20250619_150547Turf-roof homes overlooking the sea (June 2025)

Not to be confused with the “Golden Circle” in Iceland, the Faroe Islands has its equivalent that’s a popular day trip from Tórshavn– this tour allows you to hit the islands of Eysturoy and Streymoy within a few hours, all the while to see picturesque villages like Saksun and stunning waterfalls nearby. This tour was the most-leisurely compared to the previous days’ and honestly, my fiancée and I needed it. We found it to be a great way to sit back and really take in the beauty of the Faroe Islands before we left.

Our tour guide picked us up at 9h00 and, along with a medley of passengers from Australia, Taiwan, Canada, and India, we all set off for the day. I will say that we packed in at least 20 different sites during the tour and, for the life of me, cannot recall them all. That said, I will showcase some of the highlights in this post, and recount to the best my knowledge. Let’s go!

We began by driving to Streymoy Island, passing through several sub-sea tunnels which connect the islands via car. In fact, there are a total of 20 sub-sea tunnels– one of them, Eysturoyartunnil, features the first underwater roundabout, which we whipped through thanks to our tour guide, an energetic (albeit eccentric) older woman who made our tour a fun one.

Soon enough, we reached Streymoy, pausing several times alongside the road for photos before making it to Tjørnuvík, a small village home to under 50 people. The village is incredibly-isolated, with only one road in and out– therefore, it causes traffic during peak tourist season, and as a result, the village had set up a small traffic light for cars (and people) to get in and out. The light is timed for every 5 minutes and after we explored Tjørnuvík’s turf-roof homes and the nearby shoreline, we made sure to head out timely so as not to wait.

20250619_093508Tjørnuvík in the distance


20250619_113057Inside the village of Tjørnuvík

Next was a visit to Fossá, a famous waterfall and one of the highest on the Faroe Islands. It cascades 140 meters (460 feet) in two tiers, and it certainly is a sight to behold. We got views of it up close on Streymoy, and then our guide drove us over to the neighboring Eysturoy to get a vantage point of Fossá zoomed out, to see the rest of the stark scenery around it. The Faroe Islands are definitely not short of beautiful waterfalls to see!

20250619_110635Fossá waterfall

While still on Streymoy, we also visited Saksun village, located at the bottom of an inlet and known for its distinctive church in the background. The church wasn’t open when we went, so we took a short stroll through the village and admired the high, lush mountains surrounding the inlet.

20250619_121851Village of Saksun


20250619_122205Church and inlet of Saksun

Around Saksun, our tour guide also shared with us whale meat and blubber, as it’s a Faroese tradition to hunt and eat pilot whales in the area. It’s a controversial practice, as people outside of the Faroe Islands find it cruel and inhumane. Our guide (a Faroese) explained, however, it’s a deep-seated tradition among the community, as it was born out of survival during the harshest of winters. I have mixed feelings about the idea of killing pilot whales in now-modern times, but it was insightful to learn about the tradition from the Faroese perspective, and to understand just how varied cultures are throughout the world.

PS the whale meat and blubber tasted like a tougher fish jerky. Not bad, but not something I’d try again!

20250619_125515Whale meat and blubber

We got lunch shortly thereafter, at a café housed inside a historic building that cured fish– we even saw relics of massive fish that’d been dried and cured in the past! I opted for a cod salad, which was quite tasty– others in our tour ordered a fish soup, which apparently was extremely salty, so I’m glad I didn’t get it.

20250619_140539(1)Cod salad


20250619_143321Scandinavian waffles afterwards (not featured: rhubarb cream)

The afternoon was spent on Vágar Island, which my fiancée and I had visited on our first day. There was some overlap in the sights we saw, including Múlafossur, but we also got lovely views of some more turf-roof homes overlooking the somber sea. Soon thereafter, we concluded our tour and returned to Tórshavn by 17h00– my fiancée and I were tired, but content with the more-leisurely tour, as it didn’t involve any hiking or any strenuous physical activity, for that matter. It was a solid end to our time on the Faroe Islands, as we would wake up super early the next morning to catch our 8h20 flight back to Copenhagen.

Overall, we had a short time on the Faroe Islands, but a worthwhile one nevertheless. We managed to visit about five of the 18 islands during our brief stay, and I can say that all did not disappoint. As previously mentioned, it’d been my dream to visit, and I can say that it was a dream come true. I’ll be recapping the remaining activities we got up to in Denmark (and a bit of Sweden) in the next few posts, so look out for them soon! 🙂

— Rebecca

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Published by Rebecca

Blogger, world traveler, poet, foodie, part-time penguin. Welcome!

45 thoughts on “Destination: Faroe Islands, Denmark (Golden Circle Tour and Trying Whale Meat– DAY 3)”

  3. It looks like you had an amazing, action-packed day, dear Rebecca. The scenery along the way is truly stunning – I love those dramatic sea cliffs and towering waterfalls. Indulging in Scandinavian waffles is a pretty good way to end your day. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Thanks, Aiva! It was a more relaxing tour than the previous days and a great way to end our time on the Faroe Islands. Truly an unforgettable trip to look back on fondly in the years to come 😊

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  5. Those homes are so adorable!! The scenery everywhere is just fantastic, and while I understand the mixed feelings about the whale hunting as that mirrors my own thoughts on the practice- I like that you gave the whale meat & blubber a try. After all, when in Rome! It doesn’t look very appetizing though. 😅 thanks for sharing! I quite enjoyed learning about the Faroe Islands through you.

