54 Reasons Why The Faroe Islands Are The Most Fascinating Island Chain In The World

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They telephone it the "land of maybe" for a reason.

Once upon a time, successful the long-forgotten days of 2021, I was served an Instagram advertisement for a formation to the Faroe Islands. Yeah, same, I ne'er truly heard of it either, but I precise rapidly became obsessed. A clump of dots successful the mediate of the ocean? Looks similar an alien planet? Cool name? Sheep?! I'm in.

Dramatic scenery  of a waterfall flowing into the ocean, with steep cliffs and a mounting  prima   illuminating a mountainous backdrop

Natapong Supalertsophon / Getty Images

I person a Google Flight hobby, wherever I fundamentally hunt New York City to anyplace each of the time. I started checking retired the Faroes, and I'm telling you, I ne'er saw thing that wasn't a 25-hour formation for implicit $1,800. That is until this year. To my surprise, I recovered a $330 (!!!!!) formation done Iceland.

Flight booking interface showing options for circular  trip, passengers, and system  people  from New York to an unspecified destination

Google

I snatched up that formation and spent six days implicit Memorial Day play with 1 of my best friends.

Person sits connected  a woody  seat  overlooking a scenic coastal colony   and rolling greenish  hills. They deterioration  casual, outdoor clothing

Abe Forman-Greenwald

It was awesome, similar "life-changing" awesome. I adjacent got to bash "Oops!... I Did It Again" choreo connected a grassy knoll overlooking a fjord!

Person hikes connected  a grassy elevation  overlooking a misty, mountainous scenery  by the sea. They deterioration  outdoor cogwheel  and transportation  a backpack

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Because I loved it truthful much, I enactment unneurotic this database of things I privation I knew earlier I went. Enjoy.

1. First of all, the Faroes dwell of 18 islands, and wherever you are, it's intolerable to beryllium much than 3 miles from the ocean. Most of the islands are connected by underground tunnels.

Person pointing astatine  a representation  of the Faroe Islands connected  an outdoor accusation  board

Matt Stopera

The Faroes are a territory of Denmark, truthful astir things successful stores are Danish (and imported). Everyone speaks Faroese, but they besides talk English and Danish. They're trilingual. Someone told america that they commencement learning Danish successful the 2nd people and English successful the 4th grade. 

For context, that's my determination tag.

Map showing North Atlantic Ocean, highlighting a determination  adjacent   Europe with a pin. North America, South America, and parts of Africa are visible

Matt Stopera/Apple

You're OUT there.

2. It's 1 of the rainiest places successful the world, similar we're talking 270+ days of the twelvemonth with rain.

Weather forecast showing rainfall  each  week, with temperatures ranging from highs of 52°F to 50°F and lows of 48°F to 43°F

Google Weather/support.google.com

One infinitesimal it's sunny, the adjacent it's raining. Repeat. It's 1 of those places.

3. When it's sunny, though, determination is NOTHING similar it.

Scenic presumption    of accepted   grass-roofed houses by a tranquil fjord, with rolling hills and mountains successful  the background

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Over the people of those six days, we had 2 large upwind days, 2 so-so upwind days, and 2 AWFUL days. Those atrocious days were comically bad, similar the rainfall and upwind conscionable wouldn't stop. Hurricane stuff.

4. The champion mode to support way of the upwind is connected their robust unrecorded cam network, faroeislandslive.com.

Scenic presumption    of a coastal colony   with steep greenish  hills, a calm sea, and distant   rocky islands

faroeislandslive.com

It's besides the champion mode to marque your regular plans. One portion of the land could beryllium pouring rain, and the different portion could beryllium sunny. We honestly had much luck monitoring the cams than utilizing our upwind apps.

5. There are nary trees due to the fact that it's truthful windy.

House with writer  extortion   beside a lake, surrounded by trees. Scenic and peaceful setting, suitable for a tranquil getaway destination

Abe Forman-Greenwald

And by "no trees," I mean determination are very, precise few. When you spot 1 it's similar a *thing*.

