Self-catering in the Faroe Islands

The westernmost island of the Faroes is an important breeding ground for several species of seabird including northern fulmars, European storm petrels, and most famously 125,000 pairs of Atlantic puffins. You can take a daytrip to this island to see the puffins up close.

Unfortunately, the 2-start Michelin restaurant KOKS has relocated to Iceland whilst they are building a brand new restaurant in the Faroe Islands, but there is still a wealth of fantastic restaurants, including the Michelin recommended Ræst. Whilst traditionally Faroese food as revolved around fermented meat and fish it is becoming much easier to find vegetarian and vegan food as well, including a six-course vegan taster menu at Katrina Christiansen, one of our favourite restaurants in the Faroe Islands.

On the Faroe Islands you’re never more than 5 km from the ocean, and, as such, it’s a great place to explore by boat. There are various options, but one of the most impressive is a tour along the dramatic cliffs from Vestmanna where you will pop in and out of the grottos hidden along the cliff face.

The Faroe Islands have an abundance of walking routes offering breath-taking views and abundant wildlife, mainly birds such as curlew, snipe, plovers, and, petrels. Footpaths can be a little indistinct but are waymarked with strategically placed cairns and wooden posts. For less experience walkers, we can organise a local guide. For those that are happy to walk independently, we send you routes plotted on the Footpaths app and, whilst these are not as detailed as an ordinance survey map, they are a good 3D visual guide.

Though the interior of the bar here is modest and understated, the staff are really friendly and you can sample a great selection of local ales. This is a great place to go before dinner.

The Faroe Islands are a dream location for kayaking, with so many bays and fjords to explore. You can head out with an expert guide and enjoy a half or full day exploration (or more). There are kayaking tours for all levels, from complete beginners to veteran paddlers. For beginners, the tours from Hósvík on Streymoy are the most suitable because you explore the sheltered Tanga Fjord between Streymoy and Eysturoy.

Steinprent is the Faroese term for stone lithography. The old lithographic factory runs a workshop where you can learn all about the history and process of this fascinating tradition. Despite this being such an old art form, the gallery here displays a surprisingly modern selection of prints, from landscape to Pre-Raphaelite-style paintings and pop art to contemporary works. All prints of the prints are numbered and signed by the artist and the stone print gets sanded back, so that print can never be produced again.

The name Tinganes means parliament point, an apt description because these old government buildings sit on a rocky isthmus, jutting out into the port of Torshavn. This is one of the oldest known parliamentary meeting places in the world, first established by Norwegian colonists during Viking times. Today, you can walk past the grass roofed government buildings and enjoy the view out into the harbour.

This fortress was originally built in the 1630’s to protect against pirate raids, and was later used by the British as a military base during the second world war. You can walk around the fortress and peer inside the old buildings, but the main appeal for many is that the fort offers great views over the port of Torshavn.

A modern gallery displaying art through the ages, from the 1830’s through to the contemporary modern pieces of today. This is a great way to gain a range of artistic perspectives of this wild and beautiful archipelago. There are sculptures and paintings, as well as an immersive glass and mirror installation, where you can see 700m up and down. The gallery is just a few minute’s walk from Torshavn and there's a really nice park nearby, which you can take a walk through.

If you want to do something a bit more adventurous you can try coasteering, sea kayaking mountain biking, abseiling or even horse back riding. Perhaps the most popular of these is sea kayaking, because it's an excellent way to explore the coastline.

Steve has teamed up with a fantastic agent in the Faroe Islands, who will take you around the island in privately chartered helicopters and boats, so you get to choose which locations you want to visit, and will have an expert guide to accompany you. But this is so much more than luxury travel because its centred around the locals, connecting you with the people of the Faroes. You get to dine with local farmers, join fishermen on their boats and stay in houses that belong to individuals who live on the island. All of this comes with a healthy price tag but you can be sure that you'll have the best experiences around the islands.