If you ever wanted to feel like you were walking around in a moving painting, then traveling to the Faroe Islands is for you. A few years ago, I saw a random ad for the Faroe Islands while I was traveling around Iceland and the beauty in the picture really struck me. After seeing that ad, I was constantly looking into what it was like there and I knew I needed to check it out for myself one day. And luckily, in 2023, it finally became a reality.

I traveled to the Faroe Islands in early October and it seemed to be the tail end of tourist season, so it wasn’t too packed anywhere, which was great. But, that did mean it was a little bit chillier and rainy than the more popular times. But honestly, it didn’t bother me too much.

I’ll go into more details about what I did on my trip, but for this blog post, I’ll share some general takeaways and recommendations for anyone wanting to visit the archipelago.

Getting Around the Faroe Islands

I was really debating whether it was better to rent a car or rely on the public transportation options. From what could tell, the public transport options were pretty great for a country that size. Pretty much everywhere we wanted to go, we could find some sort of bus to take us there. However, since it would have taken much longer to use the bus than to drive ourselves we opted to rent a car to save time and ensure we could easily get to the more remote spots we wanted to visit.

We rented a car through RentYourCar.fo and it was really easy to pickup/drop off because the airport is tiny and the parking lot is right next door to it. In total, for 3 days, it cost me around $340. I also opted to pay for a portable WiFi, which was a huge help and not too expensive.

Just a heads up that Google Maps was a little confused while we were there. It’s like we were constantly a road away from where we wanted to be when we “arrived.” So, just be prepared to have a keen eye while driving around to make sure you’re not missing your destination.

Afraid of Heights?

As the name implies, the Faroe Islands is made up of several islands. And when you’re traveling around islands, it typically means you’ll be traveling on small roads overlooking the water. The views are gorgeous as you’re driving around, but they’re also incredibly steep at places with sharp drop offs.

The speed limit around the Faroe Islands isn’t excessive by any means, but if you’re white knuckling the steering wheel, everything feels like you’re driving in a Formula 1 race. In town areas, the speed limit is 31 mph (50 km/h) and in non-town areas, it’s 50 mph (80 km/h).

I don’t say this to scare you away from traveling to the Faroe Islands, but you should be realistic about what you can and cannot handle. There were several drivers I saw leaving the airport parking lot that were driving dangerously slow at times and it felt very much like tourists vs. general slow drivers. It’s OK to be cautious when driving in another country, but it can’t be at the detriment of yourself and those around you.

If you’re afraid of driving on heights, taking public transportation or tour groups may be the right call for you so you can close your eyes and try to focus elsewhere. I’ll just say that I’m not afraid of heights at all, but there were times where even my palms were sweating a bit.

Beware of Fog

When reviewing hiking options, I saw a lot of mentions about fog and how quickly/thickly it rolls in. So, I did expect to deal with some fog, but I was really shocked by just how quickly and intensely it arrived at a site. There was one hike we went on that was decently clear when we started, but it quickly was enveloped in fog and we had to turn around and go back to our car.

We decided to go grab a coffee and wait it out, but even an hour later, it was still so thick with fog that we had to make another plan. So, have backups in mind just in case you find yourself in the same situation and try to go with the flow.

Leave the Sheep Alone

Sheep are all over the place in the Faroe Islands, which means you’ll most likely see them on any hike you go on. While they’re cute animals, they do not want to be pet. Typically they’ll scatter if you try to get close to them, but sometimes they’ll charge at people if you get too close to them. So, it’s best to just avoid getting too close to them.

Also, be mindful of any gates that you have to use during your hike. These can be meant to protect the sheep and keep them in designated areas, so be sure to close them behind you when you pass through them. There will be signs next to the gates to remind you as well, so be sure to read those just to make sure you’re aware of any other rules the path may have.

Safety First

Staying safe is critical no matter where you are – but there are certain environments in the Faroe Islands that you may not be used to, so here are some general tips to keep in mind while you’re traveling. More information can be found in the “safe travel” leaflet.

• The weather changes quickly here, so be prepared for all four seasons in one day.
• Stay on designated paths if you’re hiking. Going off trail can be dangerous (or even fatal), especially as you get closer to cliffs.
• Leave cairns alone and do not build new ones. These cairns are very important markers and not just for aesthetics. (Picture below for reference of what a “cairn” is.)
• Learn the rules of the road if you’re driving. Some roads are incredibly small, especially in older tunnels which are one-way traffic only, and they’ll have lay-bys which can be used as a passing lane. These lay-bys are not for parking.
• Bring a map, GPS and a fully-charged cell phone with you at all times.
• In case of an emergency, call 112.

The leaflet mentioned above also includes a section you can fill in critical information about your planned hike, including when you expect to return. These leaflets should be left under the windshield of your car or at your place of accommodation to ensure people know when/if to notify authorities.

The Faroe Islands are really a beautiful place to visit. I’m so glad that I was able to cross this off my bucket list in 2023 and definitely hope to visit there again sometime in the future. I hope these tips may be helpful in case you’re also wanting to make the trip over there.