The Faroe Islands are a very adventurous destination full of gorgeous landscapes and wild nature. It is really nice place to visit especially if you like hiking. The hikes on the Faroe Islands are one of the pearls of the islands. But that is not all that the Faroe Islands can offer. There are also puffins on one of the islands. So you can see here all kinds of things. Here is my 7-day itinerary for the Faroe Islands. It is essentially the thing that I have done there as a backpacker. However, if you have a car, perhaps you can see even more than this.
Faroe Islands itinerary
Table of Contents
I usually travel alone and I backpack most of the destinations on my own. So my itinerary for the Faroe Islands might be a little bit tricky for people who would prefer luxurious hotels, but and I will tell you, later on, everything is adjustable. Even though the Faroe Islands are just small points on the map, there is a lot of interesting places. This itinerary is just for 7 days but I’m pretty sure you can spend there at least a full 2 weeks and not get bored and perhaps that way you would really see everything the islands have to offer. But if you have only 7 days, Faroe Islands are a great destination for adventures like these.
Day 1 – Explore Vagar
Vagar is one of the islands that belong to the Faroe Islands. It is also the only place where is an international airport. So the easiest thing to do after you arrive at Vagar would be to explore this island. There is a lot of interesting places to see.
Take a trip to Gasadalur
You have successfully come to the Faroe Islands, let’s treat yourself with the most famous view from these islands. Gasadalur is a small village with the most spectacular views there are. Also, there is this famous waterfall that falls off the cliff to the sea. It is called Mulafossur. Mulafossur is truly the dominant of this little village, but there is a hiking trail all around the village. So you would see the old mossy houses with the mountains around them, the neighboring cliffs, and the waterfall itself with a view around.
There is a lot of hikes in the Faroe Islands that you would need to pay for but the good news here – this one is completely free. Another great thing about this village is that if you get hungry, there is a coffee store that has some homemade cakes and soup. But generally, you can find there quite cheap drinks to refresh you or warm you up after the hike.
How to get to Gasadalur
If you are planning to rent a car, it is really easy to get there. There is even public parking so it is anything to see where to park.
However, if you are without a car, things will get trickier. The public bus will get you only to Sorvagur and from there it is 10 km to Gasadalur. So you can take a really long walk and do all of this or you can hitchhike. Hitchhiking is quite common in the Faroe islands so it is another way of getting to the Gasadalur.
Hike around the Lake above the ocean
Another famous place to visit in the Faroe Islands. It also lays in Vagar, only 3 km away from the airport. What you can see there is a famous lake, which is just a couple of meters from the cliff. It is a truly amazing place to see and start your hiking experience on the Faroe Islands. The hike to the cliff is really easy to take, there is a slightly maintained road all the way to the place where you can take the famous picture.
Unlike Gasadalur, this place is on private property and so it is necessary to pay for entering it. The entry fee is 200 dkk and you can enter it only from 7 in the morning to 9 pm. The hike itself isn’t too long it is only 3 km there and back so it doesn’t take more than an hour and a half, especially if you are rushing.
How to get to the Lake above the ocean
Good news for those who are planning to do just some backpacking. There is a bus stop nearby in the village called Midvagur. There you can easily get off the bus and find the path to the beginning of the hike.
If you have a car, there is a parking lot nearby.
Hike to Troll woman finger
This last hike for the first day is here mainly in case you still have enough time and you are not tired. It is quite a simple hike with one of the hidden gems that not everyone knows but it is still something interesting and something relatively quick to do. It is also very close to the lake above the ocean hike.
In the next village called Sandavagur, there is a trail that leads through pastures to the one viewpoint where you can see a cliff looking like a troll woman finger. The hike itself is quite fast and it is not steep at all. It is really just a beginner’s hike on a well-maintained path. The view from the point is beautiful and mystical thought. On the other hand, after a full day of hiking, not a lot of people would be willing to go for a third hike in a row.
How to get to Troll woman finger
If you have a car, there is a designated parking lot from which the hike takes only one km. So it is much easier. All you need to do is to go to Midvagur village and let the signs navigate you around.
You can also get there by public transport if you get out on the first stop in Midvagur and continue to the road that leads towards the mountain. Very soon you will see their signs that will tell you that the Troll finger is close by.
Day 2 – Enjoy the puffins in Mykines
After so much hiking, I would recommend a simple day trip to one of the most popular islands in the Faroe Islands. Especially if you are coming in summer, this place needs to be on your Faroe Islands itinerary. Mykines has one great hike, which is medium to easy difficulty but more importantly, it has puffins. Plenty of them. And once you go there, you will be able to see them everywhere around you. So I certainly recommend to come to Mykines and spend a whole day here.