6. The Faroes mostly look similar this:

Scenic presumption    of grassy hills overlooking a calm bay with distant   mountains nether  a bluish  sky. Small colony   adjacent   the shoreline

Matt Stopera

7. This:

Hiker walks on  a rocky way   successful  a vast, unfastened  scenery  with distant   lakes and hills nether  a wide   sky, suggesting serene question   exploration

Matt Stopera

8. This:

Foggy scenery  with a winding stream  betwixt  rolling hills, seen from a grassy viewpoint. Misty mountains make  a serene atmosphere

Matt Stopera

9. This:

Scenic colony   with quaint houses and a stream, acceptable   against rolling hills and unfastened  sky, suggesting a peaceful question   destination

Matt Stopera

10. This:

A melodramatic  coastal cliff shrouded successful  debased  clouds, overlooking a calm sea. Grassy foreground with a obstruction   adds opposition  to the earthy  scene

Abe Forman-Greenwald

11. And decidedly this:

Hikers ascend a foggy, grassy elevation  trail. Visibility is debased  owed  to mist, suggesting a serene, mysterious hiking experience

Matt Stopera

Like I said, it volition rainfall a lot, but the fog is decidedly a vibe.

Foggy coastal colony   seen from the water, with tiny  houses nestled betwixt  greenish  hills nether  an overcast sky

Matt Stopera

12. It's truthful gorgeous that determination are signs successful the towns that say, "This is simply a neighbourhood not a museum."

 "Please respect   the privateness  of homeowners. This is simply a neighborhood, not a museum."

Matt Stopera

Noted.

13. As you tin astir apt tell, you spot a batch of these grass-roofed houses.

Sod-roofed reddish  gathering  by a lake, with a mountainous backdrop nether  a cloudy sky. Ideal for nature-centric question   experiences

Matt Stopera

14. There are puffins.

A puffin stands connected  lush greenish  grass, its orangish  beak and feet visible, creating a serene country   successful  a earthy  setting

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Puffin play goes from precocious April to aboriginal September, truthful we were close successful the heavy of it astatine the extremity of May. The champion spot to spot them is an land called Mikines (population 15!), which is lone reachable by ferry. That ferry is benignant of unpredictable, depending connected the weather. We were the past ferry to marque it to the land for 2 days due to the fact that of the weather.

15. There's a brewery connected the Faroes that has the astir adorable brew cans.

Person holding a Pallebä pilsner tin  with vertebrate  illustrations, lasting  by a model   overlooking a patio

Matt Stopera

16. They besides marque this DELICIOUS hard seltzer called Skinny.

Two beverage cans successful  a person's manus  by a window. Each tin  highlights calorie content: 25 and 24, flavored with mango-citrus and apple-pear

Matt Stopera

I could spell for a Skinny now, TBH.

17. The different brew you tin get from the Faroes is called Slupp, which is besides conscionable amusive and weird to say.

A tin  of "Slupp" brew  connected  a array  by a model   overlooking a seascape, with plants and solid  nearby

Matt Stopera

"Can I get a Slupp?"

18. The supermarket mascot is simply a horny, drunk piggy bank.

Grocery store   entranceway  with ample  "Bonus" motion   featuring a pig logo, surrounded by plants and bags of goods

Matt Stopera

At slightest that's what it looks similar to me. Buying your groceries is simply a indispensable connected the Faroes due to the fact that determination conscionable aren't that galore restaurants extracurricular of the superior city.

19. In the Faroes, it feels similar you are ever 1 tiny measurement distant from definite death.

Narrow ungraded  way   winding done  hilly scenery  with distant   upland  views nether  a wide   sky. Ideal for hiking enthusiasts

Matt Stopera

Seriously, they pass you.

 support   it for aboriginal   generations and beware of nature’s forces. Includes illustrations of animals and a caution symbol

Matt Stopera

TONS of skinny paths.

20. There are much sheep connected the land than radical which means they are EVERYWHERE.

Person gazing astatine  a tiny  sheep connected  a lush, unfastened  field, with rolling hills successful  the misty background

Matt Stopera

21. They invade the towns.

Sheep graze connected  a grassy tract  adjacent   accepted   sod-roof houses successful  a agrarian  setting, representing pastoral beingness  and question   adventures

Matt Stopera

Scary.

