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?