Tórshavn is a city on the water. What better place, therefore, to start your explorations than down on the waterfront. Head for the western harbour and you’ll see hundreds of yachts and small boats bobbing on the Atlantic swell. Closeby, you can observe the deft loading-and-unloading of the giant containerships which supply the Faroes. Or, better still, take a seat in a harbourside café and watch the maritime comings-and-goings with a good coffee and a slice of apple and cinnamon cake.
Suitably restored, head inland and you’re right in the heart of the old town where you can wander undisturbed through the impossibly narrow lanes whose venerable, turf-roofed houses have stood here, eave-to-eave, for generations.
Next, why not amble down Tórshavn’s main shopping street, Niels Finsens gøta. You’ll find the tourist office here as well as a great selection of locally-owned stores, perfect for browsing and picking up something special for someone back home. Plus, there’s plenty more stores in a dedicated shopping centre, within easy walking distance.
Tórshavn’s also got a couple of must-see museums – make sure you don’t leave town without admiring the pew-ends in the Historical Museum which date from the early 1400s. True, you may not have given much thought to pew-ends before, we know, but these medieval works of art are the Faroe Islands’ national treasure, featuring ornate carvings of the twelve apostles. They’re quite breathtaking in their beauty.
Click the links on the left, here, and you’ll see more of what Tórshavn has to offer. What will you do?