You’re staring at a tiny cluster of 18 volcanic rocks dropped into the North Atlantic, halfway between Iceland and Norway. On a digital map of the Faroe Islands, it looks like a shattered plate. It’s messy. It’s jagged. Honestly, it’s a bit intimidating if you’re planning a road trip because those thin lines representing roads seem to disappear into solid rock or vanish into the ocean.
Maps lie. Well, they don't exactly lie, but they simplify a landscape that refuses to be simple. When you look at the map of the Faroe Islands, you see 18 islands, but you don't see the verticality. You don't see the 5,000 miles of sheep tracks that aren't on Google Maps. You don't see the sub-sea tunnels that feel like descending into a Bond villain's lair.
The Geography of a Shattered Archipelago
If you want to understand the Faroes, you have to look at the "big three" islands: Streymoy, Eysturoy, and Vágar. These are the heart of the country. This is where most people live, where the airport is, and where you’ll spend 70% of your time.
Vágar is your entry point. That’s where the airport is. If you look at the map of the Faroe Islands specifically around Vágar, you’ll notice Sørvágsvatn. It’s the "lake above the ocean." It’s a total optical illusion. From the right angle at the Trælanípa cliffs, the lake looks like it’s hovering hundreds of feet over the Atlantic. In reality, it’s only about 30 meters up, but the scale of the cliffs messes with your brain.
Then you have Streymoy. It’s the biggest. Tórshavn, the capital, sits on the southern tip. It’s one of the smallest capitals in the world, and you can walk across the "downtown" area in about ten minutes. But don't let the small scale fool you. The roads winding north from Tórshavn toward places like Saksun are some of the most dramatic drives on the planet.
Those Mysterious Dotted Lines: Tunnels and Ferries
Look closely at any modern map of the Faroe Islands and you’ll see some weird, straight lines cutting through the mountains and under the water. These are the tunnels.
Faroese people are the world masters of digging holes.
The Eysturoyartunnilin is the big one. It’s an 11-kilometer sub-sea tunnel that features the world’s first underwater roundabout. Seriously. It’s lit up with blue and green neon lights and has art installations by Tróndur Patursson. It cuts the drive from Tórshavn to Runavík from 64 minutes down to 16. It’s a marvel of engineering that makes the map look far more connected than it was even five years ago.
But then there are the islands the tunnels haven't reached.
- Kalsoy: The "Flute Island." Long, thin, and full of tunnels that look like they were carved with a spoon. You need a ferry to get here from Klaksvík.
- Mykines: The bird island. No cars. Just puffins and a lighthouse. The ferry ride is notorious for being cancelled if the sea gets even slightly grumpy.
- Suðuroy: The southernmost island. It’s a two-hour ferry ride from Tórshavn. Most tourists skip it because it’s "out of the way" on the map. That’s a mistake. The cliffs at Eggjarnar are arguably more impressive than anything on the main islands.
Decoding the North: The Northern Isles (Norðoyar)
Klaksvík is the hub here. It sits on Borðoy. From a bird’s eye view, the Northern Isles look like fingers reaching into the Arctic. This is where the landscape gets aggressive.
The island of Kunoy has one of the highest peaks in the archipelago, Kúvingafjall ($830$ meters). On a map, Kunoy looks like a solid block of stone. In person, it is a solid block of stone. There’s a tiny forest there—one of the few in the islands—because trees basically refuse to grow in the Faroese wind.
Viðoy is the furthest north you can drive. The village of Viðareiði is tucked between two massive mountains. If you stand there and look north, there is nothing but water between you and the North Pole. It feels like the end of the world. Because it kind of is.
The "Sheep Map" vs. The Reality
Here is something weird: The Faroe Islands actually have their own version of Google Street View called "Sheep View." Back in 2016, a local woman named Durita Dahl Andreassen was tired of Google ignoring the islands. She strapped 360-degree cameras to sheep.
The sheep went where the Google cars couldn't.
