Faroe Islands - green roofs and bloody traditions. things to do in the Faroe Islands
Basic moments
The Faroe Region is an internal autonomy of the Kingdom of Denmark, independently managing almost all issues, excluding the topic of defense and foreign policy. The archipelago includes 18 islands, 17 of which are inhabited. Of the 48 thousand local residents, about 20 thousand live in the capital or in the suburbs.
There are two official languages on the islands - Faroese and Danish. Moreover, the vast majority of residents are native speakers of the Faroese language, which is a mixture of Western Scandinavian dialects and is widely used in almost all spheres of life.
Climate and weather
Faroe islands located in the very center of the warm Gulf Stream, which causes a constant off-season: there are 280 rainy days per year. Despite the fact that the islands seem to have no boundaries to the seasons, the climate is quite mild. in winter average monthly temperature ranges from 0 °C to + 4 °C, and in summer - from +11 °C to +17 °C. The rainy season falls in September - January, and then the archipelago is covered with fog, preventing the sun's rays from reaching the surface.
Thanks to the warm sea current, the water on the islands has almost the same temperature - +10 °C - all year round, which creates all the conditions for the development of fishing.
Nature
Holidays in the Faroe Islands are a holiday surrounded by nature in in its original form. Due to frequent strong winds, the islands are mostly treeless; sometimes you can find mountain ash, maple, and conifers. A significant part of the islands' territory is occupied by peat bogs, meadows, and mountain ranges.
IN free time fauna lovers can diversify their vacation on the islands by observing colonies of seabirds, seals, whales, and dolphins.
On the archipelago great amount sheep The latter were once brought to the local hills by the Celts. The local endless pastures have attracted the attention of sheep, and today there are two sheep for every local resident.
Attractions
The Faroe Islands are best visited during the summer months, when there is little rainfall and the weather is warm.
The excursion program in the Faroe Islands is varied: visits to the capital Tórshavn, small villages, bird colonies, a boat trip in coastal waters.
The capital of the islands, the city of Tórshavn, lies in a picturesque area. The main part of the city juts out over the fjord, offering stunning views of wild mountains and steep cliffs. It's very quiet here, the only noise is central square and piers, where continuous work is in full swing. Streets far from the center are usually small and cramped.
The main attraction of Tórshavn is the Munkastovan Monastery, built in the 15th century and surrounded by a stone wall. Muncastowan is one of the few buildings that escaped the great fire of 1673. Another building that also survived the fire is the Leighubün royal warehouse.
Curious travelers will be interested in a trip to Historical Museum, which has in its collection ship models, household items of local residents, fishing gear and agricultural tools from Viking times to the present day, as well as objects of religious value.
After a stroll through Vidarlund Park, you can stop by the Art Museum and admire magnificent examples of sculpture and painting.
There is also an “island of birds” in the Faroe Islands - Fugloy, which received its name for its majestic cliffs inhabited by multi-million colonies of seabirds.
To the north of the settlement of Skarvanes is the beautiful sea cliff Tretlkonufingur (“troll woman’s finger”).
At the end of July (28–29th), the Faroese celebrate their main holiday - St. Olaf's Day. These days, usually reserved locals go on a wild rampage of emotions. The festival is named after Olaf II, who, as King of Norway, introduced Christianity to Scandinavia and began the fight against paganism.
Traditional celebrations include rowing competitions, horse racing, dance and religious processions, and art exhibitions.
Kitchen
to his national menu The inhabitants of the Faroes owe it to the harsh climate of the islands. Traditionally, local dishes consist of meat and fish. Faroese delicacies - sheep's head, whale blubber and skärpikjet (dried lamb) - are a must-try for gourmets. Well, for the fans traditional cuisine Local restaurants will happily serve roasted lamb. Tourists also have the opportunity to taste puffins (these are birds) exquisitely stuffed with sweet dough and served with sweet berries and potatoes. Rhubarb, which is widely eaten, will also be new to many people.
Alcoholic drinks can officially be consumed on the islands from the age of 18. Light beer is sold everywhere, but strong dark beer, low-alcohol drinks and wine are sold only in state monopoly stores major cities and licensed restaurants.
Lunch at local restaurant will cost a tourist an average of $30, in higher-level establishments - $45–50, excluding alcohol. You can have a snack at a local cafe for much less.
Hotels
Upon arrival on the islands, you can stop in the capital's three star hotels“Tórshavn” or “Streim” or in the more comfortable “Hafniya” and “Ferojar”. All hotels offer tourists rooms with private amenities, transfer to/from the airport, free Wi-Fi throughout the entire territory. The cost of living is quite high - from $120, but there are seasonal discounts.
More budget option will become guest houses and hostels. The most popular of them are Skansin and Bládýpi, but they need to be booked several months in advance. There are also mini-hotels operating on a bed and breakfast basis. Prices here start at $80 and depend on the time of year.
For travelers who prefer outdoor recreation, there are campsites located in specially designated areas. The Faroe Islands have a very strict attitude towards order, so campers in tents are required to remain clean and thoroughly clean upon departure.
Entertainment and relaxation
IN local waters There are many varieties of fish, so fishing is very popular among local residents and vacationers. By the way, local law allows you to export any fish longer than 30 cm from the country, which has long been prohibited in most European countries.
The Faroe Islands are interesting for wreck divers: in the local coastal waters you can find sunken ships. Near Nolsoy Island it is interesting to watch the underwater life of seals.
Lovers nightlife can spend time in the capital's clubs Rex or Eclipse. The latter allows visitors no younger than 18, but no older than 25.
Shopping
Of the Faroese souvenirs, the most interesting are the numerous woolen products, ceramic and wooden crafts.
Due to the rather harsh climate, woolen clothing is held in high esteem among the islanders. Here you can always buy a fashionable sweater, gloves or hat at attractive prices.
Most shops are open from 9:00–10:00 to 17:30–18:00. On Friday, many remain open until 19:00. On Saturdays, all retail outlets operate on a reduced schedule - from 9:00 to 12:00, 14:00 or 16:00; on Sundays they are usually closed.
Transport
The Faroe Islands have a developed bus system. route network, ferries run between the islands. The capital has red local buses with four routes, which can reach almost all areas of the city. The waiting interval is half an hour in the morning and daytime; in the evening it increases to one hour. Blue Bygdaleiðir buses are the transport link between the islands. Maps of routes and timetables for passenger transport can be purchased at Steinatún kiosks.
The best way to get to the islands themselves is by plane. The only one international Airport Vagar is located on the island of the same name near the village of Sorvagur. Tourists can rent a car to travel around the islands. In order to rent, you must have an international driver's license, a credit card and be over 20 years old. Rental prices start from $60 per day.
Connection
Standard mobile communications on the islands - GSM. There is also an analogue version, but it has almost been replaced by the digital format.
Local mobile operators are Foroya Tele and Kall P/F. Roaming in their networks is available to subscribers of the main mobile operators in Russia.
Tourists can purchase a SIM card for local mobile communications at Teleshops, hotels, post offices and gas stations.
In the Faroe Islands, there are sufficient numbers of public telephones (they work on credit cards and coins). When calling abroad, you need to dial 00, the national code and the number of the called subscriber.
You can use the Internet in an Internet cafe. Most hotels provide wireless connection on their premises.
