Faroe Islands Travel Guide: What to Do, Where to Stay and More

Despite the diminutive size of Denmark’s Faroe Islands, the scattering of 18 self-governed islands in the frothy north Atlantic has much to offer visitors seeking wellness-focused pursuits without the crowds.

Indeed, sheep outnumber people by almost 2:1 at this archipelago located midway between Iceland and Norway, and you’ll spot them grazing freely at tiny Vagar Airport — the Faroe Islands’ only airport. (Pro tip: Send clients off with a pair of socks made with Faroese sheep wool by sustainable knitwear brand Gudrun & Gudrun; they can then visit the stylish store in Torshavn, the islands’ capital.)

The air here is fresh, and the scenery is rich with glacial fjords, awe-inspiring waterfalls and seabirds swooping over jagged cliffs and mountains that stretch as far as the eye can see. Add in adventurous and mindful activities, sauna visits and healthful eating, and the Faroe Islands provide the ultimate reviving break for those who keep wellbeing top of mind.

Here’s what wellness travelers need to know about visiting the archipelago.

How to Get to the Faroe Islands

Despite their remoteness, the Faroe Islands are only a one-hour and 25-minute plane hop from Edinburgh, or two hours from Copenhagen on direct daily flights.

Getting around the archipelago is a breeze, thanks to a relatively new infrastructure, with perfectly paved roads carving through mountainsides and sub-sea tunnels linking islands formerly only reachable by boat. The most recent tunnel (complete with a light installation by Faroese artist Trondur Patursson) opened in 2020, connecting the two most populated islands, Streymoy and Eysturoy.

Faroe Islands Weather

Locals call the Faroe Islands the “land of maybe,” as the unpredictable weather makes up its mind on a minute-to-minute basis. Winters are surprisingly mild, and in summer, daylight lasts until 11 p.m.

What to Do in the Faroe Islands

To get the richest Faroe Islands experience, I booked a guide through Visit Torshavn. On a clear day with the bluest of skies, my guide — local and student Arni Winther — took me hiking up Vagar Island’s steep-sided Knavin, along what locals call the “postman route.”

We zigzagged our way over mossy stones, stopping to drink natural spring water blessed by a priest, while Winther regaled me with tales passed on from his grandparents about naughty trolls and angry giants. Honestly, it’s not hard to believe the ancient legends while you take in views of spiky-peaked uninhabited islets resembling witches’ hats.

My reward for finishing the two-hour hike in double time (aided by the chocolate Winther keeps in his backpack) was the sight of Mulafossur waterfall spilling dramatically over the cliffs, enhanced by the beauty of Gasadalur village — a handful of houses and a church clinging to a hillside. There, the owner of a cafe bedecked in local art and sheepskins served us soft bread topped with cured lamb, lamb sausage, fresh shrimp and salmon.

Kayaking in the Faroe Islands

Along with hiking, kayaking is growing in popularity as a tourist activity in the Faroe Islands, as visitors are never more than 3 miles from the ocean. Sigurd Davidsen, an IT pro and British Canoeing Sea Kayak Leader, is the owner of Kajakk.fo, one of just two kayaking companies in the archipelago (everyone here has at least two jobs).

He offers locals and travelers alike kayaking courses and guided sea kayaking tours, during which he shares fond childhood memories of rowing his grandfather’s boat around tiny Gronholmur Island. We do the same, then glide down a sound lined with wooden boathouses to Hvalvik village. It’s meditative, slipping through the clear waters surrounded by greenery. We then stop at Fossa — one of Davidsen's backup locations for when the weather changes, which it constantly does — to see the islands’ most famous waterfall. It features a dramatic double drop offset by black lava cliffs.

Next year, Davidsen will partner with well-known U.S. and Icelandic expedition leaders to offer more flexibility for tourists, and to offer tour operators a backup location for when the weather turns.

What to Do in Torshavn

Although it has a population of just 22,000 people, the capital city Torshavn is the largest city of the Faroe Islands — and it’s a must-visit for wellness travelers (and not just for those Faroese sheep wool socks).

By the harbor in downtown Torshavn, where rows of townhouses are painted in a deep lipstick red, is Roks, the sister restaurant to the world’s most remote Michelin-starred restaurant, Koks, which recently moved to Greenland. More laid-back, Roks opened earlier this year in a low-ceilinged, wood-paneled cottage, with a fish-focused menu featuring fare such as cod-skin fries and razor clam tartare served in the shell.

Where to Stay

After filling on delicious seafood (note: don’t miss Roks’ extensive wine menu), walk it off with a jaunt north to Hotel Brandan, where travelers can check into a shiny new addition to the Faroe Islands’ hotel scene. The four-star property is topped by an insulating grassy roof — a fitting emblem of the sustainability and wellness elements that aim to nurture guests (and the local environment).

Hotel Brandan is the first hotel in the archipelago to be Green Key-certified, a designation for eco-friendly policies such as low-energy usage and food waste reduction. Be sure to visit the unusual gym — which features wood equipment outfitted in leather trim — and relax in the sauna or one of the three outdoor hot tubs with valley views. At on-site Husagarour restaurant, the chefs draw inspiration from Nordic cuisine to serve up dishes including beef tartar, pickled roots and pine nuts.

Pro tip: Each of the 124 light-filled guestrooms at Hotel Brandan is named after a “cairn,” manmade piles of stones once used to navigate in the typically foggy weather. There’s a scannable QR code to access a self-guided tour.

Meanwhile, in Torshavn’s northwest, the well-established Hotel Foroyar is tucked snugly into the countryside, belying its industrial-chic, art-lined interiors and a suite named after former guest Bill Clinton.

The luxurious new Ress Spa offers an infrared sauna; yoga in a studio that’s almost too good-looking to use; and age-defying gua sha facials performed in rooms with scenic, sheep-filled views. A rooftop pool and outdoor hot tub will follow in 2023. Menus include healthful but hearty salads elevated by toasted nuts and honey-drenched dressings, along with fermented beetroot.