This post is being written in the pouring rain because it’s summer, early August, and obviously, it’s raining as if tomorrow will never come.
In other words, just another typical day in the Faroe Islands! Let me start with the most important advice: abandon all hope, ye who enter here 😀 There’s no point in lamenting the dreadful weather because, as I’ve reminded you many times: the weather forecast is an inspiration, not information. Don’t be so hard on yourself for not picking another date to visit. Sure, you could’ve chosen differently. But then again, you might have never made it to the Faroes at all, thanks to the thick fog engulfing the islands, a canceled flight, or at best, an unexpected layover in Bergen. The weather on this archipelago is fickle.
After almost a year here, I think I’ve experienced every possible weather condition! So, as a self-proclaimed expert, I’ve prepared a short guide for a rainy day on the Faroes.
- #1 NATIONAL GALLERY
I have a feeling I’ve lost your attention already 😀 But contrary to what you might think, the National Gallery in Tórshavn is anything but typical. Let’s start with its location! It’s nestled in a park, yes, with actual trees!, Viðarlundin í Havn, full of winding paths, charming bridges, and ducks swimming in the streams and ponds. Even on a rainy day, it’s a lovely place for a walk!
The gallery itself is tucked away on the edge of the park, with the entrance leading you through a café that instantly distracts you with the aroma of freshly ground coffee and pastries from my beloved Breyðvirkið. Resistance is futile—treat yourself to a cardamom bun or a lemon poppy seed muffin, and while you’re at it, scout for a poster to take home as a souvenir from the islands. I believe it’s a BRILLIANT alternative to those dust collectors like plush sheep or puffin magnets. Instead of these undoubtedly cute but questionably useful trinkets, get yourself a piece of Faroese art—a copy of one of the many paintings hanging in the gallery.
As for the gallery itself… Faroese art is as unpredictable as the archipelago; each room offers a different experience. From visual delights thanks to the works of local painters, to kinesthetic sensations as you walk through a room of mirrors that imitates the feeling of floating on the ocean, or step into an installation that captures the shape of one of the islands. I’ve been there several times, and every visit leaves me equally enchanted!
Here you’ll find prices, current opening hours, and information about ongoing exhibitions.
- #2 CAFE HOPPING
On a nice day, I’m a fan of sports: island hopping, which means moving from one island to another, usually taking 30-60 minutes by car, depending on which island you decide to hop to 🙂 On a rainy day, however, you can try the gastro version of this sport!
My favorite place, where I hang out regularly, is Panama. A café that often felt like my second home—seriously (I had roommates from hell for a few weeks, so I rarely stayed at my apartment)—my office, and a place of total comfort! That coziness, that warmth, that hospitality—it makes you melt like butter on toast (which they serve deliciously, by the way!) and settle in for long hours, playing board games, reading a book, or just gazing at Tórshavn bathed in rain. The interior, in a style that only the Faroese can pull off—coziness combined with simplicity—makes you want to wrap yourself in a blanket and stay there for hours!
(I’m writing this article while sitting in Paname on a rainy day, having the time of my life)
From Paname, you can hop over to the harbor-side Kafe Husid for their famous freshly squeezed orange juice or to UMami for pancakes.
I recommend ending your café hopping at Ástaklokkan, a café that cherishes coziness, hospitality, and good wine. Felisia, who runs the café with almost motherly tenderness, has an uncanny ability to match the wine to your mood—I don’t know how she does it, but she always knows what wine I’m in the mood for, and she never misses! Be sure to ask her for her famous waffles—they are the epitome of a cozy afternoon in Havn.
From Ástaklokkan, you’re just a short walk away from Mikkeller, a brewery that’s never empty! Beloved by locals, tourists, and even those who, like me, aren’t big fans of beer 😀 Mikkeller has this confident simplicity that makes it impossible to feel out of place—they know they have the best products (carefully brewed in OY by an excellent brewer who, ironically, is Italian—Alessandro), and they don’t try to impress anyone, yet they end up impressing everyone! Friday nights at Mikkeller always end on a high note: new beer flavors, new experiences, new friends—the only thing that might take a hit is your wallet, but this is the Faroes, and that’s a problem for tomorrow.
- #3 THRIFT SHOPPING: IN SEARCH OF SECOND HAND GEMS!
