The Faroe Islands

After breakfast we enjoy a guided walking tour of Tórshavn. When you enter the old town you will find yourself in a confusion of lanes and narrow passages, steps and rocks and tiny black-tarred houses – a genuine and unique town from the Middle Ages.

Following lunch (included) we visit the town’s National Museum before driving to Kirkjubøur to see many of the historical sites, which include St Magnus Cathedral, the largest medieval construction in the Faroes, dating from around 1300, and St Olavs Church, the present day parish church which dates from 1111. We will be invited into the 900 year old Roykstovan (the oldest wooden house in Europe still inhabited) where we will enjoy tea and cake. The farmer will entertain us with interesting stories about the 1000-year history of the village and the settlers.

We return to our hotel in the afternoon before going back into town in the evening for a special Faroese dinner featuring lamb and seafood, served in the Áarstova restaurant located in a historic building in the heart of the old town.

Today is free to explore Tórshavn and surrounding area at your leisure. Alternatively we offer a choice of optional excursions:

• A full day tour of the Northern Islands, travelling through some stunning scenery, where we visit the towns of Klaksvik (the second-largest town in the Faroes) and Vidareidi. Lunch included.
• A half day tour to Nolosy, via the 20min ferry crossing from Tórshavn. Visiting the island is like visiting another world, where cars are rare and you are close to nature. A local guide will take us around the village and a seafood lunch is included.

Dinner is served in the hotel this evening.

This morning, following breakfast, we travel to Vestmanna to enjoy a boat trip to the Vestmanna Cliffs, a trip not to be missed.  The 2000 feet high jagged stacks and rocks are covered in an array of noisy seabirds of every type, including puffins, guillemots, kittiwakes and razorbills – please note the birds are less numerous in September. Following our boat trip we will have lunch (included) in a restaurant in Vestmanna.

We continue to the northern part of Eysturoy. We begin our scenic drive along the coast on Streymoy passing many picturesque villages, we cross the bridge to the island of Eysturoy and continue to the village of Gjógv passing two rock formations which sprout out on the sea known as “the Giant and the Witch” and pass the highest mountain in the Faroes, “Slættarartindur”, which is 882 metres. We shall have a short stop in the village of Gjógv before continuing to Gøta to see the new church, known for the glass paintings created by Faroese artist Tróndur Paturson.

Later we return to our hotel in Tórshavn using the mountain road, which offers fantastic panoramic views (weather permitting).

This evening we enjoy one of the highlights of our tour as we go to Velbastað where we are invited into the home of farmers Anna and Óli for an intimate and authentic dining experience. In addition to being served delicious homemade Faroese food, we will hear interesting stories from the farm and their life in the Faroes. Anna and Óli’s skills in the kitchen goes far beyond an ordinary meal and we will be served a 5-course meal including homemade bread with sausage (Anna’s grandmother’s recipe) and lamb raised on their own farm. We arrive back at the hotel at midnight.

This morning after breakfast, we will check out of the hotel. En route to the airport, we will visit the island of Vágar and the church in Sandavágur, which is one of the oldest settlements in the Faroe Islands.