22. They're hanging onto the edges of cliffs.

Steep grassy cliffside overlooking the sea, with rocky terrain and a fewer  grazing sheep. The scenery  suggests a distant    coastal hiking destination

Matt Stopera

Also scary.

23. They're inescapable (and you'll extremity up with hundreds of pictures of them connected your photograph roll).

Two sheep basal   adjacent  to a ligament  obstruction   connected  a grassy hillside overlooking a immense   oversea  and distant   islands nether  a partially  cloudy sky

Matt Stopera

I deliberation we were determination during a *special* clip due to the fact that determination were besides SO galore babe sheep. It was (particularly) majestic and sheepy.

24. Speaking of, you'll person to marque changeless stops to fto them transverse the road.

Sheep crossing a roadworthy  connected  a scenic coastal way   with grass-covered hills and the water  successful  the background

Matt Stopera

Divas.

25. You'll adjacent find immoderate sheep graffiti.

Cartoon sheep mural connected  a chromatic  partition  adjacent   a reddish  building, with mountains and bluish  entity  successful  the background

Matt Stopera

26. In the Faroes, they person this delicious banana barroom with cocoa frosting.

Cafe array  with 2  cups of java  and plates of frosted cakes, 1  cocoa  and 1  white. Person successful  a casual button-up garment  seated

Matt Stopera

They're besides known for their carrot cake. You person to get it.

27. Another nutrient you'll find is "fish soup." Really, it's conscionable called "fish soup."

A vessel  of creamy crockery   with herbs and croutons, accompanied by a tiny  vessel  of breadstuff  slices, connected  a woody  array  acceptable   with gold-toned cutlery

Matt Stopera

It's very, precise good. I urge getting it astatine my favourite edifice successful the Faroes called Fiskastykkid (no thought however to accidental that).

28. James Bond died there, and you tin virtually wage respects to him astatine his "grave."

Stone memorial for James Bond, 1941-2020, connected  a coastal cliff with water  view

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Spoiler alert: They filmed the past James Bond movie, No Time to Die, in the Faroes connected Kalsoy Island, and Daniel Craig dies determination successful the last scene.

Gone but ne'er forgotten <3

Man successful  a greenish  overgarment   humorously poses with a James Bond memorial chromatic  successful  a scenic, mountainous landscape

Abe Forman-Greenwald

29. I'd beryllium remiss to notation James Bond's sedate without mentioning that there's besides an incredibly random Thai edifice fundamentally astatine the extremity of the satellite connected that island.

Map presumption    showing Aroidee Lighthouse Restaurant successful  Trollanes, Faroe Islands with opening   details and interaction  info

google.com

Restaurant-wise, determination wasn't a immense assortment oregon tons of choices successful the Faroes, truthful it was VERY astonishing to find a Thai edifice successful an INCREDIBLY distant portion of an land lone accessible by ferry.

30. There are only, like, 3 vigor stations.

Car dashboard surface  displaying FM1 vigor   presumption    successful  a tunnel

Matt Stopera

Most worked successful the tunnels, which was impressive. Shoutout to TITT vigor (good name).

31. Speaking of tunnels, immoderate of them person these awesome airy displays.

Car driving done  illuminated passageway  with colorful lights connected  the ceiling, creating a vibrant and dynamic atmosphere

Matt Stopera

You'll perpetually beryllium successful these tunnels, and they outgo money! Over the people of six days, we spent astir $60 connected tolls.

32. Rhubarb is the astir communal rootlike you'll find.

Rocky hillside with a chromatic  partition  and greenish  plants growing, situated successful  a rural, mountainous scenery  nether  a partially  cloudy sky

Matt Stopera

Not overmuch tin turn successful the Faroes (mostly potatoes and carrots), but rhubarb grows amazingly good there.

33. There are waterfalls EVERYWHERE.

Waterfall cascading down   rocks with greenish  hills and a tiny  gathering  successful  the background, nether  a cloudy sky. Scenic, tranquil question   destination

Matt Stopera

Seriously, a dime of dozen, they're conscionable cascading each implicit the place.

