The Faroe Islands is one of the most remote places on Earth with some of the most incredible sights and nature. But it can be difficult to plan a trip to any archipelago, let alone the Faroe Islands, a spot notorious for its volatile weather. When is the best time to visit the Faroe Islands? Well, it depends on what you want out of your trip…and how much rain and fog you want to handle. Traveling to the Faroe Islands during different seasons will give you different trips. Let me break it down.
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The Best Time to Visit the Faroe Islands: The Summer Season
The best time to visit the Faroe Islands is, by far, the summer season. From late May to August, the Faroe Islands receive plenty of sunshine (with 22 hours of daylight!) and calm weather. During this season, you can expect mostly dry weather with warmer temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius. It’s the perfect season to go hiking or take a polar plunge, too.
If you’re asking yourself when to visit the Faroe Islands, the summer season without a doubt should be under consideration – for the dry, sunny weather alone. Plus, it’s a great time to spot puffins in the Faroe Islands.
The summer season is also the busiest time for tourism in the Faroe Islands. Many cafes, restaurants and other services (especially outside the capital) will shut down come Sept. 1.
Expect more crowds in the summer as it tends to get busy in the Faroe Islands. Popular destinations like Mykines – famous for their puffins! – will cap their maximum capacity and you will need to book tours and ferries much farther in advance.
Additionally, rental cars are tight during the summer. If you plan to visit, book early.
The Shoulder Seasons
If you’re looking for fewer tourists, the best time to visit the Faroe Islands might be during the shoulder seasons. Autumn and spring offer much better weather than winter – with far fewer tourists. We visited the first week of September and encountered very few people (maybe 3 or 4 people hiking each day?).
However, during the shoulder seasons, you cannot visit Mykines and some tours will close by September or October – only to reopen in April.
The only way to know whether visiting the Faroe Islands in the shoulder season is worth it? Figure out what exactly you want to do, and whether you can do it. For example, if seeing the puffins on Mykines is critical, the shoulder season won’t work for you.
Some attractions – like Múlafossur Waterfall, the village of Saksun and several hikes – are open all year. However, the weather might make it impossible to do some of the hikes (especially as fog is such a big part of the weather patterns in the Faroe Islands).
The Winter Season in the Faroe Islands
If the best time to visit the Faroe Islands means experiencing local culture, consider visiting the Faroe Islands in the winter. The real, rugged Faroe Islands come alive in winter with frigid temperatures, icy winds and occasional snow.
Visiting the Faroe Islands during the winter means braving the elements, so come prepared with hats, mittens and plenty of warmer clothes. However, it’s also the low season for tourism and you won’t meet many other tourists here during this time.
On the plus side, in the winter, you have much higher chances of seeing the Northern Lights or Aurora Borealis – and you’ll see the islands capped in snow, a stunning sight all on its own.
A couple factors to keep in mind if you do visit the Faroe Islands in the winter.
First, the days are short in the winter and often have 5 hours of sunlight.
Second, the availability of rental cars and accommodations is much trickier in the winter. Hotel rooms and rental cars may not be open – and if they are, they have fewer cars in stock. On the plus side, those spots open may offer discounts.
Third, food demand in the Faroe Islands is high during winter. If you plan to visit, reserve all your meals well in advance.
And last but not least, due to winds, it can be tricky to fly into the Faroe Islands – or leave. Flight cancellations are not uncommon.
When Should You Visit the Faroe Islands?
Picking the right season for your Faroe Islands trip will depend entirely on your wishlist for your trip – and tolerance for winter weather. One thing is clear: no matter the season, the Faroe Islands are breathtaking and beautiful. All year round, it’s worth the trip.
Samantha Tatro is a Czech-American third culture kid who grew up living and traveling abroad. Many years later, after living in California and working as a journalist, she decided to take the leap and move abroad again…this time to Prague, Czech Republic. Samantha started Undiscovered Path Home to help couples and solo female travelers find the courage to visit countries – and locations – off the beaten path. Her work has appeared in Bon Appetit, NBC News, The Adecco Group, and more.
8 comments
I had never given visiting the Faroe Islands a thought until reading this. I think autumn looks like the best time for me – avoid the crowds and not too bad weather wise.
We visited in Autumn and it was perfect! It’s such an incredible place to visit
I think I would love visiting the Faroe Islands. I like the less crowds of Autumn, but then again the sunshine of the summer makes this appealing. I’ll have to see which works better in my schedule.
You’d love it, such a beautiful place!! And we visited in September and it was perfect!
As much as I hate the crowds, Summer would be my pick for sure. I love the idea of 22 hours of sunlight, since I don’t sleep anyway lol.
That is ideal for me! Honestly, crowds can sometimes be avoided, too!
I’m not sure I could brave the winter so I’d likely try and go at the end of the summer season!
The winter is too much for me, too!