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    1. The Faroe Islands are certainly picturesque; there are no bad views anywhere!
      The whaling industry is very controversial– personally, I don’t like the practice, nor find it necessary during these modern times, but I respect that it’s a deep-seated tradition for the Faroese. As long as there are strict regulations (which there are) and considering that pilot whales aren’t an endangered species, I guess it’s okay? My partner also made a good point that at least the Faroese are transparent about the practice, unlike the billion-dollar meat industry in which we don’t know if and how the animals are being ethically treated for food…
      Any case, thanks for reading, Elle. Although the Faroe Islands posts are over for now, there are still a few more adventures to cover from Denmark (and Sweden) until the end of the month!

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  6. What an awesome way to wrap up your time in the Faroes. I’ve been taking notes for my upcoming trip, as I only have a loose plan at this point, so your posts have been really informative.

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  7. That timed traffic light in Tjørnuvík for a village of under 50 people is such a wonderful detail — exactly the kind of thing you’d never find in a guidebook. I also appreciated your honesty about the whale meat; it’s rare to see someone hold the cultural context and their own mixed feelings at once instead of rushing to a verdict. Saksun looks like a dream.

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    1. Considering Tjørnuvík only has one road in and out, it makes sense to put a traffic light to ensure smooth flow. Whale hunting is a highly controversial topic in the rest of the world, but for the Faroese, it’s their tradition– I think whether you agree with the practice or not, it’s still something to be respected about their culture, or at least acknowledged. Overall, an insightful last day on the Faroe Islands and an incredible trip to one of the most remote places on Earth!

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  8. I learned about those sub-sea tunnels a few years ago, and how cool that you got to go through them to explore the different islands! The turf-roof homes look very interesting, and with that setting… just beautiful!

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    1. It was a lot of fun! Especially the tunnel with the roundabout, which was colorfully lit up and almost made for an amusement park ride, haha! The Faroe Islands were a dream wonderfully realized, and perhaps you’ll find a way to make it over there some day, Bama 🙂

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  9. Sounds like a great tour. Gorgeous scenery. I didn’t know about sub sea tunnels around Faroe islands. Whale meat oh, I guess it is tradition but maybe it is not necessary anymore

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    1. Given that there are 18 islands, it makes sense to build and use sub-sea tunnels to get from one island to another. The topic of whale hunting is controversial, but regardless of whether one agrees with it or not, it is tradition to the Faroese.

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  10. It looks so green everywhere, especially with those turf roofs dotting the landscape! I love the waterfalls 🙂 But I’m rather conflicted about the whale hunting. I accept it’s a tradition there, but traditions can change with the times and respond to modern perspectives. If visiting I would of course show respect and keep any concerns to myself but I don’t think I could bring myself to try the meat even though I do usually like to sample traditional foods when travelling.

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    1. That’s a fair assessment, Sarah. Like you, I don’t agree with the centuries-old practice, but respecting it all the same is the best to do as a guest visiting. Curiosity got the better of me to try the whale meat, and while I’m glad I tried it, I think one time was enough!

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  13. The turf roofs are really striking, and the landscape is spectacular. I don’t think I could try the whale meat and blubber, but understand experiencing local food and culture is important when visiting.

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    1. I agree with you, Han. Whale hunting is a controversial topic, but whether you agree with it or not, it’s worth learning about and how it ties to Faroese culture. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Han!

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    1. I believe the Faroese eat the whale meat either as dried jerky or as a steak. Maybe with a side of potatoes, but usually as-is. I guess that’s the way to enjoy the full flavor of it…

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  19. What a lovely post to see upon my return to the blogsphere. The Faroes have been on our list for a very long time, so I enjoyed these scattered memories and shots. Whale blubber? Yeah. I’d try it. The scenery looks every bit as fantastical as I expected, just love that lone church and those picture-book houses. I should also take this opportunity to wish you belated success on your marriage! You guys looked great on the big day and as pleased as punch.

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    1. Thanks, Leighton! From getting engaged in Denmark to getting married a year later, it’s incredible just how fast time has flown! Our last day on the Faroe Islands was a lot more chill than the previous ones and a great way to relax a bit before leaving 🙂

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  20. With their turf rooves, the houses almost blend in with the surrounding landscape. Beautiful. I’m not sure I’d try whale meat, but I also don’t feel as an outsider that it’s right to judge them for doing so – it is probably no different to the way other remote communities have eaten what they had to in order to survive in the past. I think issues arise when any animal is hunted beyond what is sustainable, and that doesn’t tend to be the case with these sorts of populations who respect the environment in which they live.

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    1. Whale hunting on the Faroe Island is a controversial topic, but what you wrote is true– while us non-Faroese might not agree with the practice, it’s not our position to criticize them for centuries-old tradition. As my partner said, at least the Faroese are transparent about their whale hunting, as opposed to big meat corporations that don’t disclose whether the animals are ethically treated before being killed for food. A complicated subject, but a thought-provoking one, nonetheless.

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