What to see, where to stay and the best time to visit Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
Photo: Maksim Smirnov / Pexels
Tórshavn is the small, coastal capital of the Faroe Islands, with a population of 14038. It mixes a historic old town of turf-roofed houses at Tinganes with a working harbour, a cathedral, a national gallery and museum, and short trips out to villages like Kirkjubøur. It's a walkable base for a few days rather than a big city break. July and August are the best months to visit, with calmer weather for walking the harbour and old town streets.
Two to three days are enough to see the old town, harbour, cathedral and museums at an easy pace, with time left for a half-day trip to Kirkjubøur.
Old town
A small rocky point by the harbour with red-painted wooden buildings and turf roofs. It is one of the oldest parliamentary meeting places in the world, and the Faroese government still has offices here. You can walk freely through the narrow lanes.
Old town
The old residential quarter next to Tinganes, with tarred wooden houses, turf roofs and steep, narrow alleys. It is a quiet place to wander and see how the town looked before it grew.
East harbour
An old fort on a grassy hill above the harbour, with a small lighthouse and cannons, including British guns from the Second World War. It has good views over the harbour and towards the island of Nólsoy.
Harbour
The inner harbour at the heart of town, lined with old warehouses, cafés and restaurants. Fishing boats and small ferries come and go, and it is the natural meeting point for a walk around the centre.
Old town
A white church with a black roof and clock tower, close to the harbour and Tinganes. It is the seat of the Faroese bishop and is simple and calm inside.
Viðarlundin
The main art museum of the islands, with Faroese painting and sculpture, including works by Sámal Joensen-Mikines. It sits at the edge of the town park, so a visit pairs well with a walk.
Central Tórshavn
The town park, one of the few places on the islands with planted trees, along a small river with paths and ponds. It feels sheltered on windy days.
North of the centre
A cultural centre with a grass roof built into the hillside, used for concerts, theatre and exhibitions. Even without a show, the building and its café are worth a stop.
Hoyvík
The main history museum, covering Viking-age finds, boats, fishing and farming life. The site includes Hoyvíksgarður, an old farm with traditional buildings you can walk around.
Kirkjubøur
A small village south of Tórshavn and the old religious centre of the islands. You can see the unfinished stone walls of the medieval St Magnus Cathedral, the old Olav's Church and Roykstovan, a historic wooden farmhouse still owned by the same family line. The walk there over the hills from Tórshavn is popular in good weather.
Average weather and our month score, from 10 years of climate data.
| Month | High / low | Rain days | Sunshine | Sea temp | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 5°C / 1°C | 20 days (147 mm) | 1.8 h/day | 7°C | 0.5/10 |
| February | 5°C / 2°C | 19 days (145 mm) | 3.9 h/day | 7°C | 1.0/10 |
| March | 6°C / 2°C | 22 days (134 mm) | 5.7 h/day | 7°C | 1.4/10 |
| April | 7°C / 3°C | 16 days (85 mm) | 7.8 h/day | 7°C | 2.0/10 |
| May | 9°C / 5°C | 17 days (83 mm) | 8.6 h/day | 8°C | 2.6/10 |
| June | 11°C / 8°C | 16 days (97 mm) | 9.0 h/day | 9°C | 3.7/10 |
| Best month: July | 13°C / 9°C | 20 days (108 mm) | 7.8 h/day | 11°C | 4.3/10 |
| Best month: August | 13°C / 9°C | 18 days (113 mm) | 7.7 h/day | 11°C | 4.3/10 |
| September | 12°C / 8°C | 19 days (143 mm) | 5.6 h/day | 11°C | 3.1/10 |
| October | 9°C / 6°C | 20 days (163 mm) | 3.8 h/day | 10°C | 1.5/10 |
| November | 7°C / 4°C | 19 days (140 mm) | 2.2 h/day | 9°C | 0.6/10 |
| December | 6°C / 2°C | 20 days (169 mm) | 1.0 h/day | 8°C | 0.3/10 |
Highs near 5°C with rain on about 20 days a month. Score is low at 0.5, so this is a cold, wet start to the year.
Still cold, highs around 5°C, rain on 18-19 days. Score of 1 shows weather stays tough with little sun, just 3.9 hours daily.
Highs reach 6°C but rain days climb to 22, the wettest frequency of the year. Score of 1.4 reflects persistent damp, blustery conditions.
Highs near 7°C and rain eases to 16 days. Score rises to 2 as sunshine grows to 7.8 hours, though it still feels raw.
Highs hit 9°C, sea warms to 8.2°C, rain falls on 17 days. Score of 2.6 marks a transition toward milder, brighter days.
