Faroe Islands
TerritoryAdministered by: Denmark
“Eighteen basalt islands in the North Atlantic, with more sheep than people.”
The Faroes are eighteen islands halfway between Scotland and Iceland, self-governing within the Kingdom of Denmark but outside the EU, with their own language, parliament and — since a series of subsea tunnels opened, including the world's first undersea roundabout — a road network that makes most of the archipelago reachable by car in an afternoon. The population is about 54,000 and the sheep outnumber them.
The landscape is the point: basalt layered like a stack of plates, sheer cliffs full of nesting seabirds, and villages of turf-roofed houses at the head of fjords. Sørvágsvatn appears from the right angle to hover above the sea, Gásadalur's waterfall drops off the cliff beside the village, and Mykines is a puffin colony you reach by a boat that runs only when the swell permits. The weather is genuinely unpredictable and that is not a caveat, it is the experience.
Highlights
Sørvágsvatn
A lake that, seen from the cliff at Trælanípa, appears to sit far above the Atlantic — an optical effect of perspective, and one of the most photographed views in the North Atlantic. About a two-hour walk return on a marked path with a landowner fee.
Mykines
The westernmost island, a puffin colony from May to August, reached by a passenger ferry or helicopter that both cancel readily in swell or fog. Walking to the lighthouse requires a guide in the nesting season.
Saksun and Gjógv
Two of the most photographed villages — Saksun's turf-roofed church above a tidal lagoon, and Gjógv's natural harbour cut into the cliff on the northeast coast.
Tórshavn and Tinganes
One of the smallest capitals in the world, with the Tinganes peninsula of red turf-roofed government buildings on the site of a Viking-era assembly, plus a genuinely good restaurant scene for its size.
Entry requirements for Faroe Islands
Checking your passport…
We don't hold entry details for this passport group yet.
Before you fly
The detail
- Passport validity
- Most destinations want validity beyond your stay, and some want six months. Check yours against the return date.
- Onward travel
- Airlines may ask for a return or onward ticket at check-in.
- Health
- Danish healthcare standards; EHIC/GHIC valid for EU/UK visitors. No dangerous wildlife, no mosquitoes. A hospital in Tórshavn handles most needs.
- Money
- The Danish krone, with locally issued Faroese banknotes that are legal tender here and exchangeable in Denmark. Cards work everywhere, including on the smallest ferry. Cash is barely needed.
When to go
BestMay–Aug. AvoidOct–Mar.
Puffins arrive, grass greens, days lengthen fast.
The band above each month is our editorial verdict - it weighs crowds, prices and access as well as weather. The line is average daily temperature, the bars are monthly rainfall. Select a month for the figures. Climate figures: ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, 2005–2024 normals.
What it costs
A day in Faroe Islands
Comfortable · sample day
≈ $178
Line items are real prices we track. The daily budget is an editorial estimate for this level, not their sum.
Where this sits among 244 countries we have costed
Accommodation and cars are scarce and expensive from June to August and must be booked months ahead; winter rates fall sharply but so does what is open.
Updated Aug 2026 · Editorial synthesis — Visit Faroe Islands tariffs and accommodation sampling (2025–2026) · confidence high
Excludes international flights - they depend on where you fly from.
Regions to know
5Streymoy
Tórshavn, Saksun, Tjørnuvík and the Vestmanna bird cliffs on the west coast.
Vágar
The airport island — Sørvágsvatn, Gásadalur's waterfall and the ferry to Mykines.
Eysturoy
Gjógv, Slættaratindur — the highest peak — and the Risin og Kellingin sea stacks.
The northern islands
Kalsoy's Kallur lighthouse, Viðoy, Klaksvík and the tunnel network that links them.
The southern islands
Sandoy, Skúvoy and Suðuroy — quieter, reached by ferry or the newest subsea tunnel.
Practical guide
Getting there
Vágar Airport is served by Atlantic Airways and SAS from Copenhagen, plus seasonal routes to Edinburgh, Bergen, Reykjavík, Paris and Barcelona. Smyril Line's ferry runs from Hirtshals in Denmark via Tórshavn to Iceland and takes a car.
Getting around
A hire car is close to essential; tunnels and bridges connect most islands. Buses and ferries are integrated and cheap. The subsidised helicopter serves the small islands a few times a week and must be booked well ahead.
Money & costs
The Danish krone, with locally issued Faroese banknotes that are legal tender here and exchangeable in Denmark. Cards work everywhere, including on the smallest ferry. Cash is barely needed.
Safety
Very safe. The dangers are cliffs, wind and weather: gusts near cliff edges can knock you over, fog descends in minutes, and swell strands ferry passengers on the outer islands. Check the forecast for every walk and be willing to abandon a plan.
Health
Danish healthcare standards; EHIC/GHIC valid for EU/UK visitors. No dangerous wildlife, no mosquitoes. A hospital in Tórshavn handles most needs.
SIM & internet
Faroese Telecom and Hey. EU roaming does NOT apply — the Faroes are outside the EU, so EU customers pay roaming charges. Buy a local SIM or check your operator's add-on. 4G coverage is good across the islands.
Driving
Sheep on the road are constant and have right of way in practice. Single-lane mountain tunnels have passing bays and a give-way convention shown on signs. Wind can genuinely destabilise a high-sided vehicle — hold the door when you open it.
Rules change - verify with an official source before you rent.
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Faroe IslandsFrequently asked questions
Do I need a Schengen visa?
The Faroes are part of the Kingdom of Denmark but outside both the EU and Schengen, with their own entry rules. Nordic and EU/EEA citizens enter freely. Visa nationals need a visa specifically valid for the Faroe Islands — a standard Schengen visa is not enough unless endorsed for the Faroes. Check this before booking, because it catches people out.
What about the landowner fees and the sheep?
Much of the countryside is privately owned and several popular hikes charge a fee — Sørvágsvatn, Kalsoy's lighthouse walk, Saksun — payable at a booth or online. Pay it: the money maintains paths and compensates farmers. Close gates, never disturb sheep, and stick to marked routes.
How do the tunnels and ferries work?
Subsea tunnels link the main islands and the two longest are tolled, charged automatically to your rental via number-plate recognition. Smaller mountain tunnels are free and some are single-lane with passing bays. Ferries and helicopters serve the outer islands on a subsidised timetable — the helicopter is astonishingly cheap and books out weeks ahead.