The Faroe Islands
Greetings from Boston!
I left the Faroe Islands this morning after a quick layover in Reykjavik. If you ask people where the Faroe Islands are or even what they are, chances are you’ll be met with lots of blank stares. I don’t mind that, though, since it keeps this little corner of heaven a bit less crowded.
On your approach to Vágar Airport, you’ll be met with dramatic cliffs— much of the Faroe Islands juts straight out of the ocean. Then, when you land at what’s claimed to be the world’s smallest international airport (right up there with Lesotho’s), you’ll quickly be immersed in a lush paradise.
Before landing in Vágar, I booked a car transfer from the airport to the city (about 45 minutes away) via Guide to the Faroe Islands. Thank goodness I did because there were no taxis available for hire upon landing, so many people had to wait for the bus or for the pre-booked taxis to return to the airport. My flight to Vágar from Reykjavik was delayed by 4.5 hours, but the driver had tracked the flight, so he came right on time for my arrival. The delay did mean I missed my boat rides scheduled for that afternoon, but after emailing Guide to the Faroe Islands, they were willing to refund me. Talk about courtesy
Because of the delay, the private taxi I had originally booked had to go somewhere else, so I was placed in a large van with a gentleman from Mexico heading to the same hotel, which ended up working quite nicely. I booked the Hilton Garden Inn via points (50k per night), which I thought was a decent value considering this hotel was selling for nearly $500 a night. This hotel goes above and beyond for Hilton Gold Status guests. I got bottled water, complimentary full breakfast, and an upgrade to an ocean-facing Junior Suite. I was beyond impressed.
This hotel opened in late 2020, so it still feels fresh and new. The room consisted of an open-concept bathroom, a king bed (with split duvets), a desk, and a lovely sitting area. I especially appreciated the water kettle!
After an amazing experience at the KOKS restaurant in Greenland, I decided to check out their sister restaurant, Raest, in downtown Torshavn. I emailed the restaurant the day of, asking if they could accommodate me and refund me should my flight be delayed, and they happily obliged. When we got to the hotel, I quickly dropped off my things and walked the 20 minutes to the port area from the hotel.
Raest specializes in fermented foods, so kimchi and fermented berries were very common accompaniments. Fishes included monkfish liver and fermented + dried lamb. I sat at a communal table which afforded me some pleasant conversation, but I couldn’t do the amount of thinking I did while eating at KOKS.
After finishing dinner around 10pm I headed back to my hotel to sleep before the big tour started the next day at 8:30.
I signed up for the 7-hour “see it all” tour, which is designed to give you an overview of the Faroe Islands in a small group setting. Torshavn local Elsa Maria leads the trip, and she knows the islands inside out and can tell some great stories about life in the Faroes. When booking online, put in your hotel name so that she comes and picks you up.
Most of the islands in the Faroes are connected via underwater tunnels. Because there are so many places to go via tunnel, the Faroes are home to the only underwater rotary! After taking a few turns around that we headed to Skálafjørđur, Funningsbotnur, Haldórsvík, Tjørnuvík, and Fossá. The views in each of these places are breathtaking in their own way, and since they are not too far apart via car, quite accessible.
Then, we went to Saksun, one of the nicest views of the day. There’s a traditional Faroese church here with a sod roof in front of a bay and mountains.
Afterward, we stopped for lunch at the Fiskastykkið cafe in Sandavágur. I had a great dish of smoked salmon with cream and onions, while others enjoyed the salmon soup.
To wrap up the tour, we saw the best view I’ve ever taken in: Gásadalur. The tip is to not look to the right as you walk down the path to make the view even more dramatic when you first see it.
Gásadalur
As a disclaimer, Elsa Maria admits that the tour almost always runs over. We were supposed to be done by 3:30 but didn’t get back to Torshavn until about 5:30. I didn’t mind at all, but that’s just worth noting in case you were trying to book any other tours that day.
Instead of getting dropped off at our hotel on the way back, the Mexican gentleman and I headed to a restaurant right next to the port. It was amazing to hear all about his travels to over 160 countries. I have lots left to see and experience!
The Faroe Islands is incredibly underrated. The scenery, great food, friendly people, and lack of crowds make this a great place to escape to. Better yet, it’s only a 2 hour flight from Copenhagen!