When you travel the world for a living, the reality is that sometimes destinations start to blur into one another. Big cities start to feel the same; this beautiful beach looks just like the last beautiful beach; and grand churches and cathedrals start to lose their awe factor.
But then, every once in a while, you travel to a new place that's so unique and so breathtaking that you know there will be no chance of it feeling like “just another” destination.
The Faroe Islands were like that for me.
Located roughly halfway between Norway and Iceland, the Faroe Islands are made up of 18 rocky, volcanic islands in the wild North Atlantic. They technically are an autonomous part of Denmark – meaning they use the Danish Krone and are officially “part” of Denmark according to the UN – but they feel worlds away from the bustling streets of Copenhagen.
In fact, the total population of the Faroe Islands is only about 50,000.
The speak Faroese (which is close to Icelandic, meaning good luck pronouncing some of the place names) and have their own government. They even issue their own passports.
And, as the locals would probably tell you, there's absolutely no chance of confusing the Faroe Islands with Denmark – or any other Scandinavian country, for that matter. It truly is a place that stands out all on its own.
Not that I didn't *try* to compare it to other places I've been, of course. On my first day on the island of Vagar, I exclaimed on Snapchat that the Faroes are “like Iceland on crack.” You have the steep green mountains and craggy coastlines that resemble parts of Iceland – except that's pretty much ALL you have in the Faroe Islands.
Breathtaking view after breathtaking view.
After spending a week in the Faroes, they still reminded me a bit of Iceland (and parts of Northern Norway, too). But the Faroe Islands are so much more than just a “mini Iceland;” they are unique in so many ways – and definitely deserve a spot on your travel bucket list.
Watch this Faroe Islands video:
6 reasons to visit the Faroe Islands
I have a lot to share with you about my time in the Faroes, but for now I thought I would lay out all the reasons why I think you should visit.
I'm well aware that these islands get bad press every single year (and if you don't know why, just do a quick Google search and you'll soon find out). But I think it's extremely unfair to judge a place on one thing that people don't like. I mean, do we paint all of Thailand with the same brush because of elephant riding, or say all of the United States is awful because of Donald Trump? (Some people probably do, but that's not really fair.)
So we're not going to talk about that right now. Instead, I want to show you all the things that are really spectacular about the Faroe Islands.
1. The scenery
There are no arguments anyone can make that will convince me that the Faroe Islands don't have some of the most stunning scenery in the world. It's just a visually striking place, with green mountains and shaggy sheep; crashing waterfalls and colorful little villages.
You could use all the cliche travel writing phrases to describe the Faroes: quaint villages nestled at the foot of breathtaking mountains and fjords… a hidden gem of a place… But the thing is that you wouldn't be lying.
The Faroes also have some fantastic hiking opportunities – with even better views, of course.
I didn't do anything crazy, but even the easy 3-hour hike up to Trælanípa was epic. There are sea cliffs, a waterfall, and a lake that looks like it's floating above the sea. Not bad for less than half a day of walking!
2. Ease of travel
Despite the fact that most people probably can't find the Faroe Islands on a map (if they even appear on your map – on some maps they don't!), they're not actually as remote as you might assume.
Yes, the Faroes are in the middle of the ocean, but you can get easy flight connections these days from places like Copenhagen, Bergen, Reykjavik, and more. (I flew from Bergen in less than 1.5 hours.)
Once you get there, it's incredibly easy to get around with a rental car. Signs are easy to read, tunnels and bridges connect the main islands and make travel times short, and roads are all paved and well-maintained. (Some roads are admittedly very narrow and winding, but the quality of them is still very good.)
I was actually pleasantly surprised by just how easy it was to get around in the Faroes. You do need a rental car to truly explore all the best nooks and crannies, but the actual act of traveling is super easy.
RELATED: Road Tripping in the Faroe Islands: Where to Go and What to Know
3. Incredibly welcoming people
Maybe it's because they haven't been inundated with tourists yet, but I found Faroese people very welcoming to me as a tourist. These people are hardy (you have to be when you live in a place with such changeable weather!) and hard-working, but also love good food and drink. They also are very passionate about their home.
I got to chat for an evening with Anna and Oli from Velbastaður, who host travelers for dinners in their beautiful seaside home. They served up things grown right on their farm, and chatted about everything from sheep dogs to whether they think that craft beer will take off in Tórshavn or not.