Safety
When traveling around the islands, you don’t have to worry about the safety of your property - the crime rate here is extremely low. In order not to spoil your holiday, it is enough not to leave personal belongings unattended, not to take large sums of money with you, to be polite to local residents and not to abuse night walks. If necessary, the police are always ready to help.
If during your trip you need medical assistance, you can rest assured that it will be provided at the highest level. The central hospital is located in the capital and has an excellent medical base.
Business
Registering a business in the Faroe Islands takes only a few days. The most common forms are a joint stock company, suitable for large companies, and a limited liability company. In order to start your own business here, you need to have a legal address on the islands. Another condition is a resident of the Kingdom of Denmark as one of the participants in the case.
The minimum authorized capital for a joint stock company is approximately $85,000, for a limited liability company - about $20,000. For registration you will also need a draft memorandum of association, articles of association and an application.
Foreign companies can enter the Faroese market by opening branches. A resident of the islands or Denmark must also be appointed as the head of the branch.
From the point of view of taxation, business legislation, and accounting standards, the Faroe Islands provide optimal conditions for the development of companies. The legal regulation of business activities is similar to Danish and adheres to European Union standards.
The main business in the archipelago is concentrated in the service sector and the fishing industry.
Local investment websites offer offers for entrepreneurs willing to invest in new ways to develop the fishing industry. At the same time, the Faroese are very interested in high-tech businesses that can offer environmentally friendly solutions for production.
Real estate
Purchasing real estate abroad is rightfully considered one of the most promising and long-term investments. The Faroe Islands may become great place for both temporary and permanent residence. They become especially attractive to people who love comfort and privacy, and who strive for order. Offers on the real estate market are varied - from a small studio apartment to a solid large house. The prices are quite attractive. A house with four bedrooms, two bathrooms and a large surrounding area will cost approximately $130,000.
However, those who decide to make such a deal should keep in mind that local banks do not provide mortgages for housing in the absence of a residence permit. In addition, local legislation requires appropriate permission from the Ministry of Justice for the acquisition of property by a foreigner.
Traveling to the islands is not a cheap pleasure. The price level here is quite high and is equal to the average European one. However, when leaving the country, tourists can make a VAT refund if they have a receipt from a store operating on the system Tax Free. The corresponding inscriptions are present at the entrance to the retail facility. To qualify for a tax refund, your one-time purchase must exceed $48.
Tipping is not accepted on the islands; the service staff's remuneration is usually already included in the bill.
Fishing is permitted only in certain bodies of water on the basis of a license sold in tourist offices. If a tourist intends to take fishing gear with him from home, then it must be sanitized before arriving on the islands. Instructions for fishermen can be found in tourist brochures. In streams and streams the fishing season is open from May 1 to August 31, in the sea - all year round.
When traveling, you should not forget about the local changing climate. On vacation, it won’t hurt to have warm clothes and several pairs of comfortable shoes for moving through mountainous terrain and trips to the sea.
Vaccination before travel is not required. Telephone emergency service - 112.
Visa information
To obtain a visa, you must contact the consular department of the Danish Embassy in Moscow at the address: Prechistensky Lane, 9.
Anyone wishing to obtain a visa must provide a visa application form, 2 photographs, a foreign passport (valid for at least three months after the expiration of the requested visa) with a copy, a national passport with a copy, confirmation of a hotel reservation, a certificate from the place of work (study), an insurance policy covering everything risks (the amount of insurance coverage should not be less than 30,000 €), a bank account statement or travel checks (at the rate of 50 € for each day of stay).
The Faroe Islands have been dubbed by travelers as an introvert's paradise and the friendliest island community in the world. As of June 2019, 51,783 thousand residents live here, representing more than 70 nationalities. There are only three traffic lights on the 18 islands, which are located in the capital. Let's tell you more about this unusual place.
Faroe Islands: how to get there, history, weather
Faroe islands ( faroe islands) - an archipelago with an area of more than 1.4 thousand km², located in the Norwegian Sea. Consists of 18 large and several small islands. Of these, only 17 are inhabited.
Here are the most important information about this region:
- History of the Faroe Islands.
Vikings from Norway settled here since ancient times. Archaeologists have identified two "Norse periods" - 400–600 and 600–800 AD. Recent discoveries have allowed historians to claim that people settled on the islands even before the arrival of the Vikings.
One of the first written mentions of the island is found in “The Voyage of St. Brendan the Navigator,” a legendary Irish monk who lived at the end of the 5th and beginning of the 6th centuries. A source that appeared several centuries after Brendan's death tells how the saint visited the "Isle of Sheep."
This name is still associated with the Faroes. Here, according to approximate data, 80 thousand sheep live, which is almost 30 thousand more than the registered population. In Faroese schools, classes still teach how to cut up the carcasses of these animals, and sheep's head is one of the national dishes.
Another source about the early history of the Faroe Islands is the Icelandic Faroese Saga, dating from the 13th century. It contains a story about the settlement of the island.
Until the 14th century, the island was part of the Kingdom of Norway. Then, after the unification of Norway with Denmark, it was under the joint administration of the two states. In the Treaty of Kiel in 1814, Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden but retained jurisdiction over the Faroes. They became a county in the Danish kingdom.
In 1940, the Nazis occupied Denmark and Norway as a result of Operation Weserubung. The British occupied the strategically important Faroe Islands. Thanks to the British occupation, the only airport appeared on the islands.
In 1946, residents of the islands voted for independence in a referendum, but Denmark did not recognize the results, citing violations of regulations. In 1948, the Faroe Islands Act was passed, according to which they became autonomous within Denmark. Denmark subsequently joined the European Union, but the Faroe Islands refused to join the EU.
- Weather.
The Faroe Islands, where the weather, according to the locals themselves, changes every five minutes, is located not far from the Arctic Circle. But thanks to the Gulf Stream, which washes almost all the islands of the archipelago, the temperature here in winter does not fall below +3–4 °C, and in summer it does not rise above +10 °C. Precipitation falls here more than 200 days a year.
- Transport.
For the query “Faroe Islands how to get there,” Google returns 275 thousand results. Tourism is one of the main sources of income for the local economy. Therefore, the islands have an established air service system with dozens of countries. The only airport is located on the island of Voar. Regular flights are operated by two airlines - Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) and Faroese Atlantic Airways.
Those wishing to travel to the Faroe Islands are advised to do so through Denmark. Planes fly from Copenhagen to Voar three times a day. In addition, Smyrill Line operates ferry services to the islands from Hirsthals, Denmark.
The islands themselves have been linked by a single road network from highways, bridges and tunnels. In addition, a ferry service is organized between the islands. Also, the government of the islands, in order to save the environment and force residents to use cars less, organized free buses between populated areas.
- Peculiarities.
Having found the Faroe Islands on the map, a tourist is surprised at how diverse they are and how unevenly populated they are. For example, on the island of Voar, where the only international airport is located, 2.8 thousand people live, and on the most populated island - Streymoy - 23.6 thousand. The city of Tórshavn, the capital of Faroe Islands, is also located here. It is home to 19 thousand people. Only one person and 160 sheep live on the island of Koltur.
The island of Stora Duimun, which is approximately the same area as Koltur, is home to 10 people. According to 2018 data, 10 people lived on the island of Mycines, which is almost five times larger in area than Stora Duimun and Koltur.
