In April 2026 I was fortunate to visit The Faroe Islands as a guest of the Faroes Tourist Board. As part of a small group of Tour Operators and Travel Agents we got to see a few highlights of the Islands.
Mulafossur Waterfall
One of our first stops was Múlafossur which is the iconic waterfall that many people associate with the Faroes. On our visit the wind was blowing a hoolie and the waterfall appeared to be flowing upwards. Despite the wind, the spectacle of Mulafossur and Atlantic breakers crashing 30 metres below was a sight to see. We were a few weeks too early for Puffins but there were seabirds wheeling around the cliff face. We also made a stop at the adjacent village of Bour for a lunch of fermented lamb, cheese and sourdough. I have recently been eating more fermented food to aid my immune system but cant say that I’ll adding fermented lamb to that. It’s an unusual taste but is traditional Faroese fayre.
For our first night, the group stayed at The Møle Guest House in Skalavik on Sandøy (45 minutes from Toshavn). This is a family run business with modern light and airy rooms and adjacent to a café that serves breakfast and nice coffee. The hotel is in a small hamlet called Saundur.
We stopped here to see the Sandur Gallery which houses a small collection of local artists and needs to be booked for a visit. My favourite painting was of an vivid green Aurora (see below). Nearby you’ll find a homestead that has been well preserved with the original furniture and still owned by an elderly descendant. It’s hard to imagine how an extended family managed to live and breath in there.
We made a quick visit to Kyrra Spinnery which is a start up that refines and sells high quality Faroes Wool. We learned how the wool is washed and lanolin is removed before carding and then spun into different types of yarn. One of the ways that women socialise in the long Faroes winters is to join knitting clubs where they can spend time chatting & knitting.
“…here’s one we made earlier..”
Kirkjubøur
This is the site of the oldest wooden house in the Faroe Islands and possibly Europe. There are wooden houses that have been constantly inhabited since the 11th Century by the Pattursen Family. Near by is the remains of Magnus Cathedral which has started in the 14th Century and possibly never finished (an earthquake destroyed some of the original structure). The local landowner is the 17th generation of the Pattursen Family and can trace their roots back to the 12th Century. It’s worth a visit to visit the Cathedral and St Olav’s Church which dates back to pre-reformation era. The current Mr Pattursen said that he used to play football in the cathedral when he was a kid!
Torshavn Food Tour (A taste of Torshavn)
This is a great way to learn about the Faroes and the port of Torshavn whilst enjoying some local cuisine with a local. Some of stops included a Sourdough Bakery, a lunch restaurant, an artisan ice creamery and Oy Brewery for a tasting session. Everything was delicious and we even had a brief chat with the Michelin star chef who runs Raest in Torshavn. My favourite treat was Liquorice Ice Cream which I can only seem to find in the Nordic Countries. I am pretty sure that if I started my own UK brand I’d be a millionaire this time next year.
Heaven to me, possibly Marmite to you
We also visited the sweater shop (Guðrun & Guðrun) that sells the former must-have sweater from the Danish TV Show The Killing . The fictional Detective, Sarah Lund wore one of their sweaters that was based on a traditional Faroese design and still sold there. If you’re a knitter you could also buy the pattern and make one yourself! The knitwear is not cheap but you can be sure that it took many hours to produce. If you wait until the airport there are also a good collection of hand knits for sale.
The tour run on Wednesday and Saturdays and takes three hours. There a few stairs and cobbled pavements but apart from that, a general level of fitness is required. There are plenty of places to eat in Torshavn ranging from burgers to fine dining.
Hiking
One final thing to recommend is a guided Hike. We were taken out by Heimdal Tours for a walk through some high ground just outside of Torshavn. When we started, there was low hanging cloud and the baa’ing from invisible sheep. As we descended the cloud disappeared and we were treating to stunning views of sea stacks and rocky precipices. About two hours and a few kilometres in, we stopped to eat our packed lunch and admire the view. On the way down to meet the minibus we had to cross an icy stream which meant waded barefooted and trousers rolled up to the knees. I thought that I had found an easy way but went in thigh deep to a squelchy, peaty muddy bank. I quickly recovered and walked across a rocky part that was painfully cold and uneven. After no more than 20 seconds, I was on the other side and drying my feet so that I could get my warm socks back on. The guide thought that it was funny no-one had followed him and everyone had ended up with wet trousers and leggings. Once we got back to the vehicle we had a celebratory beer and made the short drive back to Torshavn.
Visitors to The Faroe Islands can cover a lot of ground by car or escorted tour. There are also some nearby Islands that are great for bird watching and more Hiking but need to be reached by boat. A great couple of days and I would love to go back and explore for my own holiday.
Copyright – Mark Champagne – Baltic Travel Company