Faroe Islands: neverland on Earth
Where are you going on your trip this year? Someone asked. To the Faroe Islands, I say. Silence. And where are they? Never heard of them..this one is easy to explain. And how do you spell it?I Google it… Well this one is more complex.
How to describe this corner of the world hidden in the waves of the ocean, invisible to most and far from everything?
A name that can be found written in the most disparate shapes and letters, that no one knows how to pronounce. An archipelago of islands that can hardly be seen, shrouded in mists for 300 days a year. A place where sheep outnumber people, where woolen socks dry stretched out in the wind and rain, where burly, bearded boys knit while waiting for the ferry, where a Coffee House, it's really someone's home, where you can walk in to be offered coffee.
A place where it seems impossible to live, but that you would never want to leave. A place that doesn't exist, but that you will never be able to forget. Neverland.
PLANNING THE TRIP
A trip to the Faroes is not an easy journey. It takes patience and time, the courage to go out in incessant fog and rain, and just as much courage in deciding to stay at home, with a cup of tea, serenely observing the weather that has prevented you from making the trek you had planned. The pace is slow, the waits long, the rewards memorable.
Located midway between Norway and Iceland, the Faroe Islands consist of an archipelago of 18 islands, the main ones being Vágar, Streymoy, Eysturoy and Nordoyggjar.
Besides the major islands, we visited the islands of Kalsoy in Nordoyggjar and the island of Mykines, which is part of Vágar.
Vágar will still be part of your trip as it houses the airport and, in our opinion, is also the most full of surprises.
The Vagar airport is a very small logistics center offering several flights to Denmark and Iceland, but small enough that it takes no more than 45 minutes in advance to do the paperwork before departure, including check-in! A new airport is planned for Torshavn in the future, but for now you can still enjoy the relaxed atmosphere of this small, stress-free airport.
It will be difficult to rely on the usual guidebooks to plan your trip, but the local tourist office offers really well-done thematic brochures. You can download PDFs for free from their website, or pick up the paper version once you land in Vagar.
HIKING
The Faroe Islands are a natural paradise, and your activities will be mostly hiking. The best-known treks are all for a fee, and at fairly high rates (approx. 30-50€ per person). This is mostly because these trails cross private properties, and so you will always find a small cottage or a little man with his pickup guarding the trail. Despite the access fee, do not expect to find equipped, groomed trails or other amenities. The trails are quite wild, almost just a trail marked by visitors' soles, steep and muddy. You will need a pair of good hiking shoes. The ground is practically always wet and muddy, and for hiking a pair of poles is definitely useful to get over the slippery areas.
CLIMATE
The climate of these islands is unpredictable. Summers are cold, however, with an average temperature of 11-13°C and a perceived temperature several degrees lower due to constant winds. The wind, indeed, will be your traveling companion, regardless of whether it is sunny or rainy. So forget your umbrella at home, and get adequate waterproof and warm clothing. Weather forecasts are rarely reliable, and it is very likely that if you start a hike with sunshine, you may return soaked in rain.
VIABILITY
To move from one place to another, it will be essential to rent a car. To move between islands you will not have to leave the mainland, as they are connected by underwater tunnels that make it easy to move from one to the other. The smaller islands are connected by car ferries or small boats for people, so more thorough planning will be necessary. Should you rent a vehicle, you may choose to already have the toll for going through the tunnel repeatedly included in the price. In case this is not included, you can pay the toll as needed at www.tunnil.fo.
WHAT TO SEE
Torshavn is the capital but does not offer great insights, and mostly culinary ones. The small, indeed the tiny old town, consists of two cores of old houses made of red or black wooden slats and peat roofs. These two blocks are Tirganes, a cluster of bright red houses with former government buildings, and A Reijni, a cluster of black cottages with colorful roofs that climbs the east side of the central peninsula that runs through the town's two small boat harbors. Also in this crescent of land is Vagsbotnur Marina, with its gable-roofed houses in a row on the sea.