When you study a map of the Faroe Islands, you’re seeing the asphalt. You aren't seeing the hagarnir—the mountain pastures. Every inch of this land is owned by someone, and it’s almost all used for sheep. There are about 80,000 sheep here, which is significantly more than the 54,000 humans.
This matters for your navigation. If you see a trail on a map, it’s probably a sheep trail. It might lead to a 400-meter drop-off. It might lead to a bog. It might lead to a very confused ram.
Why the Map Changes Every Five Minutes
The weather here is a character in itself. The Faroese have a saying: "If you don't like the weather, wait five minutes." This affects how you read the map.
A road that looks like a simple 20-minute drive on Google Maps can suddenly become a harrowing crawl through "pea soup" fog. Sometimes the fog is so thick you can't see the sheep on the side of the road, let alone the majestic fjords.
Navigating the map of the Faroe Islands requires a bit of intuition.
- Buttercup Routes: On physical maps and road signs, look for a small yellow flower icon. These are "Sóljugøta"—designated scenic routes. They are usually narrower, older roads that take the long way around a mountain instead of through a tunnel. Take them. Every single time.
- The Wind Factor: If the wind is coming from the North, the southern sides of the islands will be calmer. Use the map to find "shelter" in the deep fjords like Skálafjørður.
- The Tide: Places like Saksun have a lagoon that you can walk across to reach the ocean, but only at low tide. If you look at the map and see a beach, check the tide tables or you'll get stranded.
Practical Logistics: How to Actually Navigate
Don't rely solely on your phone. GPS is great, but signals die in the deep basalt canyons of the northern fjords.
Grab a physical map from the Visit Faroe Islands desk at the airport. It’s free. It’s detailed. It shows the hiking trails that require a guide versus the ones you can do yourself.
Most importantly, look at the scale. The islands are small. You can drive from the airport in the west to the furthest northern village in about an hour and a half (thanks to the new tunnels). This tempts people to rush. They try to "do" the whole map in three days.
Don't do that.
Pick one island. Spend a whole day there. Get lost on a road that doesn't look important on the map. Usually, those lead to the best "hjallur" (traditional drying sheds) and the most dramatic views of the "drangarnir" (sea stacks).
Misconceptions About the Faroese Map
A lot of people think the Faroe Islands are part of the EU because they are part of the Kingdom of Denmark. They aren't.
This affects your digital map of the Faroe Islands use because roaming charges can be astronomical. Download your maps offline before you leave the hotel.
Another misconception is that the islands are flat. I know I mentioned this, but it bears repeating. On a 2D map, a hike might look like a short 2km stroll. On the Faroe Islands, that 2km might involve a 500-meter vertical ascent over wet grass. Always look at the contour lines. If the lines are close together, you're going to be breathing hard.
Actionable Steps for Your Faroese Adventure
If you're ready to put the map into practice, here is exactly how to handle the logistics:
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- Book the Tunnel Pass: Most car rentals come with a transponder. The sub-sea tunnels (Vágatunnilin, Norðoyatunnilin, Eysturartunnilin, and the new Sandoyartunnilin) have tolls. You don't stop to pay; it’s all electronic.
- Check Landsverk: This is the local road authority website. Before you drive over a mountain pass (like the "Oyggjarvegur" out of Tórshavn), check their live webcams. If the map says "road" but the webcam says "blizzard," stay in the valley and get a coffee at Paname Café.
- Identify the "Dead Zones": Some islands, like Koltur, have a population of... two. You can't just show up there. You need to charter a boat. Use the map to identify which islands are "connected" and which require serious planning.
- Respect the "Private" Labels: More and more hiking trails on the map are becoming "pay-to-walk" or require a guide (like the path to the Kalsoy lighthouse). This is due to land erosion and sheep nesting. Check hiking.fo to see which parts of the map are restricted.
The Faroe Islands are a place where the map is just a suggestion. The real geography is written in the wind, the fog, and the steepness of the basalt. Use the map to find the start of the road, but let the islands tell you where to go from there.
Focus on the central islands first to get your bearings, then strike out for the edges. The best parts of the Faroe Islands are usually the ones where the road on the map simply ends.