a result, I have never needed (or wanted to drive). The Faroe Islands are the place that finally convinced me to take my driving test, though. It’s not necessary, but I strongly recommend renting a car when you visit.

Having lived in cities my whole life, I’ve never felt the need or desire to drive. But I must admit that when I was in the Faroe Islands, that was the first time I ever wished I had a driving license. If you want to explore the islands in more detail and at a slower pace, I strongly recommend renting a car. 

Renting a car will allow you to explore the Faroe Islands at your own pace. While public transport does exist, you will need to account for potential cancellations and also play by the bus and ferry schedule.

You can rent a car for your Faroe Islands adventure here.

5. Many Flight Routes Are Seasonal

You can fly to the Faroe Islands from multiple destinations in the summer, including London, Edinburgh, and Paris. However, your options are more limited outside of the peak season. 

Copenhagen is your best option when flying to the Faroe Islands year-round; multiple flights operate from the Danish capital daily. 

You can also get flights from Billund in the winter and summer, but fewer flights run during the off-season. Reykjavík also has year-round flights.

6. Travel Without a Car Is Possible but Requires Planning

While a car will give you the freedom to explore more of the Faroe Islands, you don’t necessarily need one. The archipelago has a solid and affordable public transport network, but you’ll need to check schedules in advance. 

If you plan to use public transport in the Faroe Islands, consider getting the 7-day card for 700 DKK. You can buy your tickets from the airport, at the ferry terminal in Tórshavn, or via the route running between Tórshavn and the airport. Find more information here. 

Alternatively, you can base yourself in Tórshavn and take tours. I actually did this on my first trip to the Faroes and booked a seven-hour tour that took us to multiple islands. We saw many main sights, including Múlafossur and the Risin & Kellingin sea stacks.

While you need to pay for long-distance buses and ferries in the Faroe Islands, the red buses in Tórshavn are free.

7. The Turbulence Approaching the Airport Can be Quite Bad

I would guess that I’ve flown at least 200 times in my life, and I have never experienced turbulence like when we landed in the Faroe Islands. Like, I genuinely thought at one point that we were going to crash. I also usually find clapping the pilot a bit cringeworthy, but it was genuinely deserved on that occasion. 

When I was in the taxi to Tórshavn, one of the passengers told me that it was actually light turbulence. He said that you should be worried if the waterfalls are blowing upwards. I don’t know if he was joking with me, but… 🤷🏾‍♂️. 

The flight from the Faroe Islands back to Copenhagen was actually fine, which was funny because I had prepared to deal with the same thing again. But yeah, you might experience pretty bad turbulence when landing. Of course, the pilots are very good at their jobs—but it can be a nerve-wracking experience. 

You’re much more likely to encounter turbulence during the winter. On my second trip, I didn’t have any turbulence—despite preparing for it—which was nice.

8. The Weather Will Probably Change a Lot on Your Visit…

I thought that living in Denmark prepared me for constantly changing weather, but the Faroe Islands took that to a whole new level. I very distinctly remember one of my final days in Tórshavn when I was walking around, and the weather changed from sunny to stormy to hail and back again at least three times. 

As you would expect from a group of islands perched in the North Atlantic between Scotland, Iceland, and Norway, the weather on the Faroe Islands is very volatile. Even if you travel to different parts of the archipelago, conditions can differ significantly within short distances. 

Packing in layers is a good idea, and so is bringing a rain jacket. And as I was once told in Iceland (and again in the Faroe Islands): “If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes” 🙂. 

9. … And It’ll Probably Windy

Again, I will never complain about the wind in Copenhagen again. Because deary me, the Faroe Islands went above and beyond in this respect. Of course, I visited in March and was never expecting tropical weather… but it was stormy for pretty much the entire week. I’m talking 14-20 m/s most days. I know I was very unlucky, but still… 🤯. 

Obviously, don’t be stupid and do ridiculous things that you wouldn’t normally do when it’s too windy. But if you’re staying in your hotel room and hoping for the wind to subside, I think you’re fighting a losing battle. There’s not much you can do about it, and hopefully, you’re lucky not to experience the wind that I did on your trip. But just keep it in mind. 