While generally sparsely populated, the Faroe Islands have one of the highest fertility rates in Europe - 2.4 children per woman.
The Faroe Islands are islands where the locals don't know what it means to lock your house. There is peace here and there is not a single prison. Those who have committed offenses are sent to Denmark for trial.
Faroe Islands: attractions
The Faroe Islands, whose photos attract tourists from all over the world, are not a place for spontaneous tourism. It is advisable to plan your trip carefully. It is quite developed here public transport, but experienced tourists advise renting a car.
Here, payment cards are accepted in many places, but difficulties may arise when converting currencies.
Among the attractions that experienced tourists recommend seeing are the most common:
- Mycines is a bird island.
Half of the island's population, which is five people, are employed in the tourism sector. The island attracts bird watchers from all over the world. Here you can find more than 300 species of birds, or 90% of those that fly across the Atlantic for the winter.
You can get to the island by helicopter or ferry. Tourists are warned that the terrain here is difficult and are advised not to walk alone.
On neighboring island laid pedestrian bridge 35 meters long. After crossing it, you can see another local attraction - the lighthouse.
- "Lake over the ocean" on the island of Voar.
Having arrived at Voar, the only airport in the Faroe Islands, tourists are advised not to immediately move to other islands. The island is home to Lake Sørvågsvatn, which seems to hang above the ocean at an altitude of more than 100 m. This visual effect is created due to the difference in height between the ocean and the surface of the lake.
The lake is almost 60 m deep and stretches 6 km from south to north. In the south, water flows from the lake into the ocean, forming the Bösdealafossur waterfall. To get to it, a tourist needs to walk more than 2.5 km.
The island is also home to the picturesque village of Gasadalur. A mountain separates it from the rest of the island. To get to the outside world, residents had to walk 400 m along mountain paths. In 2004, the authorities built a road tunnel, and the village became a more attractive tourist destination.
- Streymoy Island and the capital of the islands.
Almost 50% of the Faroese population lives on the island of Streymoy. The capital Tórshavn is located here. Translated from Faroese - ‘city of Thor’.
The city has the only three traffic lights in the Faroe Islands. The main attractions are also located here: the harbor, the largest cathedral and church on the islands, a museum, as well as historical Center, where you can see traditional Faroese houses with turf roofs.
The village of Chednuvuk is also located on Streymoy, surrounded by rocks that resemble columns. Not far from the village is the Fossa waterfall.
Also 5 km from Tórshavn is the village of Kirkjubor, where tourists will see one of the main attractions of the islands - a thousand-year-old house. It was built in the 11th century. There is a museum of folk life here. Since the 16th century, the house has been owned by one family, the Paturssons, for 17 generations. The village also has the medieval church of St. Olav.
The Faroe Islands are not an easy place to get to. This is a unique part of the world where there is precipitation more than 200 days a year. It's incredible here beautiful nature and very few local residents. The islands are ideal for those seeking tranquility and unity with nature.
The Faroe Islands are considered part of Europe, but many do not even know exactly where they are. In Russia, the archipelago attracts attention on those rare occasions when the Russian national football team plays the Faroe Islands in World Cup or European Championship qualifiers.
Today, 50 thousand people live on the archipelago, consisting of 18 volcanic islands with a total area of about 1,400 square kilometers. The indigenous inhabitants of the island, about 98% of the population, speak one of the rarest languages in Europe - Faroese, related to Icelandic and Old Norse. The second official language in the Faroe Islands is Danish.
Until the end of the 19th century, sheep farming, which gave the islands their name, played a major role in the life of the Faroese, and sheep's wool was the main commodity in trade with Denmark. However, for more than a century, the main income for the inhabitants of the archipelago, located in the very center of the fish-rich Atlantic region, has been provided by fishing. Locally caught cod, salmon and halibut account for more than 99% of local exports.
This is not surprising if we remember that, according to the classic of Faroese literature William Heineson, the capital of Faroe, the city of Tórshavn, is, in fact, the famous “navel of the earth.” For the Faroese, Tórshavn is one of the most important places on earth, the very place where everything happens.
45 thousand Faroese believe that the archipelago of 18 islands in the North Atlantic is the legendary Atlantis, which sank into the depths of the ocean many centuries ago. The exclusivity is evident.
Ancient history of the Faroe Islands
Modern Faroese are descendants of the Vikings, who at the end of the 9th century. they did not want to put up with the Zheto rule of King Harald Fairhair and sailed here, where previously brave sailors had visited only on visits. In the 11th century Christianity was brought here from Norway and for a short period the islands were subjugated to the Norwegian king Olaf Tryggvason. After his death, Norway's power over the islands was purely nominal, and in 1380, when the Danish-Norwegian Union was concluded, the islands became dual subordinates. When Norway dissolved the union in 1814, the islands remained with Denmark, which became the sole owner of the islands. The inhabitants of the islands have Scandinavian roots, and the Faroese language is a descendant of the Old Norse language.
In the period between 700 and 800, immigrants from Scotland settled on the island, but left the islands at the beginning of the 9th century, when the Viking campaigns reached the Faroe Islands. Starting from the 9th century, the Faroe Islands became a link in the system of transport communications between Scandinavia and the Viking colonies, which were located in Iceland, Greenland and, for a short time, North America.
Faroe Islands in World War II. British occupation of the Faroe Islands
The strategic position of the Faroe Islands in the North Atlantic prompted British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to decide on April 11, 1940 to station the cruiser in the port of Tórshavn. The islands came under British military control in April 1940, during the Second World War, following the German invasion of Denmark. British occupation of the islands ended in September 1945. More than 8,000 British soldiers took part in the occupation.
Post-war history of the Faroe Islands
In September 1946, as a result of a closed plebiscite and vote, the Faroe Islands parliament announced the islands' secession from Denmark. This decision was ratified by parliament, which voted 12 votes in favor and 11 votes against. The island of Suduroy, the third largest in the entire group, announced that it remains part of Denmark. The Danish government declared the results of the plebiscite invalid and temporarily suspended the Faroese parliament. Another public opinion poll revealed a slight majority in favor of not secession from Denmark, and a parliamentary delegation was invited to Copenhagen for further negotiations.
In 1940 the Faroe Islands were occupied British Navy, in 1948 the status quo was restored. An agreement was reached under which the Faroe Islands received limited sovereignty; the Danish government continued to be in charge of the islands' foreign policy. 2 representatives of the islands permanently serve in the Danish Parliament. The Faroese, although they do not particularly feel the Danish “oppression”, do not let the metropolis forget about them. For example, the islands are not formally part of the European Union, having rejected this proposal in a referendum. National clothing and customs largely preserve the era of the sagas, when people believed in the stern Odin, the strong Thor and the gentle Freya. Monuments here often date back to the early Middle Ages. Tórshavn - in the capital of the Faroe Islands, it is worth taking a look at the Skansapakkusio building, the Munkastovan monastery, the Historical Museum and the Listaskalin art gallery.
Kirkuber - Among the town's attractions are Magnus Cathedral, St Olav's Church, the ruins of St Brendan's Church and Roykstovan Farm. Saksun is a small village in the vicinity of which there are lakes Pollur and Saksunarvatn, Saskun Church and the Duvuvarur farm.
Since 1984, the Faroe Islands have been declared a nuclear-weapon-free zone, but the islands are located naval base Denmark and the NATO radar complex.