Highs reach 11°C with 9 hours of sun daily, rain on 16 days. Score of 3.7 shows this is among the better months.
Highs peak near 13°C, sea at 10.8°C, though rain returns on 20 days. Score of 4.3 rates this an ok month for a visit.
Warmest month with highs of 13°C and sea temp of 11.3°C, rain on 18 days. Score of 4.3 keeps it an ok choice.
Highs drop to 11.5°C, rain climbs back to 19 days and sun hours fall to 5.6. Score of 3.1 signals cooling, wetter weather.
Highs fall to 9°C, rain hits 163mm over 20 days, the wettest month by volume. Score of 1.5 reflects rough, dark conditions.
Highs near 7°C with rain on 19 days and just 2.2 hours of sun daily. Score of 0.6 shows a dark, cold month.
Coldest light levels with only 1 hour of sun daily, highs of 6°C, rain on 20 days. Score of 0.3 marks tough winter weather.
Climate averages 2015–2024 · Best time to visit Faroe Islands →
The best areas to base yourself and who each one suits.
Good for first-timers, short stays
The compact town centre around the main shopping streets, with cafés, restaurants, the cathedral and the bus terminal close by. It is the easiest base for walking everywhere and catching buses or tours out of town. Streets climb steeply from the harbour, and weekend nights can be a little noisy near the bars.
Good for couples, history lovers
The old quarter next to the Tinganes peninsula, with narrow lanes and black-tarred wooden houses with turf roofs. You are a few minutes' walk from the harbour and centre but in a much calmer setting. Choice of places to stay is small, and the lanes are uneven, which is awkward with heavy luggage.
Good for food lovers, nightlife
The inner harbour, lined with restaurants, bars and boats, and the liveliest part of town on summer evenings. It is ideal if you want to step straight out to dinner by the water. Expect some noise late at night, and it is exposed to wind and rain off the sea.
Good for families, self-drivers
A residential district north of the centre with newer homes, a large shopping centre and open views over the sea. It is quieter and often has more space, such as apartments with parking. You will need a car, a bus or a fairly long walk to reach the old town and harbour.
Good for quiet, longer stays
A former village just south of the centre, now joined to Tórshavn, with a small harbour and a local, residential feel. It suits travellers who want calm evenings and easy access to the road heading south. It has few places to eat, so most evenings mean a walk, bus or drive into town.
This is wind-dried, fermented mutton that hangs for months in a hjallur, a wooden shed built for curing meat. Locals slice it thin and eat it on dark rye bread, often as a snack or part of a cold table.
Fermented mutton cooked with a strip of whale blubber, served with potatoes. It is a traditional Faroese dinner, especially in colder months when heavier, preserved foods are common.
A sausage-like dish made from sheep's offal, suet and flour, cooked and often served alongside boiled fish or ræst kjøt. It is part of the same preserved-meat food culture tied to Tórshavn's hjallur sheds.
Cod or other whitefish is hung outdoors to air-dry near the harbour, then eaten plain or with butter. It is a everyday snack rather than a restaurant dish, often sold in local shops.
Tórshavn's coastal setting means fresh langoustine, salmon and other seafood show up on restaurant menus around the harbour. Local chefs pair them with island vegetables and foraged herbs.
Yes. August is one of the two best months, with a score of 4.3 out of 5. The high is 12.8°C and the low 9.3°C, so it is mild by Faroese standards. There are 18.4 rain days and 113mm of rain, which is less than the autumn months, and sea temperature peaks at 11.3°C.
July and August are the best months, both scoring 4.3 and rated "ok". July has a high of 12.7°C and 7.8 sun hours, August is slightly warmer at 12.8°C with similar rain. Every other month scores below 3.7, mainly because daylight drops sharply and rain days stay high from September through March.
Two days covers the main sights. The old town attractions (Tinganes, Reyn, Skansin, the cathedral, Vágsbotn) each take about 1 hour, and the museums (National Gallery, Nordic House, National Museum) add another 4 to 5 hours. A half-day trip to nearby Kirkjubøur fits well on a second day.
Yes, most of the year. Rain falls on 15.9 to 21.6 days a month, with no dry season. December is wettest at 169mm over 20.2 rain days, while April and May are driest at 85mm and 83mm. Even the best months, July and August, still see 18 to 20 rain days.
It stays mild for its latitude but dark. January and February highs are only 5.1°C and 5.2°C, with lows around 1.4°C to 1.5°C, so it rarely freezes hard. The bigger issue is light: January gets just 1.8 sun hours and December only 1 hour, which is why winter months score lowest, from 0.3 to 1.4.
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