10. It’ll Probably Feel Colder Than the Air Temperature Suggests, Too

Despite being 62 degrees north, the Faroe Islands are nowhere near as cold as you might think. For the entire week that I was there in March, the temperature fluctuated between 4ºC and 8ºC. However, you should take the air temperature on your weather app with a pinch of salt. It’s a guideline at best.

Because it’s often so windy, the temperature often feels colder. On some days, for example, the “feels like” temperature was up to 6ºC lower than what it actually was. Again, it’s vital that you dress in layers and (ideally) bring a good pair of gloves.

11. The Sheep Are Literally Everywhere 

I heard a lot about the Faroe Islands having more sheep than people, but I was still not expecting to see so many. I saw sheep literally everywhere outside of the city centre in Tórshavn, and even more so in the countryside. I also thought that sheep eating the grass off roofs was BS, until I saw it with my own two eyes 😆. 

If you’re driving in the Faroe Islands, make sure you watch out for these sheep. While many will move out of the way, some will stand there and make it very clear that they own the place. You’ll just have to wait for them to move and take nice photos of them in the meantime 🙂. 

12. Some Museums and Bakeries Have Opening Times That You Might Not be Used To 

My adventure in the Faroe Islands lasted from Monday to Friday, and my aim on Tuesday morning was to visit Breyðvirkið—one of the most famous bakeries in Tórshavn. Luckily, I got there at a later point on this trip… but I didn’t notice that it was only open Wednesday through Sunday. 

I also managed to visit the National Gallery on my trip but was initially unsuccessful because it’s not open on Tuesdays or Wednesdays.

Before setting any plans in stone, double-check the opening times. Pretty much nothing will be open on Easter, too, and I also suggest checking to see if your visit coincides with any other public holidays.

13. The Faroe Islands Are Not in the EU 

The Faroe Islands are neither in the EU nor the Schengen Area, and whether you need a tourist visa will depend on your nationality.

You do not need a tourist visa for the Faroe Islands if you are from the US. Similarly, citizens of the EU, EEA, and Switzerland—along with Australia, Canada, the UK, and New Zealand—don’t require a tourist visa to enter the archipelago. I recommend having at least 6 months of validity left on your passport.

Nordic citizens can visit the Faroe Islands and stay indefinitely. If you’re from a non-Nordic country with a visa exemption, you can stay for up to 90 days. 

Some nations will, however, require a visa. You can find out whether you do on this page.

14. You Won’t Need Cash in Most Places 

The Faroe Islands, like most of the Nordic region, is largely cashless. I used my bank card everywhere with no problems whatsoever and didn’t even think twice about needing to withdraw physical money. 

When you’re in the Faroe Islands, you’ll pay for items in Danish Kroner (DKK). You can get Faroese Króna notes from ATMs, which are valued the same as DKK. 

The Danish Krone’s exchange rate fluctuates with most currencies (except for the Euro, for which it’s pegged to within 2.25% of 7.46. I personally use XE to exchange currencies whenever I go somewhere with a different currency, and you can view the latest exchange rates here.

15. Expect to Pay a Lot for Just About Everything… 

Let’s just get this out of the way right now: The Faroe Islands are pretty expensive. Groceries were particularly pricey, which isn’t surprising given that much of it is imported. Everything else felt pretty much on par with Copenhagen, which in and of itself is also an expensive place. 

I got a pretty good deal on my hotel because it was the off-season, but I can imagine that costs would’ve been much higher during the summer. Excluding hotels and your airfare, I’d recommend budgeting 800-1,000 DKK per day. 

16. … But You Can Get an Exemption on Sales Tax 

On the bright side, you can shop tax-free in the Faroe Islands if you aren’t a resident. Many shops throughout the archipelago offer tax-free shopping; ask for a tax refund form when you check out at any store you visit. 

You’ll have to take your form to customs at the airport or seaport when you leave the Faroe Islands, and you should receive a refund in 5-10 working days. This page on the Faroese Tourism Board’s website has all the information you need. 

17. English Is Widely Spoken

The official language of the Faroe Islands is Faroese, and everyone also speaks Danish since it’s taught at school. Scandinavians shouldn’t have a huge problem communicating in their native languages, and if you’re from elsewhere, you should be absolutely fine communicating in English. 