To enter the Faroe Islands, Russian citizens require a visa issued by the consular department of the Danish Embassy.
Faroe Islands - beautiful and rich country, with its wonderful culture, in addition, the people here are closely connected with each other, now family and friendships mean a lot to the Faroese.
The difference between Danish and Faroese society is not obvious at first, but it is there. So, for example, in Denmark people value their employment first of all; there it is customary to call first, notifying you of your arrival, and even agree on the time of the visit. In the Faroes, friends and acquaintances easily, without ceremony, drop in to see each other just to say hello. So I think the main difference is that Faroese people make time for each other to be together.
In the Scandinavian countries there is the “Jante Lofven Code”: no one has the right to put themselves above society, the most important rule of the Code is “don’t think that you are anything of yourself. And everyone obeys this unwritten rule, from the monarch to the mere mortal. There is something similar in the Faroe Islands. In this regard, things with public morality here are exactly the same as elsewhere in Scandinavia.
At the end of 2006, Faroese society was gripped by debate over the rights of sexual minorities to protection from persecution. Most local politicians opposed the adoption of the anti-discrimination law, considering it contrary to the Christian tenets on which Faroese society is based. Another significant event last year in the life of the Faroese was that the local ethics council banned the screening of the famous film “The Da Vinci Code”, considering the interpretation of the role of Christ blasphemous and contrary to the canons of Christianity.
The Faroe Islands are a very religious country, a religious society. But it should be borne in mind that in all religions there are radical movements, and there are such Christian extremists in the Faroe Islands. Of course, extremists are extremely negative about the law protecting people of non-traditional sexual orientation, but they do not express the opinion of the majority of the Faroese population. In Denmark, by the way, there are also ultra-Orthodox Christians, united in the Internal Mission organization; they are very similar to the Orthodox from the Faroe Islands, but in both cases we are not talking about the majority of the population. In fact, the Faroe Islands are a very open society; it may seem closed, closed in on itself, but in fact it is not. The people here are very friendly, generous and hospitable. And foreigners arriving in the Faroe Islands as tourists or moving here for permanent residence, they can confirm that they are received very kindly here. After all, the Faroese are sympathetic to everything new that comes into their lives.
The Faroe Islands (Faeroerne, Faroe Islands) are a possession of Denmark, occupying over 20 islands in the northeast Atlantic Ocean in the Norwegian Sea. total area possessions - 1.4 thousand sq. km. 48.2 thousand people live on the islands, mainly Faroese. They have their own language, which is the official language here along with Danish. The Faroe Islands have their own coat of arms and flag and enjoy internal autonomy, although they are subordinate to Denmark. The administrative center of the Faroe Islands is the city of Tórshavn with a population of 15.6 thousand people. The islands are divided into 8 regions.
The Faroe Islands are of volcanic origin, up to 882 m high. The shores of the islands are heavily indented by fjords. The Faroese landscape is characterized by meadows, peat bogs, and heathlands. Faroe rocks - favorite place for bird markets.
The economic potential of the Faroe Islands is based on 260 fishing vessels. The fishing industry employs the majority of able-bodied Faroese. The second most important sector of the economy is livestock farming, specializing in raising sheep and producing milk. Local transportation is carried out by road and sea transport. In terms of standard of living, the Faroe Islands are among the most prosperous countries in the world; they are reluctant to welcome visitors here, but tourists are shown hospitality..
The name means "Sheep Islands" in the local dialect. Sheep farming is very important for local residents, and wonderful blankets, sweaters and other products are made here from high-quality wool. The tourist season is during the warm summer months from June to September. The Faroe Islands calendar has about two dozen official holidays. On June 28 and 29, the country celebrates National Olavsok Day, named after St. Olav, who preached Christianity in ancient Scandinavia. For two holidays in the capital of the Faroe Islands - Tórshavn - exhibitions, sports competitions, horse races, festive masses and noisy folklore performances are held. Around the same time, the Westanstevna festival, which is almost identical in program, takes place in the Western Faroe Islands.
Mainly eco-tourists come here. Skalafjörður, a picturesque fjord considered the best harbor in the Faroe Islands, will be of interest to lovers of hiking. Mykines is a tiny island in the northwest of the archipelago. Knukur Peak, Steyiskogurin Rock Garden and Holmgyogv Canyon are located here.
The islands, for the most part, are treeless due to constant strong winds, although conifers, maple, and mountain ash are sometimes found. Mosses and lichens are widespread.
Vegetation mainly consists of meadows, peat bogs and heathland.
The Faroe Islands have a climate similar to the south South America and Tierra del Fuego, from there several species of Nothofagus (Antarctic, birch) and Maytenus Magellanicus were introduced.
Hatchet(lat. Lunda cirrhata), or Long-crested puffins (lat. Fratercula cirrhata) is a bird of the auk family. It has a bright appearance - a powerful red-orange beak, flattened on the sides, white cheeks, and tufts of long yellowish feathers behind the eyes. The color of the plumage is monotonous, black and brown. Paws are red.
They live on the Asian and American coasts of the North Pacific Ocean, south to California. Most often they can be seen flying along coastline close to the surface of the water in search of food for their young
The fauna of the Faroe Islands is quite diverse. Of primary interest are the colonies of Arctic birds and the waters rich in fish (herring, halibut, cod) and sea animals that wash the Faroe Islands. The island is also home to the Faroese breed of sheep.
Colonies of guillemots settle on the Faroese cliffs.
There are harp seal rookeries on the Faroe Islands.
In the Faroes, the Faroese crown (FrK) and the Danish crown (DKK) are in circulation. Faroese banknotes, like Danish ones, are issued in denominations of 50, 100, 500 and 1000 kroner. The islands do not mint their own coins. There are Danish coins in denominations of 25 and 50 øre (1 øre = 1/100 kroner), 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 kroner.
The exchange rate of the Danish krone to the US dollar was - 5.560 (2008), 5.9468 (2006), 5.9969 (2005), 5.9911 (2004), 6.5877 (2003), 7.8947 (2002).
Up to 15% of Faroese GDP comes from subsidies to the metropolis.
The main sectors of the Faroese economy are fishing, sheep breeding, and light industry. The main products exported are fresh, frozen, filleted and salted fish, gelatin made from fish swim bladders, lamb, sheepskin, astrakhan fur and wool products, eider down and petrel down. About 2% of the land is cultivated.
Until the mid-19th century, sheep farming was the main source of income for the Faroes. Currently, the sheep population numbers about 80 thousand heads.
These are the interesting facts Klara Kulikova writes about the Faroe Islands:
I've been to the Faroe Islands probably ten times. I have many acquaintances there, whom I am glad to see, regardless of the presence or absence of business. Acquaintances who, over the years of communication, have turned into friends.
I really like this place. First of all, I like my people. Contrary to the hysterics of whale defenders, the people there are very open, pure and virginal in many matters.
1. In the Faroe Islands, houses are not generally locked. The last time, instead of a hotel, we rented the top floor of a house: the owners lived on the ground floor, their daughter on the first floor, we took the top floor with three bedrooms, a separate bathroom and toilet. "Will we get the key?" – I asked the hostess. "No!" – she was quite surprised, why do you need him?
