Faroe Islands holidays

The island group of Faroe Islands lies between the Norwegian Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, about one-half of the way from Iceland to Norway. The archipelago consists of 18 islands, of which 17 are inhabited, tied together by roads tunnels, ships and helicopters.

The Faroe Islanders are descended from Vikings who set sail from Scandinavia more than eleven centuries ago in search of new lands which were known to lie to the west. Irish monks are believed to have lived in the islands before this time, but understandably fled when the North Sea brigands turned up in their longships. In 1035 the Faroe Islands were annexed by the Kingdom of Norway, which subsequently ended up under Danish rule in 1380. Today the Faroe Islands are a self-governing territory under the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Denmark. Faroese is the national language, rooted in Old Norse. Nordic languages are understood by most Faroese, and English is also widely spoken.

The climate in the Faroe Islands is an experience in itself. In this changeable weather you can experience all fours seasons within the hour. There is little fluctuation between winter and summer temperatures because of the Gulf Stream. The average temperature for the coldest and warmest month is 3°C and 11°C, respectively. The surrounding sea is ice free all year round, and the sea temperature fluctuates between 5°C and 10°C. The shortest day is 5 hours and the longest is 19½ hours.

National Geographic Traveler has chosen the Faroe Islands as the most appealing and fascinating destination in the world, from a specially selected list of 111 islands societies.