Every Faroese person I met could speak at least basic English, though it may be less common in more rural parts of the country. If you want to learn some phrases before your trip, this free Learn Faroese Online course might interest you. 

18. Time Zone

The Faroe Islands are based in the GMT time zone, meaning that the time is the same as in London. Unlike Iceland, the Faroe Islands still uses Daylight Savings Time.

19. Some Roads and Tunnels Only Have One Lane

Roads to many popular villages, including Gjógv and Tjørnuvík, only have one lane. If you aren’t used to driving in remote locations, this can be a little daunting at first. Many of these roads also wind along mountainsides, too. 

Some mountain tunnels, such as the one going to Kunoy, also only have one lane. In both roads and tunnels, you’ll see various spots where you can stop to let traffic pass by. You’ll need to pull over if the pullover spot is on your right-hand side. Below is one example. 

It’s generally a good idea to also pull over to let bigger vehicles, such as buses and trucks, pass. 

Note that these pullover spots should ONLY be used to let traffic pass by. You are not allowed to park here. 

20. Don’t Call Faroese People Danish

While the Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the Faroese people are very much their own nationality. They have their own language—Faroese—along with their own flag, cultures, customs, and heritage. The Faroe Islands also have a significant degree of political autonomy. 

Calling Faroese people Danish can be considered offensive, and I therefore suggest steering clear of it. They are, well, Faroese. 

21. Some Islands Will Need More Than One Day

Some islands, such as Kunoy and Viðoy, are easy to explore in a day—if not less. However, this is not the case for all of them. On my second trip to the Faroe Islands, my girlfriend and I spent multiple days exploring each of Eysturoy, Streymoy, and Vágar. 

While we could have zipped through all the main sights in one day, we wanted to *really* explore these islands. And to be honest, we still needed a bit more time for each of them. We split our time across two days on Eysturoy and did the same for Streymoy. For the latter, we explored the northern part (e.g. Tjørnuvík and Fossá) on one day and then the southern part—such as Kirkjubøur—on a different one. 

Don’t try to finish every island in a day; if you want to also hike, it’ll feel overwhelming. Instead, take things easy and spend a bit more time on the Faroes. If you’re short on time, be selective and do the absolute musts; you can then revisit on a future trip if you want. 

22. Don’t Expect to Do Everything on Your First Trip

Before planning my first trip to the Faroe Islands, I very foolishly thought I could see everything on one trip. That, however, was a big miscalculation. Even after my second trip, I still felt like I would need many more adventures here to see everything. 

Beyond seeing the main sights, you’ll probably need more than one trip to the Faroes to do all the hikes you want. The landscape also changes throughout the year, and the islands will look very different if you visit in the off-season compared to the summer. 

I always recommend making your first trip to the Faroes a feeler test to see what you’d like to do again in the future. However, if you think this will be your only trip here, be selective; if you have spare time, you can tick some extra experiences off. 

23. The Faroe Islands Have Some Important Drone Laws

The Faroe Islands are my favorite place for photography, especially for landscape photography. But if you plan to fly a drone here, you need to understand some important laws. 

First and foremost, you aren’t allowed to fly a drone within 5km of Vágar Airport. Moreover, you aren’t allowed to fly your drone within 150 meters of any town, city, village, or residential area. 

Since the Faroe Islands aren’t in the EU, your EU-approved drone license isn’t valid here. In areas where you aren’t allowed to fly drones, you’ll often see signs. 

The Faroese take this law very seriously. If you illegally fly your drone, you could be fined up to 5,000 Danish Kroner (c. $770). You can read more about drone rules in the Faroe Islands here.

24. Some Roads Aren’t Cleared in the Winter

We found the Faroe Islands easier to get around than Iceland. Most roads are well-paved, though some—like the journey to Elduvík—aren’t as well-maintained. In some cases, roads are unpaved.

While the majority of the main roads are in excellent condition, you should note that some smaller ones are not cleared in the winter.  When we hiked Eiðiskollur, for example, we originally planned to drive from Eiði to Gjógv. However, we then saw a sign warning that the road we wanted to go along wasn’t cleared between October and May. 

While the main roads will be cleared, some of the smaller ones won’t. You should therefore keep this in mind when visiting in the off-season. Despite this, I still recommend coming to the Faroes at this time; the benefits far outweigh any logistical inconveniences.