“You really don’t lock houses?” – I asked my old friend Birgir. “Why lock them?” - he, in turn, was surprised, - “I have five children, they always lose their keys, so we don’t lock our house!”
2. There is virtually no crime in the Faroe Islands. During the Cold War, the United States established a military base on the islands. Last years it was mothballed: only a few people were constantly there. Now, on the territory of the base there is a prison where local violators are placed for a short period of time, usually for drunk driving. At the time of our arrival, there were already four people in the “prison”, the names of all four are known to all the islands. If you throw a bicycle on the side of the road, no one will touch it. If you drop your wallet on the road, it will be returned to you with a 99.9% probability, or it will be left in the nearest cafe/shop/shopping center.
3. On the question of whale hunting: the Faroese continue to live the same way they lived five hundred years ago. Civilization has changed them little. In addition to whale hunting, the Faroese slaughter their own sheep (a lot of people keep sheep). It's hard for a European to believe, but Faroese schools teach some pretty shocking science lessons.
A week before our arrival, Birgir’s twelve-year-old daughter brought a live sheep to class, killed it right in the classroom with a special air pistol, and gutted it in the classroom. The rest of the children helped her as best they could: in the Faroes this would not shock anyone.
“But why, Birgir?”– I asked in bewilderment. "What do you mean why? Not all children know how to do this now, she just taught them!”
4. Sheep's head is an exquisite delicacy in the Faroes. “What’s in it?” – I asked another friend of mine. "Like what? Eyes, brains, cheeks! Yes all!"
Frozen sheep's heads can be bought in the central supermarket in Torshavn (called SMS) and also in some small shops. For convenience, the head is sawn lengthwise, frozen and packed in a vacuum bag.
5. To your great surprise, the Faroe Islands have a pretty good selection of products (unlike “hungry” Norway, whose supermarkets make you cry). Most of the products are frozen (and made in Denmark), but they are available. On sale there is delicious venison, a lot of seafood, as well as fresh locally caught fish. Smoked salmon is also locally produced and is also absolutely incomparable: I can say with full responsibility that neither in Ukraine nor in Russia they know how to make such fish.
6. In the Faroe Islands (unlike Denmark, to which the Faroe Islands de jure belong) there are very strict requirements for the sale of alcohol. There is only one store in Torshavn that sells beer of “regular” strength, as well as wine and vodka. Everything is very expensive. For some inexplicable reason, beer is only sold in multiples of six. That is, six, twelve, eighteen and so on cans or bottles. The limit applies to both packages (which actually contain six cans or bottles) and individual cans/bottles.
The question “if there are only five bottles left, won’t you sell them?” puts store workers into a specific stupor. Nobody seems to think about it there.
All other stores (including the largest supermarket in the Faroe Islands) sell light beer with an alcohol content of no more than 0.2%&
A similar situation with alcohol in the Faroe Islands was initiated back in the thirties of the last century. Alcohol was sold uncontrollably, many fishermen drank themselves to death, but in the thirties, men carelessly gave women the right to vote in elections.
The first (!) thing the women did after receiving their license was to push through a ban on the sale of alcohol on the islands. Complete ban.
The men tried to protest, but it was too late: the fisherwomen grabbed their husbands tightly by the balls.
The return of alcohol to any kind of sale continued for decades. And it continues to this day.
7. At the same time, the Faroe Islands produce a very good and very specific aqua vitamin, which is called HAVIÐ, with a strength of as much as 50.1 degrees. Such a fortress is the result of a marketing strategy, the essence of which is unknown to me.
8. Also, despite the prohibitions and restrictions, the Faroe Islands produce very good beer, and the “Black Sheep” variety is generally beyond praise.
9. One of my acquaintances in the Faroe Islands created an ideal business: he collected waste from fish processing plants (mainly pollock heads), then dried it, pressed it and sold it to poor countries in Africa. Why an ideal business? The raw materials are free, the market is huge, the idea is super, what can I say.
10. The Danish krone is in use in the Faroe Islands, but the piquancy of the situation is that the Faroe Islands have their own Danish krone, with a very special design. From my own experience, I can say that I have never held more beautiful money in my hands.
Tindholmur Island- one of the islands of the Faroe archipelago. Area - 6500 sq.m. Highest point- 262 m. Each of the small peaks has its own name: Ytsti, Arni, Lítli, Breiði, and Bogdi.
The island is uninhabited, but archaeological evidence suggests that people once lived on it.
Every year, the Faroe Islands catch and kill whales and pilot whales (black dolphins) in a traditional hunt known as "Grindadrap". The sea in the Faroe Islands becomes as bloody and creepy as the cruel ritual itself.
Faroese men often say that being involved in whaling makes them feel like real Faroese. Despite criticism from animal rights groups and the International Whaling Commission, the Faroe Islands population continues to kill thousands of whales year after year.
A mob of hunters drive whales and dolphins into a bay and then snap their spines, leaving the animals to slowly bleed to death. According to PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), some whales struggle in agony for several hours. “Whales and dolphins are very intelligent creatures and they are capable of feeling pain and fear, just like us. They are forced to watch their relatives die in the blood-red water, awaiting their own death.”
Hundreds of pilot whales or black dolphins, as they are sometimes called, become victims of the Faroese every year. I don’t even know what definition to give to this bloody process... Some say, killing whales for the population of the Faroe Islands - a national pastime, others - a tradition, others - a vital necessity. I’ll probably focus on tradition - don’t judge, as they say, lest you be judged. This event is on a national scale. On a certain day, I don’t know which one, apparently, when the meat supplies run out, Faroese men slaughter pilot whales, and women and children happily gather on the shore and look at this picture. In short, the entire population is involved - no one is indifferent.
Whaling has existed on the “remains of Atlantis” since at least the tenth century, and it is not regulated by the International Whale Commission, but by the Faroese authorities, due to - quoting Wikipedia - “the presence of disagreements over the competence of the commission in relation to small cetaceans.” I don’t know how to put it easier, because I didn’t really understand the meaning myself. It turns out that traditional, with a centuries-old history Pilot whale massacre in the Faroe Islands smoothly developed into some semblance public holiday. At least, according to eyewitness accounts, this is exactly what it looks like.
I don't know how to judge all this. On the one hand, it’s scary, creepy, disgusting, low and vile, and on the other hand, surely somewhere in Africa there are tribes in which people devour each other, but no one condemns them: well, there is, and there is, what can you do if This is their way of life.
Here's what eyewitnesses write:
Killing whales is a national pastime
In order to feel like men and breadwinners, the Faroese carried out mass slaughter of whales. The entire population took part in this. Men catch, and women and children watch and support.
Unfortunately, this cruel tradition continues to this day. But now whale hunting has become something of a thing on the islands. national holiday. Not for the sake of food, but for the sake of blood, thirst for profit and satisfaction of their barbaric instincts.
They hunt here for pilot whales or, as they are also called, black dolphins. Pilot whales swim in a flock that blindly follows the leader. Once you lure him alone, everyone else will follow him to certain death. The whales are driven into shallow waters in special bays. They surround them with boats and drive them to the shore with stones, sticks, and harpoons.
The first time I learned about this “holiday” was soon after arriving in the Faroe Islands. Once I came to pick up my children from kindergarten and saw the excited faces of the teachers. Happiness and satisfaction were written on them. Gesturing excitedly, they said that today they went to watch how dolphins were slaughtered and took all the children there. They liked everything very much, and the children were absolutely delighted.
