2025 Travel Tips for Visiting the Faroe Islands

I was fortunate enough to visit the Faroe Islands in the summer by myself and learned what to do/not do when visiting this magical place. Traveling to the Faroe Islands is a journey in itself.

Unless you’re traveling directly from Iceland or Norway, you will for sure have a connecting flight. After my trip, I compiled a list of my top tips for anyone visiting the Faroe Islands.

Is it safe to travel to the Faroe Islands alone?

YES! The Islands are incredibly safe and the local people are very friendly. The biggest danger the Islands pose is the very real possibility of bad weather.

Trust your instincts if you’re out on a hike and the weather takes a turn. Be prepared to change your plans at any moment for your own safety.

How expensive is it to visit the Faroe Islands?

The most expensive part of the Faroe Islands is more than likely going to be your journey getting there. Once you’re there, it’s quite manageable to visit within the tightest budgets. Be prepared to spend most of your money on food and the rental car fee (if you decide to drive).

A great way to save money on the islands is to take advantage of their public bus system. Most of the restaurants are reasonably priced in addition to shopping at the local grocery store.

How to travel to the Faroe Islands from the United States

When I was on the Islands, I was amazed to hear how some folks from the States got to the Islands, with over four connections. Crazy, right? What I found to be the most cost-effective route, was to fly via Icelandair to Keflavik, Iceland.

From Iceland, it is a two hour flight directly to the Islands via Atlantic Airways (Faroe Island’s own airline). If you haven’t visited Iceland, this is a great way to sneak in a day or two on your layover.

How to travel to the Faroe Islands from Europe

There are multiple direct flights via Atlantic Airways from most of the neighboring Scandinavian countries. These countries include Denmark, Norway and Iceland. There are also direct flights from France during the summer months.

If time is on your side, there are ferry rides from Denmark and Iceland via the Smyril Line. 

What is the best way to travel around the Faroe Islands?

If you’re looking to have the most authentic experience while in the Faroe Islands, renting a car and driving on your own is the best way to go. It’s my recommendation to have a GPS with you. There were a few times during my trip where I lost service on my phone.

I have a Garmin GPS that I bring with me for all of my International road trips just in case. For this particular trip, I did purchase the Garmin Europe Sim Card which includes the Faroe Islands.

I would recommend securing your car reservation as soon as you book your flights. As the islands continue to become more popular, I’d venture to say car rentals won’t be as readily available. 

When you pick up your car from the airport, make sure they have included toll fees with your rental. Most importantly, be mindful of the sheep at all times. There are more sheep than people there!

While you’re driving, be on the lookout for the Faroese scenic route signs with yellow buttercup flowers.

Shan’s tip: If driving on your own in a new country isn’t your vibe, my recommendation would be to make Tórshavn your home base for your visit. The majority of the hotels in town offer shuttle service to/from the airport. I also found that almost all of the tour companies are begin their journeys in Tórshavn.

My recommendation is to book any tours through Guide to Faroe Islands. Their guides are all local to the Islands and provide information that only a local could offer.

When is the best time of year to visit the Faroe Islands?

Like most parts of the world, the summer months, June – August, offer the best weather. However, if you’re looking to avoid the tourist crowds, visiting in late April and May is a great time to explore the Faroe Islands. The trade off, from January – March is that the weather is not as pleasant in terms of temperature and rainfall.

The summer months also offer the best time for you to see the Puffins on any of the islands, but especially Mykines. 

For my friends who are chasing the Northern Lights, visiting the Islands in late fall/early winter, late October – February, is your best bet. Something to be mindful of is that it rains a lot in the islands. Which means, even though the Islands are far enough North in the Atlantic, the unpredictable weather tends to limit visibility on any given day.

How many days do you need to spend in the Faroe Islands?

My recommendation would be to spend at least 5-7 days on the Islands. This gives you a better chance of having decent weather for parts of your trip. I experienced some wild weather when I visited which limited some of my experiences due to safety concerns.

If hiking is on the top of your list when visiting, building in  those extra days will give you the chance to go back and do hikes if you were unable to complete them due to weather. 

Shan’s tip: Visiting Mykines Island is one of, if not the number one thing to do on the Islands. If this is your top bucket list item, give yourself some flexibility as it can be challenging to get there at certain times of the year. I was in the Islands for 10 days and never made it due to Gale Force Winds. 

What language do they speak in the Faroe Islands?

The majority of the citizens speak three languages, English, Danish and Faroese. If you are fortunate enough to spend time with locals, you’ll find that a lot of them only speak Danish, Faroese and some broken English. This is because they did not start teaching children English until the 1970’s.

What is the currency used in the Faroe Islands?

Since the Islands are a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, the main currency is Danish Krone (DKK). I’d recommend having at least $200 USD in DKK just in case. The majority of restaurants, shops and hotels accept credit cards.

Final Thoughts

The Faroe Islands offer so much to see and do! Be sure to take your time planning your trip as visiting the islands is unlike most places you have probably been to. I hope my travel tips for visiting the Faroe Islands helped you with your planning.

If you’re looking for inspiration on what to do once you’re on the islands, read my must-do list of things to do on the islands. 

Now it’s time to start planning your own adventure, Cheers!