Faroe Islands Active Short Break

Arrive to Vágar Airport and pick up your rental car and map, and get ready to explore the Faroe Islands.

Before starting your drive towards Tórshavn, take a drive to the small and picturesque villages Bøur and Gásadalur. The tour offers an unparalleled view of the fjord, the islet Tindhólmur and Mykines. Until recently, the only way to get to charming Gásadalur was on foot from Bøur and over the mountain. Although there now is a tunnel to Gásadalur, the village is still unspoiled and has preserved its charm and authenticity.

Continue to Tórshavn, about an hour's drive from the airport. On the way there you will pass the first subsea tunnel, which at the deepest point, is more than 105 meters under sea level. Check-in at your hotel and enjoy a delicious meal at one of the town's excellent restaurants.

You’ll be picked up from your accommodation in Tórshavn and driven for 15 minutes to the start of the walking tour. You’ll pass Mannafelsdalur, the site of a Viking battle 700 years ago, where the grass is said to be stained red from the blood of slain rebels. In the distance, you’ll see the NATO radar station, a reminder of modern conflicts.

Soon, you’ll be greeted by breathtaking panoramic views of Vágoy and Trøllkonufingur, a photographer’s dream and a landscape worthy of a Tolkien legend. You’ll walk over the ridge to an open landscape with lake views at Vatnsdalur and down to Norðadalur, with spectacular views of Hestoy and Koltur islands. Here, you’ll pause for Faroese delicacies and refreshments before driving back to Tórshavn.

In Tórshavn, you’ll tour the historic, narrow cobbled streets and traditional wooden, grass-roofed houses that define the Faroe Islands. You’ll explore Tinganes, the site of the world’s oldest parliament, with its iconic red wood, grass-roofed buildings. This tour offers a truly iconic image of the heart of the Faroe Islands.

After the tour, you will have time to discover the charming pedestrian precinct where visitors can shop for local crafts and fashion design, listen to music and visit the fish and food market on the harbour. Take a stroll through the town's old centre, characterized by densely built wooden houses, some with traditional turfed roofs and narrow alleys. If you are interested in art, pick up a map from the tourist information highlighting the many sculptures and statues found in the town. Worth a visit is the Faroese Museum of History and Natural History, a short drive, or 2-hour hike away.

Why not head out for a boat trip to Nólsoy island, only a 20-minute ferry ride away but a different world from the busy capital. From June 1st to August 31st the island has a tourist information centre near the harbour, from where you can get the best tips for hiking on this small island.

With your rental car, you have the opportunity to also explore the surrounding areas while in town.

Today, head off in your car to Eysturoy via Streymoy and to the small village of Gjógv. On the way, stop at Vestmanna to join a 2-hours boat trip to see the famous bird cliffs. Here the cliffs shoot over 600 metres straight up in the air. Thousands of seabirds have their home here in the summer

Along the way we also recommend stopping at the viking settlements in Kvívík. The trip continues over Streymoy - crossing "the bridge over the Atlantic" for Eysturoy - futher to Eiði where you can see the famous rock formations known as the "giant and the old hag" and also Slættaratindur (882 meters), the highest mountain on the Faroe Islands.

You could also take a quick trip to Saksun and Tjørnuvík today. Saksun is surrounded by steep mountains and a lagoon-like lake with a sandy beach leading the way out to the Atlantic Ocean. If the tide is going out you can walk all the way out to the sea. Back in the village, you can visit the church and the old farmhouse Dúvugarðar. Tjørnuvík, on the other hand, is the place where the Vikings settled first in the Faroe Islands. It's now a sleepy, small village with a beautiful beach.

Enjoy the next two nights at the unique Hotel Gjáargarður in Gjógv. There is a small restaurant within this quaint hotel.

Stroll down to the beautiful small harbour of Gjógv, and if you are up for a hike, follow the path along the sea cliff for amazing views over the village. For hikes further, either to the local sea stack or to the highest mountain of Faroes, the Slættaratindur (882 meters), ask for more info at the guest house.

If you want to explore further, drive to Klaksvik, the 2nd largest town of the Faroe Islands and onwards to Viðareiði, where - if you are fit - you can climb the mountain north of the village to the top of the world's highest promontory, Enniberg. On the top you will have a excellent view over Fugloy, Svínoy, Borðoy and Kunoy.

From Viðareiði to Kunoy - where you can enjoy a walk in the very nice plantation. Then to Klaksvík again where you can visit Christians church, the church in Klaksvík which is said to be the most beautiful church on the Faroe islands.

Take the opportunity to visit Kalsoy which is known for its many legends. The best known is the legend about the seal woman who was captured and forced to marry a farmer´s son from Mikladalur and had children with him. But she longed to go back to the sea and one day when her husband had gone fishing, she found the key to the chest where her sealskin was hidden, put it on and returned to her natural element. See the beautiful statue of the seal woman in the village Mikladalur.

Drive to the airport and, depending on your flight time, explore the small villages close by before dropping off your rental car at the airport.