If there were such a title, I’d be nothing short of a Master of Thrift Stores, heck, I could write a PhD on the subject. There’s no country where I wouldn’t go treasure hunting in thrift shops. The Faroe Islands were no exception! As soon as I found the first one—under the Red Cross flag—I was hooked! Hunt here mainly for sportswear—I’ve snagged Adidas and Nike hoodies, or the ever-popular in Scandinavia, The North Face gear, along with items from Danish brands like Sisters Point or my favorite, Object. What I love about thrift stores here is that they don’t stock random junk, but genuinely good quality and well-maintained items, and best of all, you can easily justify your purchases by reminding yourself that the money goes to charity 😉
Some even serve coffee for a few coins and homemade cakes baked by the ladies volunteering there. They work for free, usually in a trio, and while I don’t understand a word of their Faroese chatter, I dare say they’re having a great time, sipping coffee, nibbling cookies, and occasionally sighing in an exaggerated manner with an “oyusu, oyusu.” I LOVE THE VIBE.
Warning: it’s addictive. But fortunately, your wallet won’t suffer—prices are really laughably low!
The Red Cross also has a hidden gem in the harbor! A tiny room filled with books. We’re on the islands, so the trust in human honesty is unwavering. The stall is open, and transactions are done by dropping coins (books cost a maximum of 20 crowns) into a built-in wall piggy bank.
You are absolutely not ready for what you can find there! From old cookbooks to vintage magazines on how to have the perfect Christmas (or at least that’s what I assume from the pictures, since most of the books are in Danish, but the smiling faces around the tree are a clue) to “200 Ways to Cook Greenlandic Fish” or a genealogy of the Danish royal family. Browsing there is so engrossing that I often go there just to pass the time on a rainy day—my favorites are the old cookbooks with recipes like “take 20 eggs” and “boil the sheep’s head all night to ensure prosperity”
- #4 MOVIE LIKE ROAD TRIPS
You know those scenes in movies where the main character makes a dramatically important decision, gets in the car, turns on the radio, and drives through the rain to face their destiny? You can recreate that scene and feel like you’re in a movie! Road trips around the Faroes in the rain, with a thermos of hot coffee and pastries grabbed from Breyðvirkið, are something my friends and I do all the time! You can stop by the Fossa waterfall—it looks especially epic in the rain—or stare at the cliffs on Sandoy as the waves crash against them.
Just remember to stay safe, and if the downpour is particularly heavy, either stick to safer routes or choose another activity from my rainy day guide. Nature is powerful everywhere, but on the archipelago, it’s an uncontrollable force.
- #5 YOUR NEW FOMO : MUSIC WHICH IN THE FAROES IS ….
Omnipresent. I wouldn’t be exaggerating if I said that every other person is either involved in music or at least has a family member who is. The music scene in the Faroes is thriving! It dazzles with bold, unconventional performances, blending styles, and the incredible venues for concerts (a concert in a sea cave accessible only by boat? Only in the Faroes!). Music is cherished here, and for good reason. The Faroes can boast a long list of world-class artists, but… they don’t. This endearing humility makes their talent even more striking when you encounter it. It’s a daily sight to see Dania O.Tausen working at Tutl or Fridi Djurhuus, aka Joe from Joe & The Shitboys, calmly stocking new vinyls on the shelves. Tutl isn’t just a shop, it’s a record label and the backbone of the Faroese music industry. For a taste of the Faroese music scene, that’s the place to be!
For more, make sure to follow timin.fo where they regularly update with the latest cultural events. And there are plenty! Especially in the summer, when the absolute gem is the G!Festival—three days of musical indulgence. This year’s edition blew me away! Hearing Eivør live, or watching Trygvi & AGGRASOPPAR once again deliver a masterful performance on stage—it’s such an intense immersion in Faroese music that it leaves you with a music hangover that lingers annoyingly.
They say to cure a hangover with more of the same, so you can soothe it by attending Open Mic nights at Rensariid (free entry!) on Wednesdays or Thursday concerts at Blabar. Or maybe you’re a vinyl lover and prefer to discuss them during Vinylgripur at Sirkus? Bored of Havn? Hop on a boat to nearby Nolsoy for a concert at the atmospheric Maggie’s or drive to Gjógv for performances at Gjáargarður. Now you understand, right? And you probably feel a bit of FOMO already? Uh, I sure do, all the time! Sometimes I even miss being bored, wondering which music event I’d rather attend 😀
So if anyone says that you can only be bored when it rains in the Faroes, well, I’m jealous :d I’ve got to go <running with a cardammon bun in my hand omw to the next concert>
xoxo,
Alex