After that, the children in the kindergarten spent the whole week drawing pictures about how dolphins are slaughtered, how they are pulled out, killed, and pools of blood. The more terrible the picture, the more honorable place it was on the wall. The exhibition of children's works hung for a long time and was frightening in its appearance.
My children suffered deep psychological stress. One day they grew up and realized that death exists and walks nearby in the form of a Faroese man with a harpoon and a spear.
No one asked permission if it was possible to take the children to look at this horror. They were simply taken away because it was cool. Because many Faroese sincerely believe that the slaughter of whales is one of the most beautiful spectacles. And in the future, children were taken to this slaughterhouse more than once, although they were warned that they could not be taken there. But the teachers forgot everything at the moment of excitement from the upcoming action.
Through the eyes of an eyewitness
I don’t know of a more barbaric spectacle that takes place with the approval of the government and with the participation of almost all people, young and old. This is real horror.
As soon as a pod of whales approaches the island, the Faroese drop everything and run to fish. People find out on the radio, on mobile phones and simply from each other - today whales are being beaten.
They run as fast as they can, just to be on time, just not to be late. They run with crazy eyes. Everyone is running, even pregnant women and young mothers, who grab their children, put them in strollers and also rush to the shore. Other children are dangling underfoot, they are being knocked down, now there is no time for children - whales are being beaten. Kindergartens and schools are brought there so that everyone can participate in the process and look at the bloody mess. How innocent animals are killed.
Just a couple of hours ago, kind and sweet Faroese people become wild animals. They make sure that the whales cannot escape from the shallow waters. With wild faces they throw stones at them, hit them with spears and knock them into a chaotic mass. Wounded animals become frantic and rush around in search of freedom. People rush towards them from the shore and finish them off right in the water. The whales, which are still alive, are stuck with hooks and sticks and dragged to the shore, where their throats are cut.
Women and children support the men, running through pools of blood. There is blood all around. The Blood Sea is completely red. The entire coast is covered in the blood of innocent victims of Faroese cruelty. People's faces, hands, clothes - everything is covered in blood. Satisfaction on faces, smiles, joy, pleasure, buzz - this whole range of feelings can be read on all faces.
Thirst for blood plus thirst for freebies. After all the whales are dead, the cutting of the prey begins right on the shore. Children are very often involved in the process. They are allowed to tinker with the intestines and entrails. Shops in the Faroes are filled with various types of meat, but whale meat is not sold there. Because it is given out for free at this slaughterhouse. Lists of those interested are created in advance on a special website. Why go to the store and pay money when you can get meat and satisfy your barbaric instincts.
On this moment There is no need to slaughter whales. Faroese people do not die of hunger. The supply of food to the islands is well established, but, as the Faroese themselves explain, this is their sport. Yes, that’s exactly what they call this nightmare with pride and approval.
Photographs of the killing of whales are placed in newspapers, in advertising brochures for tourists, devoting entire spreads to this and publishing the most horrifying scenes. They make videos about the killing of whales and then watch them with pleasure on long winter evenings, eating whale meat and lard at the same time. There is no regret, only delight that everything will happen again soon.
I would like to mention that this is not the only murder in which children are involved in the Faroes. Sheep farming is very common on the islands, and the slaughter of sheep is a family event in which all family members also participate. In front of the children, the sheep is cut and butchered, and the children then fiddle with the guts with a smile on their faces. They take video and photographs of the process. For a long time, a book with a detailed photo report about this was very popular in the Faroe Islands. It happens that they do similar things in kindergartens. Probably so that those children whose parents do not have sheep do not feel deprived. They bring a sheep or some kind of sea animal to the kindergarten and butcher it together with the children. The children are given trophies - guts and so on. Once on the embankment, sailors set up a small open aquarium. Various sea animals swam in containers filled with water - crabs, starfish, fish, octopuses and others. They could be taken out and touched. Some children watched the animals with interest, while others simply picked them up and tore off their limbs, enjoying how they writhed and tried to escape. Parents looked at their children with approval and smiles, without making any comments to them and fully supporting these tortures. My children clung to me in horror and asked: “Mom, is this really possible?” Why don’t parents tell their children not to torture animals?” What could they answer to this?
Dolphins have long been considered the patrons of shipping and sailors. All sailors know the sign - before a storm, dolphins try to go to the depths and not appear on the surface, which sailors regard as a warning of an impending storm.
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Where does such unimaginable inquisitorial cruelty towards these creatures come from among the inhabitants of the Faroe Islands?
In fairness, it must be said that in the modern world not everyone shares the romantic point of view of dolphins, considering them dangerous wild animals.
However, the final point in dolphin research has not yet been reached, and no matter what conclusion scientists come to, people have no right to the bloody barbarity occurring in the Faroe Islands.
Many centuries ago, during the times of the Vikings, the ancestors of the islanders lived in completely different conditions and different customs - these were cruel times of wars, deprivation, lack of food, and the terrible custom that arose in those days may have been a forced way for their survival.
But now, in modern conditions, with supermarkets littered with food, this barbaric “diet” of the Faroese is blasphemous.
“True Faroese” should remember that “cruelty cannot be the companion of valor” (Cervantes).
As the descendants of the brave Normans, it does not suit the Faroese to assert themselves through the bloody massacre of defenseless animals; a much more courageous act would be to decide to stop this bloody massacre as historically outdated and immoral. What do you think?
A month ago we returned from perhaps one of the most impressive trips in the last couple of years. Having gathered the will and money into a fist, it was decided not to fly to the Faroe Islands. When many people hear the word island, their imagination pictures the azure waters of the ocean, palm trees and White sand, but the Faroe Islands are not from this series. A pile of stones in the water, blown by a wind that makes your eyes water, silence, a tangible dark gray fog - all this is a unique Danish autonomy with a population of 50 thousand people, located on an archipelago of 18 islands in the dark waters of the Atlantic, an hour and a half flight from continental Europe.
1. It is impossible to describe these islands unambiguously. For the vast majority, they will seem too boring, the way of life monotonous, the landscapes the same... But it is in such places that the sense of the scale of time in relation to you is especially strong. While humanity was born, empires fell and were created, these rocks drifted in the fog. If humanity leaves these places one day, the islands will cleanse themselves in a couple of years, the winds will blow away the buildings, the rains will wash away the roads, and the Faroe Islands will continue to stand in their original form as they did a thousand years ago.
4. In 2007, National Geographic magazine named the Faroe Islands the best islands. And I agree with the opinion of the editors.
5. Traveling around the Faroe Islands is a fairly spontaneous action; there are usually no sensible guides to such places, so take a map and select villages and settlements where your intuition tells you to go. In fact, we visited almost all the villages and they all look the same. 10-20 houses, a church, a small pier (if there is access to the ocean), a local history museum and not a single person, all this resembles not villages, but scenery, freshly painted houses, cleanliness and silence.
6. 17 of the 18 islands of the archipelago are inhabited, they are connected long tunnels, bridges and ferry crossings that run frequently and are cheap. Traffic on the islands is extremely small; far from the capital, you are often alone on the roads. In areas where there is little traffic, they make one lane for both directions of traffic with pockets for passing, due to the abundance of blind turns and climbs, driving on such roads is quite scary. The speed limit in populated areas is 50 km/h on the highway - 80 km/h. There is nothing to do on the islands without a car.
