Tórshavn’s Historic Charm: A Walk Through Faroe Islands’ Ancient Capital

I’ve heard of the Faroe Islands forever and always wanted to visit. I’ve seen photos from my friends and fellow travelers and it seemed magical for some unknown reason. I had a trip to Berlin and thought, let me see if I can make it happen. Not withstanding the fact that I visited in the winter time when it was below freezing on one of the days :-).

Now when I visit again when its warmer, I’ll have a good sense of the place in both seasons. Have you been yet?

Here are some things about the city you may find helpful on your next visit:

Background

The Faroe Islands is actually not it’s own country, but an autonomous self-governing territory of Denmark.

 

Home Airline

There is only one; Atlantic Airways (RC). In addition to schedule airline service, they also offer seasonal helicopter service.

Check out my flight review below.

Airport Information

The islands are served by the Vágar Floghavn (FAE). It is located on the island of Vágar.

There are no lounges at this airport. It is quite efficient, small and well run.

Scheduled Service Airlines Serving Vágar Floghavn (FAE)

The following airlines have service to the Faroe Islands: Atlantic Airways (RC), Icelandair (FI) and Wideroe (WF).

Atlantic Airways will be starting service to Stewart Airport (SWF) in New York starting in October 2023.

I flew on Atlantic Airways via Copenhagen. I really wanted to also fly Wideroe, but I couldn’t make the schedules work.

Book tickets here.

Airport To The City

You can take a taxi or the special bus. There are no shared ride services.

Airport Hotels

There are hotels in the next town over, Sørvágur (it’s right at the airport); the airport is in the same municipality of Vagar. You can book an airport hotel (guesthouse) using the map below:

 

Trains Serving The Island

There are no trains on the island.

Ferries Serving The Island

There is ferry service to the islands from Denmark and Iceland. It is operated by Smyril Line.

Buses Serving The Island

Once you get to the island, there is a network of buses that will take you all over the island. You can find details here. The bus station is located down by the harbor.

Currency

The currency of the Faroe Islands is Faroese króna (FKR). The Danish krone (DKK) is also accepted and is the same value as the Faroese. Most places accept credit cards, so cash is not necessary, but always good to have some cash with you. American Express is not popular, it’s mostly Visa and MasterCard. You can find out more about the accepted currencies here.

Language

Faroese. English is widely spoken.

Visa Information

No visa is required for U.S. citizens and you can stay up to 90 days. Plus your passport must be valid for at least six months after your departure date. Other citizens should check with the Denmark consulate/embassy (Faroe Islands fall under Denmark) in your region for specifics. Alternatively, you can use the IATA Web site for visa/health requirements.

Places To Eat and Drink In Tórshavn

There are many places to eat here. I didn’t sample any of the local cuisines while here though. I had ice cream and chicken 🙂 and the hotel breakfast.

 

 

 

 

Places To See in Tórshavn

This is a walking city and you will see what I mean when you get there and from the photos. Even with the cold weather I still had a good time. Just bundle up if you’re there in the colder months.

There’s the 1874 Monument

 

Viator has some yours you can take as well.

Here are some photos of Tórshavn

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Recommend Hotels I’ve Stayed

For this trip, i had no idea what accommodations were available. So I took to Expedia to get an idea and found out that there was a Hilton with a pretty good rate. It’s low season so the rate was very good. As I wanted to earn points and get value for my elite status, I had to book directly at www.hilton.com, so I did.

The bus from the airport actually passes by the hotel, so I asked the driver to drop me off there as there’s actually a bus stop. Then I asked a guy who also came off the bus where to go and he walked with me as he directed me. Soon, I happened upon the hotel as it started to snow again.

 

Here are some other hotels in the area.

 

 

You can check for other properties on the island using the map below.

 

Tourism Information

You can find additional information on Visit Faroe Islands website. They also have an office in the middle of town. It’s where you pick up the local buses as well.

Now, it’s your turn. When will you visit? Or if you’ve visited before, let me know how was it?