The Faroe Islands, located in the Atlantic between Norway and Iceland with Scotland to the south, are a self-governing dependency of Denmark. Eighteen major islands and several smaller ones make up the Faroes. These islands are mostly rock with steep cliffs dropping into the Atlantic.

The Faroese people, whose roots are both Norse and Gaelic, speak Faroese, a Nordic language similar to Icelandic, but many also speak English. Although the Faroe Islands are a dependency of Denmark, Danish is a foreign language that students usually learn at school rather than at home.

You’ll have to plan your trip here carefully as there are a limited number of flights to the Faroe Islands. Most of these flights leave from Copenhagen, London, and a few other cities in Scandinavia. The islands are also accessible by ferry.

In summer, the Faroe Islands turn a vibrant shade of green as everything blooms. Summer, the busy tourist season, is short, but the days are long. On the longest summer days in June, full dark never arrives and there are merely several hours of twilight between sunrise and sunset. In winter, however, some days offer as few as five hours of daylight. Sunny days are rare here, even on the longest summer days, as it rains an average of 260 days per year.

Hiking and cycling are excellent ways to explore the islands. Slaettaratindur, the highest mountain on the Faroe Islands, is often cloaked in fog but is still an excellent hike that allows the visitor to get a good sense of the islands.

Fishing is excellent in the Faroe Islands. The fishing industry is the largest on the islands, followed by tourism.

Seafood, meat, and potatoes form the core of Faroese cuisine with mutton as the most popular meat. Mutton is a staple of the Faroese diet and is served in many forms including dried. Another long-time staple is whale. Since whales are so large, a single one can feed many people for a long time and the Faroese know how to use very part of the whale including the blubber. For poultry, local seabirds including the Faroese puffin are eaten for both meat and eggs.

Most restaurants do not serve traditional Faroese cuisine, but it is possible to seek out those that do. Perhaps you’ll be lucky enough to befriend a local who will share a meal with you.

In the capital, Torshavn, you’ll find many different restaurants including fast food, sushi, and Italian eateries.

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