8. Business card Faroe - this waterfall on the island of Vágar.
9. The second largest city in the Faroe Islands is Klaksvik. Population 5000 people. View from above.
10. View from the ground.
11. Unprepared tourist even this one Big city how Klaksvik can make you feel despondent.
12. According to local residents, the Faroe Islands are slowly aging; young people do not want to stay on the islands and engage in agricultural activities. Many people move to Denmark first to study and then stay to work.
13. The Faroes brew their own good beer.
15. Previously, life on the islands was quite complicated and harsh, there was no paint and houses were often painted with tar. Nowadays, many pay tribute to traditions and paint houses black, and the heat is preserved a little better. Grass roofs are a separate attraction of the Faroe Islands. There is a joke among tourists on the islands that a couple of sheep are let onto the roof to cut the grass.
16. The fate of the Faroe Islands is quite complicated. The Faroe Islands were part of Norwayuntil the end of the 14th century, after which the islands of Norwayco-owned with Denmark, which in 1814 became the sole owner of the islands. The inhabitants of the islands have Scandinavian roots, and the Faroese language is a descendant of the Old Norse language. During the Second World War, Churchill took the Faroe Islands under military control, which actually meant occupation.
17. In 1946, the islands' parliament held a referendum on independence among the population and announced about the Faroe Islands secession from Denmark.This decision was ratified by parliament, which voted 12 votes in favor and 11 votes against. The Danish government declared the referendum results invalid and temporarily suspended the Faroese parliament. Re-elections to parliament revealed a slight preponderance of parties in favor of not secession from Denmark, and the parliamentary delegation was invited to Copenhagen for further negotiations. On April 1, 1948, an agreement was reached under which the Faroe Islands received limited sovereignty. Today, the Faroe Islands resolve all issues except foreign policy and defense independently.
20. Unique places unique people. The Faroese sounds at least proud, a descendant of the Vikings, strongly built, stern and strong-armed. The population of the Faroe Islands is comparable in size to the population of the average Moscow microdistrict. At the same time, the Faroese are a full-fledged people with their own language, external distinctive features, national dances, songs and national cuisine. The islands have their own very beautiful banknotes, which depict watercolor landscapes of their native land. The Faroese are fishermen and herders who live in harmony with nature.
21. The Faroese are mainly Lutheran. You arrive along a winding road to another town, there is no one on the streets, clouds touch the roof ridges, dim lights are on in the church - the entire population is at a sermon. There are many unique old churches preserved on the islands that are still functioning. Near the church there is always a cemetery, formal graves, often just a stone with a name, on the stone there is a porcelain dove - a symbol of grief.
22. The weather here changes very often. The entire palette can be seen in one day. For September we were very lucky with the weather, there was often sun and almost no rain. It rains here about 280 days a year, in winter average temperature-2 degrees, in summer +15. Thanks to the Gulf Stream, the water around the islands has a temperature of about +10 all year round.
29. Torshavn is the capital. In the very center of the town there are authentic old houses, families live in them, clothes are dried on the street, you walk into such a neighborhood as if you were entering a museum. Almost half the population of the entire autonomy lives in the capital. Tórshavn is familiar to Russians first-hand, as it is a traditional place of entry, unloading and bunkering for the Russian fishing fleet in recent decades.
30. The Faroe Islands attract everyone's attention once a year, when the Faroese drive pilot whale dolphins into the bays and kill them using improvised means, a bunch of activists flock together, a resonance is created, the bays are painted red. I talked about this topic with a local resident, as he said, the slaughter of pilot whales is a long-standing trade on the islands, and this is not done for the sake of entertainment or, as some sources write, “the ritual of young people entering manhood.” All prey is used for food, not a single carcass is wasted. If a village realizes that it has slaughtered more than it can eat, another community is called in to help and the spoils are divided. Whale oil tastes disgusting.
32. Not everyone will understand the beauty of a holiday in the Faroe Islands. The Faroe Islands are definitely a place to get away from people. The Faroe Islands make you think and immerse yourself.
33. The Sheep Islands end here, it is difficult to convey the atmosphere of these places with text and photographs, you need to come here full of strength and thirst for discovery, then the islands will open up to you.
"Faroese sheep, as a rule, have a very weak herding instinct and usually do not gather in large groups when grazing..."
For those who missed it, travel notes according to the Faroe Islands.
The next travel recipe includes the Faroe Islands with their dizzying landscapes, cliffs, waterfalls and houses with grass roofs.
Why Faroe Islands?
About 60 million years ago, extensive volcanic eruptions created 18 rocky islands that floated peacefully in the North Atlantic Ocean between Scotland and Iceland. Now all the islands except Maly Dimun are inhabited by people. They are also called “sheep islands” because they are much simpler than people. This is reflected in statistics: the population is almost 50 thousand people versus 80 thousand heads of livestock.
Since most of the islands are covered with mountains, grassy hills and steep cliffs, hiking for a long time was the only way of transportation here. For some time, the islands served as a transit point for Viking sea expeditions. Also, the Faroe Islands were once divided between Norway and Denmark, but at the beginning of the 19th century they were completely taken over by the Danes. During World War II, the islands were occupied by Britain in response to the German takeover of Denmark. The next year after the end of the war, the Faroe Islands were about to secede from the Danish kingdom, but all they achieved was partial sovereignty. They have their own language, money, parliament and government. There are also many salmon farms in the Faroe Islands - now this is the main source of income.
The Faroe Islands are still less tourist destination, compared to the same Iceland. This is primarily due to the rather short season and not big amount regular flights. The Faroe Islands are not about comfortable holidays and five-star hotels, this is a place where you can truly feel at one with untouched wild nature. Steep cliffs, stunning mountains leaning over the ocean, fjords and picturesque grass-roofed villages make up the spectacular landscape of the remote Faroe Islands.
“Steep cliffs, stunning mountains leaning over the ocean, fjords and picturesque grass-roofed villages.”
How to get there and where to live?
The easiest way to get to the Faroe Islands from Europe is to fly to Copenhagen. Then there are two options: SAS (tickets from €148 return) or Atlantic Airways (from €400 return). Keep in mind that demand for the destination is high and flights can be crowded, especially during the season.
Acceptable accommodation options in the Faroe Islands are small guesthouses, as well as apartments and rooms rented through Airbnb
or Booking. The most popular among hotels is Føroyar. We lived there for a couple of days. The hotel was designed by the famous Danish architectural bureau Friis & Moltke and is located a couple of kilometers from the capital of the Faroe Islands. All rooms offer beautiful views of the Nólsøy Fjord and Tórshavn.
Streymoy Island
You should start getting acquainted with the islands from the capital - the city Tórshavn, located on the island of Streymoy. In the city center you can see two remarkable monuments of medieval architecture - the Munkastovan Monastery and the Leighubün royal warehouse. The buildings date back to the 15th century; they miraculously survived the severe fire of 1693. The tiny Tinganes Peninsula, where it is located Løgtingið– The Parliament of the Faroe Islands, and the old part of the city of Rein with narrow streets and wooden houses covered with grass roofs, are mentioned in 825.