The hike starts right before you enter the village. The beginning is rather steep but it is also the only very steep section of the trip. The rest of the hike has also some steep passages but not as steep and not as long. In some parts, you can actually even see wooden stairs. The end of the hike is basically a lighthouse with a magnificent view around.
It takes about 3 to 4 hours to hike this path, but make sure to take your time and make sure you enjoy it. There is really a lot to see and the views around the just gorgeous.
Unfortunately, for this hike, you would need to pay 250 dkk. The payment is mainly there to limit the number of visitors in order to protect the puffins.
How to get to Mykines
First of all, to get to Mykines, it is recommended to stay in Vagar as it is the place where both the ferry and the helicopter goes. And then you have two options.
You can take the ferry, which is an easier way and cheaper way to get there. The ferry to Mykines goes twice a week and you need to book it ahead on this website. Make sure you book it in time so you would be able to make it as a day trip and get there and back in one day. The ferry costs 60 dkk one way. When going to Mykines by ferry, make sure you take some existential stuff with you, because sometimes the weather wouldn’t allow you to take the ferry. Or you would go one way but not the other way. So take a toothbrush and an extra t-shirt.
Another way of getting to Mykines would be by helicopter. The helicopter is rather limited, it cost 140 dkk one way and it goes to Mykines only once per day, so you would get back on the next day. There is also a space for only 10 people, so if you would like to do that, make sure you book it really ahead.
Day 3 – Torshavn and Kirkjubour
Once you have successfully explored Vagar, you can go to Torshavn, the smallest capital of Europe, and make your base there if you don’t want to move around much more. After Mykines, you can enjoy the biggest town in Faroe Island and hike to the closest village around.
Torshavn
I would like to say that you can spend a whole day in Torshavn. And you probably can. But then you will probably need to see all the museums that there are as well. There are a national gallery and national museum, where you can see local artists or the history of the Faroe Islands including a lot of information about local fauna and flora.
Another thing that you should definitely visit would be the government district in the city center. It is a very cute and small district with a mossy roof on all the governmental buildings. It is quite unique when it comes to a government building.
Very close to it is Skansin a famous fort that once was helping to defeat the Faroe Islands against pirates. But was also very helpful in the second world war.
The walk around Torshavn doesn’t take long. It is usually around 3 hours when you want to see the city center and some of the museums as well. Torshavn is also a great example of where to go if you need to buy souvenirs.
Hike to Kirkjubour
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After you feel like you are done with Torshavn, you can try a very local hike to Kirkjubour. One of the oldest villages in Steymoy. On the hike, you will see amazing views of the neighboring islands of Hestur and Nolsoy. At the same time, Kirkjubour has some really cool houses with a mossy roof and a local church that is very cute looking in typical Nordic style. But the most important thing here would be probably the houses and the views that are quite spectacular.
The hike to Kirkjubour takes about 2 hours if you go really slow but it is an easy hike. If you don’t feel like you would like to go back by walk, you can catch a free bus back to Torshavn.
Day 4 – Saksun to Tjornuvík hike
If you love hiking the hike from Saksun to Tjornuvík is something that is a must on your Faroe Islands itinerary. The hike has probably medium difficulty but if you are no stranger to the mountain, you can definitely do that without any issues.
The first step is to go to either Saksun or Tjornuvík. Once you get to either of those villages, make sure that you will enjoy them. Both of them are quite old and there were signs that the Vikings used to live there. Saksun is a gorgeous little settlement with a charming church, very old and mossy buildings, and the lagoon around. The lagoon is very unique and you can even go all the way to the beach close to the lagoon. It will cost you 70 dkk to enter.
And then about the hike. Once you start hiking from Saksun, you will meet quite steep and difficult terrain that will lead you to the top of the neighboring hill. Prepare yourself, because you will have to cross several springs. But once you are on top of the hill, it is much easier. Just make sure you follow the road and everything will be alright.
The hike is about 7 km long and due to the terrain, it takes about 3 to 4 hours to hike it.
After that 7 km, you will get to Tjornuvík, another very old village. You can treat yourself and get a coffee or some snack in a local coffee store. Tjornuvík is very different, unlike Saksun and a lot of villages, this one is facing the open sea. The cliffs around make the village even more beautiful.
How to get to Tjornuvík or Saksun
If you don’t have a car, getting to Saksun is significantly more difficult. But again, people here are quite used to take hitchhikers, so you can try your luck and do it that way.
