Faroe Islands on a budget: Including an Itinerary

This guide will give you the top tips on how to visit the Faroe Islands on a  budget! I am always looking to keep costs down, so I will be giving you a few top tips on how to visit the Faroe Islands on a budget. At the end I will also include a one week itinerary. We still didn’t do everything we wanted to in one week, but if you’re looking to keep costs down then I would say that one week is the perfect amount of time to visit the Faroe Islands on a budget! The one thing that is a bit more expensive but WELL worth it is the Lake Sørvágsvatn Hike. There are so many free things to do in the Faroe Islands to add to your bucket list!

[In collaboration with Visit Faroe Islands]

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Where are the Faroe Islands?

The Faroe Islands are located in Northern Europe. They are between Scotland and Iceland. Faroe Islands are part of Denmark but it is a self-governing archipelago. They speak both Danish and Faroese here. Everyone we met also spoke very good English so we didn’t have any trouble being understood here at all. Faroe Islands is actually comprised of 18 separate islands. To get between all of these is by tunnels, ferries or by air. The itinerary at the end of this post is mainly for the islands that are easy to reach by tunnels. Although, Kalsoy Island you will need to get a ferry across to get here.

What is the currency?

Danish Krona is the currency here. However, I didn’t get any money out during my time here as everywhere accepted cards. I also hardly got my card out at all as everywhere accepted contactless and I just used my Monzo card stored on my Wallet on my phone. I always use my Monzo card as then you don’t pay any fees while using your card in shops abroad. This is just a personal tip on how to keep costs down too! Then if you need to withdraw money, you can withdraw up to £200 without paying any fees too within a 30 day period. If you try and withdraw over £200 in a 30 day period then you get charged £4 per transaction.

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How long do you need to see the Faroe Islands?

We spent a week here and it actually still wasn’t enough. The weather changes a lot here, so we had to change our itinerary daily according to the weather. However, some mornings we would wake up in total mist and fog in Tórshavn. On these days all it took was to drive through a tunnel to another island and the weather was totally different. So don’t be disheartened if you can’t see anything when you wake up, as it may be much better on another island. I would recommend at least 5 days to a week to see the top spots. However, I enjoyed exploring further. We found so many spots that we stumbled upon and aren’t the famous spots but also incredible!

Which time of year is best to go?

September

We went here in September and were a bit unlucky with the weather as it was quite foggy and rainy. However, the week after we left was meant to be perfect weather, even as we headed to the airport the sun had come out and it was lovely. September is a good time as it is not yet too cold. I managed the week without a hat and gloves as it was 10 degrees most days. The reason I needed a hat some days was mainly when it was drizzling, instead of an umbrella! Boyan went to the Faroe Islands last in late October and it was a bit colder but he had beautiful weather all week so it really depends. We spoke to a local here who said that the warmest temperature are about 20 degrees in summer. It is much easier to hike when it’s a bit cooler.

Spring/Summer

Late spring to early summer is also a good time if you want to see the flowers here and more importantly the puffins. However, this is also the busiest time of year here. We were here in September and had most places to ourselves. On one of the hikes we only saw two other people and it was nice not having anyone else in the way of our views and having the waterfalls to ourselves.

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How to visit the Faroe Islands on a budget?

Stay in an Air Bnb

We stayed in an Air Bnb near Tórshavn for the first few nights and I loved it. I would definitely recommend the one we stayed in. The host was really lovely and the whole apartment was very bright and clean. I am not usually one for a private room, but this was totally fine. There was actually a separate entrance to get into the part of the house where we stayed. There were three rooms here and one shared bathroom. The rooms had a large bed with a large window and mirror, dressing gowns, hairdryer and tea making facilities. We also had bath towels provided and little handmade soaps. The host even baked cupcakes and left us some on our first day.

Here is the link to our Air Bnb we stayed in: From 40 Euro per night – best way to stay in the Faroe Islands on a budget

There was a small kitchen here where you could cook. This is the best way to keep costs down as food can be quite expensive in the Faroe Islands in the cafes and restaurants. We bought bread rolls and cheese and ham and I made sandwiches for us for lunch each day. You would also be able to make breakfast here as there was a little stove as well as a microwave oven.

Where to eat while in the Faroe Islands on a budget

As I said, food can be quite expensive in the Faroe Islands but we found some great cheap eats!

Fisk and Kips

This was our favourite fish and chip shop here. It is located in the centre of Tórshavn and makes great fish and chips to take away. We paid about £20 for two large portions of fish and chips and drinks. It is actually more expensive in London so I thought this was a good deal!

Sentrum

If you enjoy a take away pizza then I would recommend this place! The base is actually the closest to a good Italian pizza I’ve ever had from a take away. I had the pepperoni pizza, which was a bit oily but Boyan had one with lamb and it was delicious. We paid around £20 for two pizzas and drinks. If you were on a real budget you could actually share one pizza as they were huge!