If you want to have a snack at some cozy place, then go to fish restaurant Barbara(2 Gongin, Torshavn 100) . This place is stylized as a traditional Faroese house, the roof of which is made of thatch. The dishes here are fresh, as they are prepared from fish caught on the same day. It is located in the historical part of Tórshavn and is part of a chain of five restaurants and bars located in close proximity to each other.
You can try local beer at Essabarr (7 Áarvegur, Tórshavn 100) , and Danish craft beer - in Mikkeller Torshavn (2 Gongin, Torshavn 100) . But we found the best establishment in the capital by chance - this is a buffet restaurant Steikin (11 Tórsgøta Tórshavn 100) . Here you can order brisket, ribeye, fried chicken and much more at an affordable price.
Next, go to the historical Kirkjubøur. Here is the oldest wooden house in the Faroe Islands - it is 900 years old. Other attractions in the city are Magnus Cathedral, St Olav's Church, the ruins of St Brendan's Church and Roykstovan Farm. By the way, in Kirkjubar you can also meet the current owner and caretaker of these buildings, who is a direct descendant of the caretaker of the Royal Compound in the 17th generation. His name is Johannes Patursson, and he and his family live in one part of this oldest house.
If your budget allows, don't forget to check out the famous restaurant Koks(Frammi við Gjónna Leynavatn) , which received a Michelin star in 2017 and still maintains its high status. Koks is a Faroese word that has various interpretations, including a type of coal, as well as the concept of being associated with the preparation of something significant. The restaurant with this name specializes in local cuisine, giving traditional dishes a modern twist.
There is also a small but very picturesque village on the island of Streymoy Saksun. In its vicinity are lakes Pollur and Saksunarvatn, a snow-white church and the old Duvuvarur farm, which are now part of the museum. Ancient stone buildings with traditional turf roofs give this place a special atmosphere. The village itself has a natural harbour, a small black sand beach and is surrounded by high mountains.
On west coast Streymoy Island has a pretty port town Vestmanna. To the north of it is the Vestmannabjørgini coast, which consists of rocky cliffs and cliffs protruding from the water up to 500 m high. The coast is famous for its numerous colonies of birds and seals, which is why the area is called the “Bird Cliffs of Vestmann”. Here you should definitely take a boat tour and see with your own eyes the stunningly beautiful gorges and grottoes under the harsh cliffs hanging overhead. All this will definitely make your heart beat much faster.
Continuing the theme of rocks, it is worth mentioning a small Tjørnuvík village. It is located in a beautiful harbor, which is surrounded on all sides Mountain peaks. Here you can see another attraction of the Faroe archipelago - two sea cliffs, the name of which, translated into Russian, sounds like “The Giant and the Witch”.
Esturoy Island
In the northern part of the island of Eysturoy you will find an idyllic village Gjogv. It got its name from the gorge on the banks of which it is located. This place is very popular due to its landscapes - the village is located on the edge of a vast valley that drops to the ocean and is surrounded by mountains. Panorama of the ocean and the island of Kynoy, smooth green slopes and endless possibilities for hiking. We stayed here overnight in Gjaargardur Guesthouse Gjogv and were able to enjoy this place to the fullest.
“Ocean panorama, smooth green slopes and endless hiking opportunities”
It’s worth setting aside a separate day to conquer the most high mountain Faroe – Slættaratindur, the height of which reaches 880 m above sea level. Climbing the mountain takes on average 1.5-2 hours, but it all depends on your physical capabilities. From the top there is a stunning 360-degree view, just be sure to use your equipment: the wind is very strong there.
On the way back you can see the most big waterfall in the Faroe Islands - Fossa. Here, however, we should immediately make a reservation that it can look completely different depending on the weather. Best time to visit - after prolonged rains, when the waterfall absorbs spilled water from the surrounding slopes and acquires real power. We were unlucky and the previous two sunny days did not work in our favor. You don't need to go far, the waterfall is located right next to the road. It is two levels, and if you want to climb to the top, and I recommend doing this, you will have to climb the rocks a little.
Vidoy Island
On the penultimate day we went to the island Viðoy, located in the northern part of the Faroe Islands and being their northernmost tip. The main attraction of this island is Cape Enniberg. This is the highest cape in Europe, and according to some sources in the world, which rises out of the water like a huge dark wall with rare greenish glimpses at 750 meters.
On the way to the island of Vidoy you will also be able to see the disastrously distant island Fugloy. It is the easternmost island in the Faroe Islands archipelago. The "Island of Birds" earns its name for the multi-million-dollar colonies of seabirds on its majestic cliffs (450 meters high at Eistfelli and 620 meters long at Clubbin). Cliffs descend from the picturesque plateau mountain range, which is entirely covered with arctic vegetation.
Unfortunately, we did not have time to see one of the especially romantic places in the Faroe Islands - Kallur Lighthouse on the island of Kalsoy. You can only get there by ferry from the town of Klaksvík. Didn't work that day ferry service. But, as friends told us, the panorama that opens onto this landscape is especially priceless and worth a couple of hours’ walk. This is the northernmost echo of civilization - a small lonely white lighthouse against the backdrop of emerald slopes and a high mountain peak.
Voar Island
We devoted the last day to the island of Vagar, where the only airport in the Faroe Islands is located - Vága Floghavn. Worth a look here Lake Sørvagsvatn And Bøsdalafossur waterfall. You will be able to see the lake during landing, if there is good weather, Certainly. It is remarkable not only for its size, but also for its unique natural phenomenon, since it is located literally on the very edge of the island, and below is the ocean. Local residents gave it another name - “hanging lake”. And if you look at it from a certain angle, it creates the illusion that the lake is hanging above the ocean surface.
The impressive Besdalafossur waterfall carries water from Lake Sørvägsvatn straight into the ocean. Despite its impressive size, Besdalafossur is something of a local secret: to get there you need to walk almost two and a half kilometers, and then back. The journey will take a total of about two hours.
And finally, take a look at village of Gasadalur, which is located next to the airport. It is located in an incredibly beautiful valley between the highest cliffs of the island. The cliffs tightly surround the village, and in order to get to another part of the island, its residents have always had to use a path that rises as much as 400 meters into the mountains. Due to this isolation and inaccessibility, the village's population gradually declined, and in 2002 there were only 16 residents left. But in 2004, a car tunnel was made in the monolithic rock, and people gradually began to inhabit it again. a nice place. It also offers panoramic views of Mykines Island. This island is primarily known for its large number of seabirds, especially puffins (but can also be seen on the Westmann Rocks), which arrive there in early May. There are two ways to get to Mykines in summer: by ferry or by helicopter. In winter, when the waters of the Atlantic Ocean become turbulent, the ferry does not operate at all.
The Faroe Islands are relatively small and located at the end of the world, but for the sake of the local views you want to drop everything and go there. The Faroese have a unique way of life and they carefully preserve their traditions. They manage to keep their feet firmly on the ground and maintain a close relationship with nature. They are incredibly good-natured and modest. Add to views and local residents impressive Faroese cultural tradition - and now you have every reason to put the Faroe Islands on your list of must-see places in your life.
Lifehacks
The Faroe Islands are hardly a destination for a spontaneous trip, so the sooner you start planning your trip, the better.
The Faroe Islands require a separate visa, which is issued at the Danish Consulate. The documents and registration procedure are similar to Schengen. However, no one checked our visa either on the way there or back.