34. When it rains, determination are adjacent much waterfalls and they get existent big.

Person successful  a hooded overgarment   photographing a waterfall successful  a grassy scenery  with rocky hills successful  the background

Matt Stopera

35. The astir celebrated waterfall cascades into the oversea and it's called Skarðsáfossur.

Person successful  rainfall  cogwheel  poses by a waterfall connected  a lush greenish  landscape, with mist successful  the background

Abe Forman-Greenwald

We were *lucky* it was raining for 2 days consecutive due to the fact that we saw it successful afloat force, and no, I inactive person nary thought however to pronounce that.

36. The upwind is NO JOKE.

Person walks on  a misty, deserted roadworthy  adjacent   a water  successful  an overcast agrarian  landscape, wearing a overgarment   and cap

Matt Stopera

The blowing rainfall meant that either 1 broadside of you was adust portion the different broadside was wholly wet.

37. The hikes are besides NO JOKE.

A idiosyncratic   successful  hiking cogwheel  sits connected  a mountain, gazing astatine  a scenic scenery  with clouds and distant   peaks

Abe Forman-Greenwald

One broadside of a way could look similar this:

A constrictive  ungraded  way  winds on  a grassy hillside overlooking the water  with a distant   land  successful  view

Matt Stopera

And the different broadside could look similar this:

Foggy scenery  with a constrictive  ungraded  way  winding done  a rocky, grassy hillside, creating a mysterious, tranquil question   setting

Matt Stopera

But the presumption was ever worthy it.

Scenic presumption    from a cliff overlooking a immense   water  and distant   islands nether  a wide   sky, evoking a consciousness   of escapade  and exploration

Matt Stopera

We hiked Slættaratindur, the highest upland successful the Faroe Islands, and fto maine archer you, the upwind changed drastically on the way. By the clip we reached the top, we were facing hurricane-force winds, and I was terrified astir however to get down the mountain. I had ne'er genuinely understood what vertigo felt similar until that moment.

38. If you're not the hiking type, conscionable thrust around. You'll spot views similar this everywhere:

Coastal scenery  with a winding roadworthy  beside a calm bay, surrounded by rolling hills nether  a cloudy sky. A lone sheep grazes connected  greenish  grass

Matt Stopera

39. Speaking of gorgeous, I recovered Enya to beryllium the cleanable soundtrack for the trip.

A sheep stands connected  a grassy elevation  overlooking an water  and distant   cliffs nether  a cloudy sky

Matt Stopera

I besides liked listening to Sade, Madonna's Ray of Light album, and Lady Gaga's "The Edge of Glory" (because I felt similar I was going to autumn disconnected a cliff). You tin perceive to my travel playlist here.

40. People have been living connected the Faroes since 500 AD, and we recovered a sedate of idiosyncratic who died successful the twelvemonth 1700.

Plaque successful  English and Faroese astir  Mr. Jonas Faroe, a clergyman  who died successful  1700, buried adjacent   a religion  perchance  built successful  1695, mentions woman  Anna

Matt Stopera

Don't spot that each day!

41. As a sparkling h2o aficionado, I tin officially accidental their worldly is top-notch.

Hand holding a vessel  of Aqua sparkling mineral h2o  with a upland  logo, seen against a blurred background

Matt Stopera

Great long-lasting fizz. Not excessively spicy.

ALSO, arsenic a beverage (especially zero sugar) fan, I was decidedly blessed with my hauls.

Various bottled drinks, including carbonated water, vitamins drink, and tropical vigor  drink, displayed connected  a solid  aboveground  with strawberries

Matt Stopera

Shoutout to those imported strawberries successful the corner. Worth it.

42. The astir fashionable spot marque is Kims and they are virtually cool:

Bag of KiMs Tomato Spirals snack held successful  a cozy country   with woody  furnishings  and a red-striped cushion

Matt Stopera

Because of the sunglasses, get it?

43. There's a ton of *weird* candy successful the market store.

Packets of candy labeled &quot;Bonbon Rådne Fisk&quot; and &quot;Bonbon Kloakslam&quot; with humorous illustrations connected  a store   shelf

Matt Stopera

"Yes, I would LOVE to effort this candy with a seizing rat and an electrocuted cat!"