Chinese Takeaway on Vágar

Sandavágur is home to a great Chinese takeaway! It is next to Turf House on Leitisvegur. This food truck appears in the evening and does great spring rolls and deep fried prawns. I had a rice box with curry, spring rolls and deep fried prawns. We paid £14 for the both of us which was DKK 120.

Take snacks from home

We packed lots of snacks from home! It saves time having to go to the shop, as you might want something while you hike. We had some snickers as well as cereal bars to snack on. Also there aren’t supermarkets everywhere so it’s a good idea to stock up. If you are looking for a supermarket though then Bonus is the best one!

Plan your route to reduce driving time

The Faroe Islands have a lot of long roads you don’t want to be driving back and forth! Make sure you plan your trip well. Either explore one island a day or make sure you see everything while you are in the area so you don’t have to go back on yourself!

Keep in mind the Toll Roads

Two of the sub sea tunnels cost 100 DKK for a return trip. One of these is the tunnel that connects Stremoy island and Vágar, which you will have to use on the below itinerary.

Use SkyScanner to find the cheapest flights

To get to the Faroe Islands, you will have to most likely fly to Copenhagen first and then fly to the Faroe Islands. Make sure to time your flights well. On our way back we had to spend one night in Copenhagen, which I definitely wouldn’t recommend, as it is very expensive! So make sure your flights line up well so that you can avoid this.

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One Week Itinerary for the Faroe Islands

Day 1 – Streymoy Island

This is the island that is home to the capital city, Tórshavn.

Breakfast at Brell café

If you want to treat yourself one morning then I would recommend Brell Café. It has some lovely sandwiches and one of the best chai lattes I have ever tried! Our first night in the Air Bnb we hadn’t been to the shop yet so went here after being recommend this café.

Kirkjubour Village

This is the first village we visited here and it is a lovely one! Lots of grass roofed traditional Faroese houses. It is the most southern tip of Streymoy. From here, you can drive up through this lovely island.

Then 25 mins drive away..

Head to an amazing Gorge

This gorge has no name but is located near to Norðradalur. As you drive down the road, it should be to your left. There is a small waterfall here and lots of geese and sheep.

Drive back via the most scenic road – Oyggjarvegur

This is one of the most scenic roads for sure! It is also home to the prison on the island. Definitely the prison with the best view!

Day 2 – Streymoy Island

Fossa Waterfall

This is one of the biggest waterfalls here! It has two tiers. You have amazing views from the bottom, but you can also walk up to the middle section or to the top. I would recommend walking to the middle section where you can see both waterfalls from. As you walk up, take a right and almost walk away from the waterfall, then as you reach a path to your left that is all rocks, walk up here until you reach the top. From here, you walk back towards the waterfall.

Village with black beach – Tjørnuvik

This is 12 minutes drive away from Fossa Waterfall. It is a lovely village with a black sand beach. Incredible mountains that you won’t want to miss also surround the village.

Day 3 – Head to Esturoy Island

Funningur

This is a very scenic little village that is worth a visit. There is a lovely church here.

Gjogv

This was one of our favourite villages here. A river that runs through the whole village with lovely houses either side. There is also a small church as well as a 200-metre sea filled gorge. There are steps to walk down here. You can also see it from either of the two paths above too.

See the waterfall at Eiði

Even further North is the village of Eiði. This is not such a scenic village, but there is a great waterfall nearby. As you drive to the other end of the village you will reach a football field. From here, there is a path up to the best viewpoint for this huge waterfall.

Camp on a football field

The football field is also actually a campsite!

Day 4 – Vagar Island

Mulafossur Waterfall

This waterfall is one of the easiest to reach the viewpoint. You park by the side of the road and walk about 5 minutes to the viewpoint. This is a huge waterfall and absolutely incredible.

Gásadalur Village

This village is right behind the waterfall. It is full of lots of traditional houses and a great heated toilet.

Day 5 – Head to Kalsoy

Kalsoy can be reached by ferry, you can take the car or go by foot. The ferry goes from Klaksvik which is on Bordoy Island. It should take around an hour to drive here. Get the earliest ferry you can, as the cars start to line up early and there are limited spaces.

Hike to Kallur Lighthouse

This hike is not the easiest! It is also not for those afraid of heights. The views are breath taking and it is well worth it.

Day 6 – The most scenic hike on Vagar

Trælanípa – Bøsdalafossur

This hike surrounds Sørvágsvatn lake. It was free up until April 2019, and now costs 26 Euro per person as they are raising funds to improve the path. Don’t be discouraged, it is well worth it! The views from the top are stunning, as you can see the sea and the rocks in between the lake and the sea. There is also a beautiful waterfall as you reach the very end of the hike.

Day 7 – Explore Tórshavn

I would recommend spending some time here, especially in the old part of the town. There is a lovely harbour and the old town has traditional grass roofed houses.

I hope you enjoyed my post on how to explore Faroe Islands on a budget. Just remember to find cheap accommodation, take your own snacks and plan your days as best as you can!

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