Getting to Tjornuvík is quite easy whether you have a car or not. You can catch a bus there from Torshavn with only one stop in Oyrabakki, where you would change.
Day 5 – Kalsoy hike
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Kalsoy is one of the smaller islands rather far from Torshavn. But not too far so you wouldn’t be able to make a day trip out of it. At the end of this island is one of the most popular hikes that lead to the highest cliff in the Faroe Islands in general. To get to this hike, you will need to go to the last village called Trollanes.
Once you get there there is a path dedicated to this hike. The hike itself is relatively easy. There are a couple of steep passages but they are not too steep. Most people can walk without any bigger issues.
You would recognize that you are at the end of the hike by meeting the lighthouse.
When going to this hike, make sure you will get good weather. It is critical that the weather is nice and without a lot of wind. Especially if you are hiking around the cliffs. More wind and cloudy weather can not only ruin the view but can be also very dangerous.
How to get to Kalsoy
If you are planning on renting a car, it is relatively easy. You would just drive to Klaksvík and catch the ferry to the Kalsoy.
On the other hand, getting there by public transport is also very easy. Especially if you are going from Torshavn. You can take a direct bus from Torshavn to Klaksvík. That bus will get you directly to the harbor for the ferry. The ferry is usually waiting for the bus so there is no problem getting there. And then on Kalsoy, you would hop on yet another bus, that would get you to the other side of the island, to Trollanes. And then you can just start hiking.
You might encounter one discomfort when it comes to hiking. The main issue here is that the hike to the cliff doesn’t take that much time and you will need to wait maybe longer time for the bus that would get you back to the ferry.
Day 6 – exploring Eidi and Gjovg
Let’s get to an island that I haven’t talked about enough in this Faroe Islands itinerary. And that is Eysturoy. There is a lot to see on this island as well, even though there might not be as many sights as on the other islands.
Eidi
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Eidi is also one of the oldest villages in the Faroe Islands, even though it was first written about in the 14th century, the archeologists are saying that there have been people since the 9th century.
However, Eidi is more about nature around rather than history. From history, there is only a church that isn’t that old.
But you can spot here amazing views on cliffs nearby and also find here lake, named after the village. Not far from the lake, there is also a secret waterfall, close to the lake. Generally, it is a nice hike around the village. It might not be for the whole day spending on this place but just a couple of hours, looking at a cozy village and nice nature around can be nice.
Gjogv
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Similarly to Eidi, Gjogv has also a Viking history and interesting nature around. Gjogv is not too far from Eidi, only a couple kilometers to the east.
The whole nature between those two villages is really stunning, there is a lot of mountains, one of them is actually the biggest mountain in the Faroe Islands.
When you arrive in Gjogv, you will see not only a little village with cliffs around but you can also explore the local gorge. The gorge used to work as a natural harbor and was used for delivery to this site of the island. Nowadays it is just one of the sights.
You can also hike up the nearest mountain and see the village from above, for that there is a hiking fee of 50 kronor per person.
How to get to Eidi and Gjogv
To get to those two villages, you can just drive from Streymoy to Eysturoy through a tunnel. The signs will lead you to those villages.
The good news is that it is relatively easy to get there by bus as well, all you need to do is to hop on the bus in Torshavn and then change the bus to Oyrarbakki. The buses are usually waiting for each other so there is no problem with the connection. The bus that goes directly to Gjogv firstly stops in Eidi, so you can choose whether you would like to visit this village first and get to the other one on your way back or the other way around.
Day 7 – secret hike in Vagar and flight home
On your last day, I would recommend a short hike in Vagar as a last sparkle on the Faroe Islands itinerary.
The reason why are we going back to Vagar is also the fact, that it is the island with the international airport on it, so it is easier for you to get back home after.
The secret hike is starting right before you enter the village Sorvagur around the farm nearby. The path to the amazing cliff view is not clearly marked and you will have to download maps.me app to be able to get there by yourself.
But never the less, the hike is very easy, there are no steep passages, just pastures around. It also doesn’t take too long to hike to the cliff view, only about an hour each way, which makes it perfect if your plane is going in the afternoon.
How to get to Sorvagur
From Torshavn, it is very easy just to drive to the village that is neighboring to the airport.
But you can also get there by bus, the start of the hike is only a kilometer from the airport so it is relatively easy to get there either from the village or from the airport as well.
Practical info about the Faroe Islands itinerary
When to go to the Faroe Islands?
Perhaps the best time to visit the Faroe Islands is in summer. It is also the main season. Even if you come in summer, you cannot expect sunny weather and temperatures around 30°C. Mostly it is around 18 and still pretty windy. You can also expect rainy weather. But it is still the best weather that you can get in this country.
