Even though the Faroe Islands is remotely located in the North Atlantic Ocean, reaching the islands is fairly easy. The Faroe Islands is only a short flight from mainland Europe.

You can fly non-stop to the Faroe Islands from a variety of destinations, such as Copenhagen (Denmark), Paris (France), Reykjavik (Iceland), Edinburgh (Scotland), Oslo (Norway), and Bergen (Norway). There are also seasonal flights from places like Barcelona, the Gran Canary Islands, and Mallorca.

Flights from Reykjavik, Edinburgh, and Oslo to the Faroe Islands are around only one hour long, and flights from Copenhagen generally are only two hours. Direct flights from Bergen are less than two hours long. There are between two to four direct flights from Copenhagen to the Faroe Islands each day, depending on the season.

You can enter Torshavn by ferry from Hirtshals in Denmark. This service is operated by a Faroese company, Smyril Line. The ferry is really only advantageous if you are already in one of these countries, or want to bring your car.

You can choose between several options when shuttling from Faroe Islands’ airport on Vagar Island to the capital Tórshavn. The capital lies on a nearby island where most travelers want to stay when in the Faroe Islands. Vágar island is connected to its neighbor island Streymoy by a sub-sea tunnel.

If you take a flight to the Faroe Islands, you will arrive at Vágar Airport. The airport is situated 40 minutes from the capital Tórshavn on Streymoy island. There are lots of beautiful sceneries to enjoy when heading to Tórshavn from Vágar Airport.

Vágar Airport is well connected by taxis and bus service into Tórshavn and thanks to the many tunnels to other villages and islands. Options available are:

-Rent a Car with pick up at the Airport. The Faroes are made for a road trip, if you are able to drive and have the time, then this is a great option.
-Take the Public Bus (Route 300). There is a local bus that travels between the airport and Tórshavn multiple times per day, with the first bus departing at 7:55 a.m. and the last bus at 8:30 p.m. The journey time is around an hour.
-Book a shared Taxi from Vagar Airport. Taxi. This can booked in advance and charges around 200 DK per person (up to three persons) with discounts for larger groups.
-Book a Private Airport Transfer from Vagar Airport.

Getting around Torshavn is very easy, with all sites within walking distance of the city center. Should you be staying at one of the accommodations a little further out of town, you can either drive and find parking in town or take one of the local Tórshavn municipality buses.

The city buses operate 4 routes that reach most of the city. All city buses are free to ride. They run every 30 minutes from the city center on weekdays, hourly on Saturday and Sunday, and on weekday evenings. There is no bus service on Saturday or Sunday evenings.

Torshavn may very well be one of the cutest little capital cities there is. While considered a city, it packs a lot of natural beauty and countryside charm throughout its small city limits. A visit here is sure to be a tranquil and serene experience. It's the perfect introduction to the Faroe Islands, before you head off to explore the rest of the amazing beauty of this island nation.

The Faroe Islands use the Danish currency called krone (DKK), or króna in Faroese. While the coins used are the same, the Faroese currency does have unique designs on their banknotes. Besides the króna, no other currency is officially accepted in the Faroes, though Danish krone, euros, and British pounds are commonly accepted in shops, restaurants, and cafes, especially in Tórshavn.

Most places on the mainland accept credit cards, including the more remote islands. Therefore we do not recommend that you bring cash as it can be quite difficult to exchange it. If you plan on having cash at hand, it is best to use the official bank ATM machines around the country to ensure you have the correct currency.

Note: Tipping is not a common practice, nor expected.

With shops spread out across Tórshavn’s city center, many fitted into small, old wooden houses, the capital city is a great location for shopping. There is a wide range of shops offering high-end fashion, local designers selling Faroese design, music shops, bookstores, and Faroese glassware and pottery. There is also a range of shops that sell Faroese designs and souvenirs from the Faroe Islands. All the shops are located in close proximity, making it easy to get around from one to another.

Tórshavn is home to the country’s largest shopping mall, called SMS. It includes clothing stores, a bookstore, a toy store, a pharmacy, a large grocery store, and an electronics store, among others. It even has a Burger King, one of only two international fast-food chains anywhere on the islands!

Due to its northern position, Tórshavn is a cold and windy place. Summer temperatures will reach 60°F and occasionally more than that. During winter, the temperature will usually be between 35-45°F. The Faroe Islands’ weather is unpredictable and so is the weather in Tórshavn.

You might enjoy some sunny spells and only minutes later there can be rain and wind. The weather is most stable in summer from May to August but this is also the period when Tórshavn can be submerged in the morning fog. The misty weather can also hide the entire capital throughout the day on some days.

The fog is extra thick in July. You will be surprised if you head out of Tórshavn on foggy days in summer, as the weather is often totally different only a 10 minutes drive out of the capital. However, the hands-down best time to visit is in the summer. This is when you have the highest chance for sunny days, and the temperatures will be comfortable. And while this is the peak season for tourism, the Faroe Islands never get too crowded. Its remote location may have spared it from the mass over-tourism that some other parts of Europe get.

The official language of the Faroe Islands is called Faroese. It is derived from the Old Norse the Norsemen spoke, who settled the islands in the 9th century. The language developed in relative isolation, making the Faroese language distinctive, yet similar to the other Nordic languages. Most Faroese people are, however, also proficient in Danish and English (widely spoken). Many people do speak English, especially the younger population. We do suggest you get a good translation app on your phone and learn a few key phrases, such as hello, goodbye, please, thank you, numbers 1-10, etc.

Traditional Faroese meals include fermented sheep, fermented or wind-dried fish, and fulmar, a tube-nosed seabird that is caught by boat in late August. The fulmar is roasted in the oven and typically served with gravy and boiled potatoes. The meat is dark, fatty, and has a slight taste of the salty sea, where the fulmar gets snapped up before they’re old enough to fly.

Fermented fish is served with melted sheep tallow and boiled potatoes. As one would imagine, anything fermented has a strong and distinctive flavor. Many people will have fermented lamb, which is often served with potatoes, gravy, and other vegetables on 26 December before going out in the evening. As a result, any pub is likely to be crowded by dressed-up, cheerful people who carry around a strong odor of fermented sheep. It’s not exactly pleasant, but it smells like home.

Eating out has only become more common amongst the Faroese in the past few years. As more tourists arrive, the number of restaurants and cafes has increased. There are numerous great restaurants and cafes in Torshavn. In fact, all the good restaurants in the Faroe Islands are located in Tórshavn.

Torshavn now boasts a 2 Michelin star restaurant, KOKS. This restaurant offers contemporary takes on traditional Faroes cuisine. A reservation is required, and the seating is extremely limited. It's the ultimate fine dining experience in the Faroes Islands, if you're looking for a fine dining experience, this is the place to go!

The number one thing to know if you want to dine out in the Faroe Islands is to reserve tables at restaurants in due time. Book tables weeks ahead of your travel as all good restaurants are fully booked days ahead. Even on a Wednesday, you will be told that all tables are full if you just drop by one of the restaurants in town.

The Faroese have a word, “heimablídni,” which translates to “home hospitality,” and you can find that hospitality all over the islands. In fact, the nation has a program in which tourists can have dinner in locals’ homes, eating traditional food and hearing stories about their particular village.

The Faroe Islands have an extremely low crime rate. It is a safe destination with an extremely friendly population. It is also very clean, with free and well-maintained public toilets in most villages.

Should you need assistance, dial 112 for any type of emergency. First aid is provided at the hospitals in Tórshavn, Klaksvík and Tvøroyri.