Another small landmark is the red-and-white lighthouse on the fortified promontory of Skansin, just across from the old town. The rest of the town is not of much value, but it offers several gourmet restaurants of local cuisine, inside historic buildings, and some nice designer stores, especially clothing where you will find fancy Faroese wool sweaters.
However, Torshavn is a good, well-equipped base (with stores, a well-stocked supermarket mall, several lodging options) from which to explore the main island of Streymoy.
By car it takes no more than 1h to reach the opposite end, for example, visiting the small village with stone and peat houses of Saksun. The island's roads meander along the coast, among islets that slope gently diving with their burden of verdant meadows and waterfalls, directly into the dark waters of the sea. From time to time you will catch a glimpse of a few small villages, made up of four houses, a white church and a small pier. Or fish-farming infrastructure, since the largest producers of Atlantic Salmon are here.
The island of Eysturoy is also within driving distance, and you can explore it by being based in Torshavn, or in the archipelago's other main center, Klaksvik, on the island of Nordoy. This is a good base for exploring the northern archipelago, especially those islands such as Kalsoy, which can only be reached by ferry, without reservations.
In such cases, you will have to go very early in the morning, and at least leave your vehicle in the boarding queue so that you do not lose priority. Always keep in mind that one lane is reserved for residents, who have boarding priority over tourists. All remaining free seats are available to first-timers.
For example, the small ferry to Kalsoy can only board 12 cars. And even on the way back, you will have to stand in line, hoping to board or waiting patiently for the next ferry for a couple of hours.
Klaksvik is a relatively well-equipped town, with a few well-stocked supermarkets, a few small cafes/cafes, and a center of little interest perched around a fjord that is just now seeing more active development, with several construction sites for a modern waterfront.
Kalsoy Island is very wild and sparsely inhabited. A road runs along the coast, among lush green meadows dotted with sheeps, a very deep sea, and a couple of small settlements with a café and a few services for those who come hiking. The attraction of Kalsoy is the excursion to the Kallur lighthouse.
The port where the ferry picks up is not equipped, so bring provisions and playing cards to pass the time.
Vagar is undoubtedly the island that impressed us the most, with a relatively different landscape from those of the other islands, with cliffs and rock formations in the middle of the sea that become iconic, pleasant coastal villages with crystal-clear, calm waters, and some not-to-be-missed excursions. Sørvágur is the hub of the island, a village 5 minutes from the airport with supermarkets (some of which also serve as pharmacies, which are not on the island), cafes and other small stores. We stayed in Gasaldur, a tiny cluster of wooden cottages that has several advantages, including being next to one of the island's most popular attractions, the Mulafossur waterfall, being an excellent starting point for one of the most beautiful hikes we took (not marked on the maps), and offering relaxing, panoramic views right from the terrace of your accommodation.
Sørvágur is also home to the small passenger ferry from Sørvágur to the island of Mykines, the little bird paradise where the largest colony of puffins in the archipelago lives. Here, during the period from May to August, you will find thousands of birds, returned to the Faroe Islands to raise their youngs, dotting the cliffs of this scenic island always shrouded in fog. In fact, puffins are found everywhere on these islands, and you will catch a glimpse of their awkward black-and-white silhouette as they dart from the most inaccessible cliffs.
But in Mykines, at the right time of year, you will find yourself within an arm's length of these magnificent creatures as they watch you suspiciously against the backdrop of magnificent cliffs and shimmering ocean excerpts.
To visit Mykines, it is mandatory to take part in a guided tour. You can take part in the group excursion, which includes 20-30 people, during which you visit the village and then are guided to the puffin colony. Or you can enlist one of the many private guides who can lead you independently and at your own pace to explore the island.
Mykines can be reached by ferry or helicopter, and about 60 percent of the sea transports are canceled due to weather conditions. Helicopter transport is relatively inexpensive, but it is mainly dedicated to transporting residents and emergencies, so you will have to expect some delays.
In case you get stranded on the island, there are no accommodation options, the only infrastructure is a small café, and it is said that to wait for the next ferry the next day, the only option is to sleep in the church! (Tales from friends who have stumbled upon this unfortunate contingency).