(You can book a similar dinner with locals here.)
I also met local musicians, local hiking guides, and even a politician in Tórshavn – all of whom were lovely.
4. Cool festivals
I happened to be in the Faroe Islands during one of its biggest summer festivals: the G! Festival, which is a music festival held on the beach each July in the village of Gøta. Yes, you read that correctly: a music festival on the beach!
“Summer” in the Faroes is subjective, of course, and I spent most of the festival wearing multiple layers and a knitted hat, but it was nonetheless one of the most beautiful festival settings I've ever seen. (And there are totally wood-fired hot tubs available if you really want to keep warm.)
The G! Festival also had a nice mix of international and local Faroese acts performing, meaning I was introduced to a lot of new artists! If you need a specific reason to visit the Faroe Islands, this would be a good one.
Some other popular annual festivals include the Ólavsøka festival (around the Faroese national holiday in late July) and Summer Festival (another music fest in August).
5. PUFFINS
The island of Mykines is only a 45-minute ferry ride from the island of Vagar, and in the summer the entire island is covered in birds – including thousands of puffins!
(And really, do you need any other reason to visit??)
RELATED: Hiking to See Puffins on Mykines
6. The fact that Instagram hasn't ruined it
Yes, I use Instagram myself to share and look at pretty travel photos. But it's impossible to ignore the fact that social networks like Instagram are contributing to certain destinations becoming congested with tourists trying to take the perfect selfie.
Iceland, for example, became Insta-famous because of its incredible landscapes, and now the country is struggling to figure out what to do with more tourists than it can handle.
The Faroe Islands don't currently have that problem. Even though the landscapes are incredible, the fact that the Faroes remain relatively obscure means that there aren't really a ton of tourists there. I visited the most-photographed waterfall in the Faroe Islands on two separate occasions in July (high season in the islands), and only shared the view with a couple of other people.
If you want to visit a place that social media attention hasn't ruined, head to the Faroe Islands. I don't think you'll be disappointed.
I'm not exaggerating when I say that the Faroe Islands are one of the most wild and beautiful places I've ever been. This tiny little island group zoomed up very high on my “favorite places” list, and I have no doubt I'll be recommending it to people from here on out.
So are you convinced? Who wants to go to the Faroe Islands now?
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Note: This post was brought to you as a result of the #MyFaroeIslandsHome campaign, created and managed by iambassador in partnership with Visit Faroe Islands. As always, though, all opinions are 100% my own.
Amanda Williams is the award-winning blogger behind A Dangerous Business Travel Blog. She has traveled to more than 60 countries on 6 continents from her home base in Ohio, specializing in experiential and thoughtful travel through the US, Europe, and rest of the world. Amanda only shares tips based on her personal experiences and places she's actually traveled!
Thank you! I will definitely put them on my list then!
Thank you! I thought the Scottish Highlands and Isle of Skye were unreal. A friend actually planned the trip and I hadn’t done any research. I was expecting nice rolling hills and sheep but was just stunned when I arrived!!!
Do you feel that Faroe and Iceland are much different in terms of scenery? I travel on a budget and I understand Iceland is very expensive…just wondering if I am duplicating the scenery I experienced in Scotland.
Thank you!!!
Hey Lisa! While Scotland is indeed beautiful, I think the landscapes in both Iceland and the Faroe Islands are very different – they’re even more wild and remote. The Faroes are just mountains and cliffs and coastline; Iceland has more volcanoes and moon-like landscapes. They’re both expensive, yes, but definitely worth visiting if you can!
Thanks Amanda. That makes a lot of sense and is a very balanced opinion. I appreciate that!
I just returned from the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Skye and was mesmorized.
I will definitely add this to my ‘bucket list’ now.
Thank you so much!!!
If you loved Scotland, I think you’d definitely love the Faroe Islands, too!
I would love to visit the Faroe Islands but have friends who won’t go because of the annual whale kill.
Since you are one of the bloggers I respect the most what is your feeling about advocating for a visit here?
I would love to visit but am conflicted.
Thank you
I did a LOT of reading about whaling in the Faroe Island before I visited. It’s not actually an “annual” hunt – the hunt can happen at any time when there’s an opportunity. The communities still eat the whale meat/use all the whale parts, and never kill more whales than what they need – the whales are distributed among anyone who wants them for free. While many call the hunts barbaric, the whales are killed in a traditional way that’s way more humane than how we kill the cows and pigs we eat. AND, for those who say they will boycott the Faroe Islands because of whaling, I hope they are also boycotting countries like Iceland and Norway and Japan, too, which still have legal commercial whaling operations.
