Faroe Islands

Thank you for that information. I have read that most people on the Faroe Islands speak English so I do not think I need to learn the language but good luck with your efforts. I will check out the sites you name and see what I can learn. It looks incredibly beautiful and interesting, culturally.

I have been to the Faroes and I'm returning in November.

Atlantic Airways is the national carrier with daily flights to Copenhagen and twice weekly to Reykjavik, Edinburgh and Paris. They have fairly new Airbus jets. They have also gotten permission to fly to New York but no announcement on flights.

English is widely spoken by most. The Faroese realize their language is difficult so English is now taught in the schools to all.

The hotels are fairly basic and old but tourism is picking up and a new Hilton Garden Inn is being built. Good wifi and excellent cell reception.

It's a beautiful place. No crime, only one fast food outlet (Burger King), and the buses in the capital, Torshavn, are free. Not a lot museum wise. The main attractions are the scenery and wildlife. Be aware that almost all rental cars in the Faroes are manual transmission. Good bus and ferry service connects the islands. Many of the islands are connected by underwater tunnels.

They have their own currency but also accept Norwegian Kroner since they are technically part of Denmark.

Green Gate and 62 North are the two local Faroe tour agencies.

Thanks for all the useful advice. I appreciate your help.

I was there for a week this summer. Frank II is correct above, a couple minor points to add...

Atlantic Airways flights are not expensive if booked far in advance. We flew in from Edinburgh. I was told New York flights wil start "soon". The new Hilton is a major development. The tourism floodgates are swinging open. Go soon.

It's an expensive place - typical of isolated, far northern places (like elsewhere in Nordic countries, but remember that nothing grows there - there are no native trees - everything edible, other than fish or mutton - has to be brought in by air or ship). I wouldn't say that food was a highlight. The capitol, Torshavn, is a small place. The country is sparsely populated.

Accommodations are very limited - this is the thing that has been limiting tourist numbers, I think. AirBnB and similar services are your best options here (still expensive, but not deadly so; also, keep you expectations in check). Rental cars (which are quite expensive) are also in limited supply - book all these things long in advance or be prepared to pay through the nose or be shut out.

It is beautiful, stark, at times stunning and spectacular. But certainly not everyone's cup of tea. Other than hiking, sightseeing and other outdoor activities, there's not much to do -- unlike much of Europe, it's short on museums, easily accessible cultural attractions, etc. -- it's not like being in Paris or London on a rainy day. If it's raining hard, your choices will be very limited.

Expect bad weather during some of the time you are there. We were there in mid-summer, for a whole week, and we got two absolutely beautiful, clear days. The scenery was breathtaking. Then the weather changed. For the rest of the time we were there, it was rainy, foggy, cold, wet, with very limited visibility and low ceilings. All the stunning photos you will see are on those (rare?) clear days. When the weather turns, you won't be seeing much. We got 2 good days out of 7. That was in July. If/when we go again, I will plan for about the same ratio (so, to get a whole week of good weather, plan to be there for 3 weeks). Maybe you will get lucky with the weather, maybe it will be socked in the entire time you're there.

I live in Seattle, a place that's notorious for rain, low clouds, limited visibility, so I felt right at home. We brought serious rain gear, which was good because we absolutely needed it. We did most of the activities we had planned - including a lot of hiking in the rain, though fog and clouds, where you couldn't see very far. We knew the scenery would be awesome if we could just see more than a few feet...it was challenging and at times frustrating, but that's part of the package, so be prepared for that.

It's an interesting place. You will come home with sheep poo on your boots, trust me.

Atlantic Airways will begin flying to Newark in March of next year. They plan to fly 7-8 times in the spring and 7-8 times in the fall.

The company recently started flying an Airbus A320neo and have two or three more on order.