How to spend a five-day holiday in the beautifully isolated Faroe Islands
The tourist hopped back onto the road and the meadow was spared. The local waved, smiled, and drove on. Life continued. It was a moment that would encapsulate our five days in the Faroe Islands. The archipelago, adrift between Iceland, Norway and Scotland, seemed so remote that visiting was like stumbling upon an ancient secret.
Despite being only a two-hour flight from London, these 18 volcanic islands remain a mystery to most back home in the UK.
That anonymity, however, is at risk of fading. As overtourism crowds Europe's mainland, this Danish outpost is bracing for a record number of visitors.
But for the time being, on a cliff edge with the wind howling around you, the Faroe Islands still feel like the end of the earth.
A map of the Faroe Islands:
Exploring the region without a car is near impossible: the archipelago is connected by a web of 23 tunnels, four of which run beneath the sea. It's a feat of engineering that nearby Shetland is now dreaming of replicating.
This is a nation where connectivity isn't about making tourism easy; it's about keeping people rooted in a place where tradition, family, and the ocean remain central to daily life. Some of the islands have a grand total of just 30 residents.
Just a short drive from Bøur lies one of the Faroes' most photographed landmarks: Múlafossur waterfall. It takes barely 20 minutes to reach from the airport, yet standing there feels like discovering a hidden gem.
There are no crowds jostling for the perfect selfie, no TikTok stars hoping for their next viral video, no souvenir stalls selling magnets. Your only real concerns here are running out of camera memory and stepping in sheep droppings.
On one journey, our taxi driver Magnus, a cheery local from Tórshavn, summed it up. 'You still know everyone here,' he told us with a shrug. 'You go into town, see a familiar face, chat, then walk thirty seconds and meet another.
'We are nowhere near overrun. We welcome visitors – it keeps me busy, but not too busy. I'm happy.'
Yet despite Magnus's confidence, the islands are not blind to the risk of too many visitors. Back in 2019, the government launched its ' Closed for Maintenance ' scheme, shutting down the most popular sites each April to everyone except 'voluntourists' who help repair footpaths and protect fragile landscapes.
How long this delicate balance holds – on just 540 square miles of wild Atlantic land – remains to be seen.
For our five days we based ourselves in the capital of Tórshavn, joining the population of just 14,000.
Life here is deeply traditional, rooted in fishing, farming, and, more controversially, seasonal whale and dolphin hunts. But modernity trickles in. In a cosy Tórshavn café, we met Alex, a cheery Brit who moved here to play professional handball.
'I absolutely love it,' he told us as he set down our open sandwiches. 'You see the same faces every day, but that's not a bad thing when everyone's so friendly.'
And handball life? 'Honestly, it's like Love Island,' he laughed. 'Everyone knows each other's gossip. It's a very small world.' For his team, the longest away day is a 45-minute drive.
Beyond its natural beauty and national love for handball, the Faroe Islands hold a political identity as distinctive as its landscapes. Since 1948, it has operated as an autonomous territory within the Danish kingdom. It has its own parliament – the Løgting – and its own language.
Talk of full independence has surfaced over the years, especially as Greenland – another Danish territory – has drawn international attention under the shadow of Trump. But here, such ambitions seem muted.
'We're happy,' one local shrugged when asked about the prospect of breaking away completely. 'Why would we want to change all of this?'
For now, the Faroe Islands remain a diamond of a getaway: the perfect find for anyone looking for a few days off-the-beaten-path.
Rich's itinerary for a five-day visit to the Faroe Islands:
Day one
Arrive at Vagar Airport. Before heading to Tórshavn, drive to the scenic village of Gásadalur, home to the iconic Múlafossur waterfall. Make a brief stop at Bøur before heading to your hotel.
After checking in, explore the old town of Torshavn, including the old parliament over the harbour. The city has shops where you can buy local handmade clothing. The wool design store, Guðrun & Guðrun, has gained world-renowned status in recent years and has been featured on catwalks across the globe.
Day two
An early start saw us drive from Tórshavn to Hvannasund in the north. From here, we took a ferry out to the tiny island of Fugloy, where we met several of its 30 residents.
On the island we had lunch at café Kalalon. Calling ahead is recommended. We then took the ferry back to Hvannasund in the afternoon.
On the drive back, we stopped at several different villages and in the evening we visited the local Oy brewery for beers and street food.
Day three
We drove to Funningur and then on to Gjógv for a stroll in the village, before moving on to Eiði to see the much-Instagrammed football pitch (now a campsite).
That evening we booked a supper club – a way to eat with the locals and quiz them on what it's really like to live the true Faroe life. We were hosted by Óli & Anna at their home in Velbastað.
Day four
We spent the day exploring the region by car before visiting a floating sauna in the nearby village of Runavík.
In the evening, we visited the Faroe National History Museum on the outskirts of Tórshavn.
Day five
We went shopping in Tórshavn before taking a deliberately long drive to the airport for more photo opportunities.
How to do it
Rich flew to the Faroe Islands on Atlantic Airways. London Gatwick to Vagar runs twice weekly until 31 August, with prices starting from £120 one way. Visit Atlantic.fo for further information.
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