NordenBladet – In the midst of the stormy flow of the Atlantic Ocean there is the Faroe Archipelago consisting of 18 islands. The total area of the archipelago is 1 399 km2. The largest island is Streymoy, where the capital Tórshavn is located with its beautiful colourful houses. The second largest municipality (commune) is Klaksvík.
Faroe Islands, with their uniqueness and beauty, isolation and unaproachability are a dream destination for many, especially for those travellers keen on birds and photography. Faroe Islands is a stop for approximately 3.5 million birds from over 300 species and this makes it the bird watchers paradise.
What to do to see the most? We recommend renting a car. While there are reindeer walking on the roads in Lapland, there are sheep roaming the Faroe Islands. They are everywhere and please remember that you are the guests, not them. Give them way and drive slow. Before starting off it is good to know that driving through tunnels you must pay the fee (more info can be found on the page tunnil.fo). In some places you must also pay for hiking, since the sightseeing are on private property. The prices can be really high at some places, yet this is worth while (find more info here: hiking.fo).
Although the main feature of the Nordic countries are crisp and mystical spruce forests, you won’t find these from Faroe Islands. There are no woods on the islands and all trees have been planted; the natural ground – thick basalt and thin soil will not let the trees take roots at any price. When the Faroese wish to see trees they go to Kunoy island and Kunoy park. The lack of trees is also the reason why the Faroese have no native musical instrument and all the main ancient commodities, tools and decorations are somehow produced from whale, fish or sheep bones. However, the lack of a musical instrument is compensated by the Faroese circle dance that is being performed at every folk party and gathering. The rhythm given with feet and the special combination of steps have remained unchanged for centuries. The circle dance really is the Faroese “folk instrument”.
The Faroese are used to stay together, consume just the essential and get through with the minimum – starting from food and ending with heating material – there has been a deficit for centuries and that is why the word they use as characteristic to them is “struggle”. But the Faroese are not poor – there is plenty of “white gold” or sheep wool! The sheep also give milk and meat besides wool and the islands have been named after them – the Islands of Sheep.
The climate on Faroe Islands is verstile and it is reasonable to pack the raincoat, warm cardigan, T-shirt and sunglasses in your travel bag, since you might need all of them many times during the same day! The extremely harsh natural conditions and isolation from the rest of the world have turned the Faroese into harmonious and caring people. The population of Faroes Island is over 48 thousand people. Due to the great sparseness of the population there are 30 communes.
Photos: 2x Pexels
Good to know:
– The closest inhabited point near the Faroe Islands are the Shetland Islands 300 kilometres away. Iceland is 450 km away, Norway is 675 km away and Copenhagen is 1500 km away. The distance between the northernmost point and the southernmost point is 113 kilometres, the greatest distance from East to West is 75 kilometres. The islnds are volcanic, the highest point Sættaratindur is 882metres from sea level and are situated on the Eysturoy island.
– About 6% of the land can be cultivated, the rest is used for raising 70 000 sheep.
– The currency on Faroe Islands is the Danish krone, but the Faroese krona in the same value with different markings is simultaneously in use. There are cash machines on Faroe Islands and you can take out cash, but certainly it is more convenient to change some money beforehand for the first expenditures.
– Faroe Islands have their own flag, banknotes and passports. The Faroese language is recognized as an official language, yet Danish can be used in all official procedures and classes at school are also held in Danish.
Photos: NordenBladet