Look at a map of Faroe Islands and you’ll see eighteen jagged shards of basalt dropped into the North Atlantic. It looks small. Like you could drive it in an afternoon. But honestly? The map is a liar. It doesn't show the way the fog—what locals call mjørki—swallows the roads in seconds, or how a three-mile distance on paper can take forty minutes because you're winding around a fjord that looks like a thumbprint.
The Faroe Islands sit roughly halfway between Scotland and Iceland. It’s an archipelago defined by verticality. Most maps are flat, two-dimensional things, but the Faroes exist in 3D. You’ve got peaks like Slættaratindur hitting 880 meters straight out of the ocean. When you’re staring at a GPS, it might look like a straight shot from Tórshavn to Klaksvík. It isn't. You're diving into sub-sea tunnels where the light turns blue and the pressure makes your ears pop.
Navigating the 18 Islands
If you’re staring at a map of Faroe Islands, you need to understand the sub-sea tunnel system. This is what changed everything for the locals. Before the tunnels, you were at the mercy of the ferries. Now, the "Streymoy-Eysturoy" tunnel even has a literal underwater roundabout. It’s decorated with art by Tróndur Patursson. It’s weird. It’s glowing. It feels like a villain’s lair from a 007 movie.
But don't get too comfortable with the big roads.
The northern islands—Borðoy, Viðoy, and Kunoy—are connected by older, narrower tunnels. These are single-lane. If you see headlights coming at you, someone has to pull into a turnout. There’s a whole unspoken etiquette to it. Basically, if the turnout is on your right, you pull over. If you don't, you're the "tourist" everyone is grumbling about. The map doesn't show you those pull-outs. It just shows a line through a mountain.
💡 You might also like: How far is New Hampshire from Boston? The real answer depends on where you're actually going
The outliers: Mykines and Suðuroy
You won’t find a bridge to Mykines. You won't find a tunnel to Suðuroy either. These require a ferry or a helicopter ride. Yes, the Atlantic Airways helicopter is actually a public transit tool here, not just a luxury for the rich. It’s subsidized by the government. It’s often cheaper than a taxi in London, though tourists can only book one-way trips to keep the seats open for locals who need to get to the hospital or the grocery store.
Suðuroy is the southernmost island. It’s often forgotten. People look at the map and think it’s too far. That’s a mistake. The cliffs at Beinisvørð are some of the most staggering drops in the North Atlantic. It’s greener there. Softer, somehow, despite the crashing waves.
Why a Map of Faroe Islands Is Never Static
The weather here is a living thing. You can have a clear map in your head of where you’re going, and then the Atlantic decides otherwise. Locals say you can experience all four seasons in five minutes. It’s not a joke. I’ve seen hikers start in sunshine at the Sørvágsvatn trailhead and end up in a blizzard ten minutes later.
The "Lake above the Ocean" is the classic Instagram shot. On a map of Faroe Islands, Sørvágsvatn (or Leitisvatn, depending on which village you ask) looks like a normal lake. But because of an optical illusion at the cliffs of Trælanípa, it looks like the lake is hovering hundreds of feet directly above the crashing surf. It’s a trick of perspective. You have to stand at the very edge of the cliff to see it.
📖 Related: Hotels on beach Siesta Key: What Most People Get Wrong
- Vágar: Where the airport is. Home to the floating lake and the Múlafossur waterfall.
- Streymoy: The big one. Tórshavn is here. It’s the smallest capital in the world, or close to it.
- Eysturoy: Deep fjords and the giant sea stacks Risin og Kellingin.
- The Northern Isles: Rugged, steep, and feels like the end of the world.
The Infrastructure You Can't See
Google Maps is decent here, but it struggles with the private hiking trails. A lot of the land is owned by sheep farmers. This is crucial. In the Faroes, there is no "Right to Roam" like in Scotland or Sweden. If the map shows a path, but there’s a sign saying it’s private, believe the sign.
The Faroese government has started implementing "hiking seasons" and fees for popular spots like the Kalsoy lighthouse (Kallur). You’ve probably seen the photo. The tiny white lighthouse against the massive green ridge. It was a filming location for No Time to Die. Now, you need a guide for certain times. The map won't tell you that you need a credit card to walk on grass, but in 2026, that’s the reality of protecting the soil from erosion.
The sheep outnumber the people. Roughly 70,000 sheep to 54,000 humans. They are the original GPS. They’ve carved "sheep paths" into every hillside. Warning: do not follow a sheep path thinking it’s a hiking trail. Sheep are much better at climbing 70-degree inclines than you are. They will lead you to a ledge you can't get off of.
Getting Lost (and Found)
The villages are tiny clusters of grass-roofed houses. Gógv. Saksun. Tjørnuvík.
👉 See also: Hernando Florida on Map: The "Wait, Which One?" Problem Explained
Saksun is a trip. It’s a village at the end of a long, winding road that sits above a lagoon. On the map, it looks like a landlocked lake. But it’s actually an inlet that got blocked by sand during a storm centuries ago. You can walk out onto the sand at low tide. Just keep an eye on that tide. It comes back faster than you think.
If you're driving, get a physical paper map from the Visit Faroe Islands office in Tórshavn. Digital maps die when your battery freezes or you lose signal in a deep valley. Plus, the paper maps show the "Buttercup Routes." These are specifically designated scenic roads marked with a small yellow flower icon. If you see that icon on a road sign, take it. It’ll be narrow. It’ll be scary. But the view will be something you’ll remember when you’re eighty.
Practical Realities for Travelers
Don't expect many gas stations outside the main hubs. The map shows villages, but a "village" might just be four houses and a very confused ram.
- Fuel up in Tórshavn or Runavík. 2. Download offline maps. The signal is surprisingly good (even in tunnels!), but the fog makes GPS laggy.
- Check the tunnel tolls. The new ones use license plate recognition. You don't stop at a booth. You just drive, and the rental company bills you later.
- Watch the wind. If the map shows a bridge, and the wind is hitting 25 meters per second, stay off the bridge. High-sided vehicles flip here. It happens.
The Way Forward
The Faroes are changing. New tunnels like the Sandoyartunnilin are connecting even more remote spots to the "mainland." It’s making the islands feel smaller, but the wildness remains. You can’t tame a place where the salt spray hits your windshield from three hundred feet up a cliff.
When you look at your map of Faroe Islands tonight, don't just plan the fastest route. Look for the dead ends. Look for the places where the road just stops at the ocean. That's where the real stuff is.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Ferry Schedule: Before you head to Kalsoy or Mykines, check ssl.fo. It’s the only source of truth for inter-island travel.
- Book the Helicopter: If you want that one-way flight to an outer island, book it exactly seven days in advance on the Atlantic Airways website. They sell out in minutes.
- Pack for "Horizontal Rain": Your map won't stay dry. Get a waterproof case for your phone and a high-quality shell jacket. Umbrellas are useless here; the wind will just turn them into modern art.
- Respect the Borders: Use the official "Hiking in the Faroe Islands" guide (available as a PDF online) to see which trails require a local guide or a hiking fee.