There are many aspects of many countries that are considered controversial. But rarely do I write an entire country off because of one practice I don’t agree with. (If I did that, I probably wouldn’t advocate people visiting the United States! 😉 )
Hi Amanda 🙂 I want to ask you – how many days did you stay on Faroe Island? 🙂 Btw, I heard that july is the best time as there is not that rainy weather. Did you encounter with rain during your stay? If so, was it big rain? Im asking because I want to go there this summer (also july) and we want to sleep in our tents.
I was in the Faroes just under a week (6 days). And yes, even in July we ran into rain and cool weather – about half the time I was there it was rainy.
It looks incredible and I’m very interested in going….except for that whale slaughter!! Is there a certain time of year that it happens so we can avoid that? I don’t want to google it because I don’t want to even see one more photo of that ‘horrificness’!
Hunting whales in the Faroe Islands is done whenever the opportunity presents itself to a specific community. So unfortunately there’s not a specific time of year to go to “avoid” it. But when a hunt is happening most of the local people know, so you could still avoiding seeing it fairly easily.
Thanks for this great post. I’ve wanted to visit here for a long time after visiting Iceland in ’05 and ’06. How many days did you visit? About how much would budget for that length of trip? Thanks!
I was there for just under a week, though part of my time was spent at a music festival. The Faroes aren’t really cheap, I’m afraid! Rental cars are pricey, but I do think you need one to really see everything. If you rent from a company like 62N, you’re looking at $600+ for 4-5 days. Hotels run at least $100-$150 per night. You can save money by grocery shopping and preparing some meals for yourself if you can, otherwise restaurant meals are pricey ($20-$30 per person for dinner at a not-fancy restaurant). But it’s such an awesome country! Check out my road trip guide, too: https://www.dangerous-business.com/2017/08/faroe-islands-road-trip/
I already wanted to go. You have not helped. 🙂
I need to do a Faroes and Iceland trip soon.
Haha I would say sorry, except I’m not! I loved the Faroes.
I personally find that sheep adorable, but I find “creepy” things cute. Also puffins! This definitely has me interested in adding this onto a trip to Iceland or Norway some time.
I highly recommend it! (And I kind of get the creepy-yet-cute thing about this sheep. Maybe it’s just its eyes that are creepy?)
I visited Faroe islands some years ago and I fully agrre with all your comments! It is a lovely place!
I’m already ready for another trip!
I’d heard of the Faroe Islands because it was briefly featured on the show departures. It looked so awesome and I wanted to go, but then I looked up flight prices. When I last looked, it was a little too much for our budget. It isn’t out of the question in a few years, though!
Your pictures do put it back up into my “I really want to go there” category!
I think the Faroes are best to tack on to a trip to Iceland or Norway (or Denmark since there are daily flights from Copenhagen). Though it might be worth it to check again; with more flights to the Faroes, and more affordable flights to connecting cities like Reykjavik and Copenhagen, it might be more affordable now!
Never heard of these beautiful islands before reading your post! Certainly get the Icelandic vibes with the scenery… Which is captured amazingly by your photos!
But I totally get what you mean about not being spoilt, the little villages look adorable… And puffins and so cute 🙂
The villages were all so photogenic – I could have spent a whole extra week just taking photos!
Absolutely amazing. I haven’t made it to Iceland yet (hopefully soon!), but I will have to try to make it out there when I’m already so close. The only scenery I can compare this to is what I’ve seen in Scotland. Even then, it doesn’t even look the same. So green and pretty! Plus puffins!!!!
It does remind me a bit of the Scottish Highlands and the Hebrides, but it’s definitely greener and more mountainous!
These photos remind me a lot of my trip through Northern Scotland, especially Orkney!! I’d love to be able to get to the Faroe Islands and do a trip like this. Your photos are seriously incredible!!!!
Yes the Faroes reminded of of a cross between Iceland and parts of northern Scotland for sure! (I haven’t been to Orkney, but I’ve been to a couple islands in the Hebrides and the landscapes are definitely similar!)
It looks like an amazing destination! Great photos!
It was super easy to take photos here – around every bend was another stunning vista!