HOTEl OF THE wEEk CONTINUED FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Away with the Faroes
Faroese residents, it’s an easy city to see in a short space of time.
Start off at Tinganes, the seat of the Faroese parliament, which is said to be one of the oldest parliaments in the world (Viking colonists supposedly set theirs up in the 9th century). Then, explore Reyn, where grass-roofed houses date back to the 15th century.
Other sites worth a look at are Tórshavn Cathedral, Skansin Hill Fort, and the National Gallery of the Faroe Islands.
Klaksvík is the islands’ up-andcoming second city. Located on the island of Borðoy and with a population of 5,000, its football team KÍ made history in 2023/24 when it became the first Faroese side to reach the group stages of a UEFA competition.
A four-star hotel, part of a huge redevelopment including a cultural venue and rowing club, is set to open in Klaksvík in 2025.
Eating
Tórshavn has reinvented itself as a foodie destination, with eateries ROKS and Raest both making it into the Michelin Guide.
Katrina Christiansen restaurant offers tapas menus of local food with wine pairings, while Tarv Grillhouse at Tórshavn Harbour has superb steak and salmon.
For a lighter bite or if on a tighter budget, try lunch at Bitin with its Nordic sandwiches; coffee and cake at Paname Café; or a hot dog at Kioskin hjá Astu, a tiny kiosk between two of the capital’s main streets.
Outside Tórshavn, two Michelin-star restaurant KOKS, which temporarily relocated to Greenland, is expected back in Leynavatn this year.
Shopping
There’s a burgeoning independent shopping scene in Tórshavn with a running theme of putting a playful and modern twist on classic and traditional Faroese customs and cultures.
Guðrun & Guðrun make “modern interpretations of Faroese knitwear”.
Ostrom sells Faroese gifts, from postcards to puffin-themed art. Some items, such as handbags and purses made with seal and fish skin, may raise eyebrows back in the UK.
Music fans should check out Tutl, which champions Faroese music from artists such as Eivør.
Shopping here can be expensive, but you can claim tax back at Vagar Airport for most purchases over 300 DKK (around £34).
Heading out of Tórshavn?
The Faroes are dotted with stunning villages. Some overlook fjords, others are balanced precariously on cliff edges. Gjógv (pronounced Jekf ) is arguably the most evocative, standing on the north-east tip of the second-largest island, Eysturoy. The peaceful village is a spectacular spot for catching the Northern Lights in winter
and its cliffs are home to puffins, fulmars, and other seabirds at different times throughout the year.
At the other end of Eysturoy, there’s AEðuvík, a village of roughly 100 people, established in 1897. Here, sheep farmer Harriet Olafsdóttir Av Gørðum runs a traditional farmstay with a twist – the ultra-modern extension to the farmhouse allows sheep to graze on a platform right by the upstairs-bedroom window.
Harriet also runs a sheep-fostering programme for non-Faroese people, and is the chairwoman of Felagið Føroysk Ross, a charity which preserves Faroes horses and has helped to increase their numbers from just five to 87. Five horses currently live on the farm in AEðuvík.
On the north coast of Streymoy is Tjørnuvík, where sheep lie on the beach, watching brave souls battle one of Europe’s coldest surf spots. On the way to or from Tjørnuvík, make sure to stop at Fossá, one of the islands’ tallest waterfalls at 459ft. The most intrepid are able to get beyond the barrier and stand behind the waterfall, my guide told me – but didn’t necessarily advise it.
However, the bestknown and most photographed falls are Múlafossur. For that, visit Gásadalur on the island of Vágar.
Until 2004, the village was isolated from the rest of the islands, with villagers having to hike over a mountain to leave and enter. The zigzag tracks are still visible on the mountainside, though the majority now use a mile-long single-lane tunnel to access the settlement.
Hiking and nature
Hiking is a popular pastime in the Faroe Islands, and you don’t even need to leave Tórshavn to find a trail. Hiking to Kirkjubøur is roughly two hours each way (some choose to walk one way or the other, and take a taxi or free bus for the other leg) and is considered a “moderate” hike.
In Kirkjubøur you can see the ruins of a cathedral believed to have been built around 1300AD, and the oldest church in the Faroe Islands still in use, built in the 13th century.
Mykines is the westernmost of the 18 islands and is a popular day trip. Ferries sail there three times a week in April, and twice a day during the summer months. The car-free bird paradise is home to the Faroes’ largest puffin colony and is the best place to watch “the clowns of the sea”. You can also see razorbills, fulmars and guillemots, and it is the only place on the islands where gannets nest.
Other popular hikes include Lake Sørvágsvatn, which appears to hang over the sea near the airport, and the Trøllanes-to-Kallur Lighthouse route on Kalsoy Island, where you can see the James Bond Gravestone.
Where to stay
I stayed at the four-star, grassroofed Hotel Føroyar, overlooking Tórshavn with incredible views of the city and Nolsoy Island.
It has a gym and spa (which is currently being expanded), and breakfast is included. On my second night, I was treated to a superb display of the Northern Lights just a five-minute walk from the hotel.
The hotel is comfortable but it’s worth noting that Føroyar is at least 20 minutes’ walk from the centre of Tórshavn – and it’s a big hill. It is only a six-minute drive though.
Those who want to be in the centre of the action may want to consider Hotel Hafnia and Hotel Tórshavn.
How to get around
Speak to anyone for more than 30 seconds in the Faroes and you’ll get on to the subject of tunnels. There are four subsea tunnels connecting the islands – one of which has the world’s first (and very colourful) undersea roundabout – and a further 17 connecting towns and villages.
If you want to get out of Tórshavn (which you will do), hiring a car, campervan, or driver is a good way to get around. Prices for small cars start at about 800DKK (£91.56). You will need a subsea tunnel pass as well, which is 99DKK (£11.33).
Sheep watch brave souls battle one of Europe’s coldest surfing spots