44. This is much a wide tip: Lots of things were closed connected Sunday, Monday, and besides Tuesday.

Small eating  array  acceptable   by a ample  model   with a scenic presumption    of cliffs and water, successful  a cozy restaurant

Matt Stopera

We recovered that each market stores were closed connected Sundays, and past astir restaurants were closed connected Mondays and Tuesdays. BTW, this representation is from Rose's Restaurant, which had immoderate top-notch food and chips. Just beryllium definite you reserve earlier going!

45. The superior city, Tórshavn, is 1 of the smallest superior cities successful the world. 20,000 radical unrecorded there.

A vibrant waterfront presumption    successful  Tórshavn, Faroe Islands, with colorful buildings and docked boats nether  a cloudy sky

Roberto Moiola / Sysaworld / Getty Images

We spent 1 of the rainy days successful the metropolis and checked retired immoderate museums, creation galleries, and aggregate java shops. Shoutout to Paname Café (my fav).

46. All of the rental cars person this small "parking disc," truthful erstwhile you're successful the *big city* of Tórshavn, you conscionable acceptable what clip you get truthful the parking attendants cognize you didn't overstay the limit.

00, displaying substance   &quot;Bilasolan&quot; with a website and numbers 1-12 astir   the edge

Matt Stopera

Also, conscionable to springiness you an thought of however tiny the Faroes are, determination are only 5 stoplights connected the full land chain. 

47. They're obsessed with trolls and witches.

Rocky scenery  with rolling greenish  hills, a ample  boulder successful  the foreground, and misty mountains nether  a cloudy sky

Matt Stopera

I swear, everyplace we went, determination was immoderate benignant of communicative astir trolls. Trolls unrecorded nether rocks, truthful ticker retired for 'em.

48. Some hikes outgo money.

A idiosyncratic   successful  outdoor attire stands connected  a grassy cliff overlooking the water  and rugged coastline, capturing the essence of a scenic question   destination

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Like $25, which is benignant of expensive. This representation was from Lake Sørvágsvatn which has a truly chaotic optical illusion that makes it look similar the water is falling into the ocean.

49. It was beauteous humid, truthful erstwhile thing got wet, it stayed wet.

Scenic presumption    of a agrarian  colony   nestled betwixt  a grassy hillside and a tranquil assemblage  of h2o  nether  a cloudy sky

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Make definite you battalion plentifulness of rainfall gear!!

50. Ferry sickness is REAL.

A idiosyncratic   successful  a hooded rainfall  overgarment   looks astatine  the misty scenery  from a boat, surrounded by mountains and water, conveying a consciousness   of adventure

Abe Forman-Greenwald

The ferry strategy is truly efficient, and you tin book it online, but fto maine archer you, the unfastened water is nary joke. 

51. The champion happening to bash is to conscionable spell from tiny colony to tiny village. My 3 favorites were Gjógv, Funningur, and Bøur.

Scenic coastal colony   presumption    with accepted   houses, a tiny  bridge, and distant   mountains nether  a wide   sky

Matt Stopera

52. I mightiness beryllium partial to Bøur due to the fact that this was the presumption from our rental!!!

Scenic presumption    of a coastal scenery  with mountains and water, seen done  ample  windows successful  a cozy country   with a array  and armchairs

Matt Stopera

53. And lastly, look astatine these teeny tiny pieces of operation equipment!

Excavator parked by a agrarian  roadworthy  with greenish  hills and a lamppost successful  the background, suggesting operation  oregon  landscaping activity

Matt Stopera

Fit for a troll!

A small, rusted excavator is abandoned connected  a agrarian  roadside with grassy hills and a waterfall successful  the background

Matt Stopera

54. So, yeah, that was my trip! The Faroes were *the* astir alien spot I've ever been to, and it mightiness not beryllium for everyone!

Person successful  a beanie and overgarment   poses with a bid    sign, overlooking a vast, scenic scenery  of cliffs and water

Abe Forman-Greenwald

Those 270 days of rainfall a twelvemonth are nary joke, truthful you'll person to beryllium VERY flexible, but it's 100000% worthy it.

Person lasting  connected  a misty plain with a backdrop of cascading waterfalls and grassy hills, creating a serene, earthy  setting

Matt Stopera

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