Greenland and the Faroe Islands are both Danish protectorates, but they are very different! Greenland is 90% Inuit, while the Faroe Islands are as Scandinavian as Denmark. The Greenlanders are seeking independence, now or later, while the Faroe Islanders are quite happy with their relationship with Denmark. Greenland cities cluster along the coast, with a vast ice sheet covering the middle of the island, while the Faroe Islands are lightly populated throughout. In Greenland, the names of all the cities have been changed to Inuit names, while on the Faroe Islands, the cities have maintained their Scandinavian names. On August 21, 2025, we explored the Faroe Islands.
We docked in Torshavn, the capital city with some 25,000 residents, like Nuuk. The city feels very modern, with wide roads, a soccer stadium, several shopping centers, and comfortable homes.
Our destination for the day was picturesque North Estoy, a second island which is attached to the main island by a bridge. As we drove out of Torshavn, we could see our ship docked far below.
We drove high over a mountain pass, passing towns with distinctly Scandinavian names. Faroese is a variation of Old Norse, like Icelandic.
One of the iconic sights of North Estoy is this sea stack.
Sheep grazed on the steep slopes of North Estoy. I walked up close to get their portraits.
The shepherds built sheep folds on the mountains to protect the sheep in bad weather.
Our guide was a teacher who worked in the tourist industry in the summer. He had grown up on the Faroe Islands and so knew all the details.
The goal of our trip was a small fishing village, where we took a walking tour and then had cake in a cafe. The views out to sea were magnificent.
The town was impossibly picturesque, with bright-colored houses, bright green grass, bright flowers, and rocky cliffs.
We walked up the hill to see the boat ramp that the fishermen built, so they could enter a calm cove and then haul their boats uphill to their houses.
We walked to a viewpoint to see the craggy headland and the holes in the cliff where puffins nest in the summer. A few puffins soared about.
We could also see where the surf crashed on the shores of the village.
As we drove out of town, we passed a memorial to the fishermen lost at sea. There was a statue of a woman holding two children. It reminded us that, in the midst of all this beauty, there had also been tragedy.
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