The main reason why to go in the summer is also the fact, that it is the only season, when you can see puffins here and also all the hiking paths are open.
In autumn and winter, you can expect a lot of darkness and wind storms, which may make the trip much harder and also more difficult to drive.
How to get around?
The easiest way of getting around is by car. Driving in the Faroe Islands is relatively easy, you just need a driving license. If you are driving, be prepared to take some sharp turns and going through tunnels. But if you are used to that, it is not difficult at all.
Another way of getting around is by bus and ferries. Both of them are very common and always on time. The only thing about public transport is that sometimes it is just taking some waiting time to get from place to place. But you can see the schedules here.
Lastly, hitchhiking is very common in the Faroe Islands and also a very safe way to travel. Locals are quite used to take the hitchhikers and tourists with cars are doing it as well. It is an ideal way of getting to a place where there is no bus connection.
Where to stay in the Faroe Islands?
Since the Faroe Islands are a relatively small country, there aren’t too many accommodations to choose from. And most of them are pretty expensive. So if you have the budget for it, it is quite alright to travel around the country and get accommodation right in the place where you want to be. Although there is a general rule of thumb for this – the smaller the village, the pricier it can get.
If you want to camp in the Faroe Islands, you can do that, but only in places that are dedicated to camping. There is a couple of them around the country and are pretty cheap.
Another option would be to get one accommodation on Vagár, where is a lot of things to see and another one in Torshavn, and then do most of the Faroe Islands itinerary as a day trip. That is what I did anyway.
Where to stay in Vagar?
My first choice was the hostel Giljanes. It is probably the cheapest accommodation in the Faroe Islands in total, but it is also a very nice place to stay. You can stay both in private rooms or shared ones.
The hostel has basic facilities, a relatively big kitchen, two bathrooms for sharing, and a nice view from the rooms. They also have a nearby camping ground that you can rent for a low price as well.
Giljanes has a very good location with the lake above the ocean in 2 km distance and the Troll woman finger is only 3 km from here. At the same time, it is very close to the airport and the bus stop is right above the hostel.
Where to stay in Torshavn?
In Torshavn, I stayed in Nordic Inn Torshavn. It is a big house with a lot of private rooms. The kitchen and bathroom are shared. But the facilities are very modern and stylish, so you would feel at home.
The accommodation itself isn’t the cheapest, but in Torshavn is a problem to find something for a low price. On the other hand, this place is only 2 minutes from the Nordic house or 10 minutes from the city center. It is also very easy to go and get on the bus, the main stop is only 5 minutes from the accommodation and from there, you can get all around the Faroe Islands.
What to pack for the Faroe Islands itinerary?
Even if you would come in the summer, don’t expect to use sunscreen. Here is what I packed for the Faroe Islands trip but also some things that I missed but would like to have with me.
Rainproof and windproof jacket – Even if you come in summer, the highest temperature is usually around 20 degrees and you have to count on the wind. It can also rain a lot.
Hiking boots – There are a lot of amazing hikes around the Faroe Islands and good shoes will come in handy for sure.
Generally hiking equipment – You should consider taking hiking pants and walking sticks with you.
Cash – Even though most places take credit cards, there are some – for example buses – that doesn’t. So make sure to have at least some money with you.
Reusable water bottle – There is no need to buy bottled water in the Faroe Islands. You can always dring from the tap. If you are a high-core hiker, make sure to take filters with you. That way you can drink from springs as well.
Good camera – There is a lot of great views and of course, a good camera is needed for that.
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Oh my gosh, how cinematic! These islands have been on my list for so long and I need to go when all of this craziness is over. Saving for future inspiration!
What a gorgeous destination! It looks alot like Iceland, but far less crowded.
What an excellent itinerary! I’ve learned so much about visiting the Faroe Islands from your posts that I hope to visit one day. I’d love to do a lot of hiking, see puffins, waterfalls and just enjoy the beautiful solitude of the coastline!
Great itinerary for Farie Islands, saving it for when I go to them.
This place looks perfect! So much like Iceland. I’ve yet to make it up here but its definitely on my list. Great to have your handy hiking guide and general travel inspiration. I love hiking in crazy misty weather and a red steeple.
Faroe Islands look so beautiful and unique! I hope I will get the opportunity to go there once in my life! The landscapes are stunning!
Faroe Islands are so high on my bucket list. It looks like the ultimate adventure there. I’m definitely keeping this blog post handy for when I visit in the near future. 🙂