Emma Brode’s Field Notes from the Faroe Islands
Courtesy of Emma
Field Notes are firsthand travel recommendations for and by our ECT Clubhouse members. Get the lowdown on destinations across the globe from travelers and locals alike. This week, Emma Brode, El Camino copywriter, shares her highlights from the Faroe Islands.
Emma here from El Camino Travel! Super excited to share my notes from a trip to the Faroe Islands. For those of you who have never heard of the Faroe Islands, they’re a group of 18 volcanic islands between Iceland and Norway in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. It’s an autonomous territory of Denmark and each island is connected to the others by road tunnels, ferries, and bridges. Birdwatchers will love exploring the coastal cliffs that are home to thousands of seabirds—including puffins—while hikers and photographers will be drawn to the island’s steep mountains, rugged cliffs, and incredible waterfalls.
Courtesy of Emma
Eat
Ræst - I had the most memorable meal of my trip at Ræst, an intimate Tórshavn restaurant where you can try Faroese cuisine, including food like fish and lamb that’s preserved using traditional fermenting methods. The word “ræst” actually refers to this fermentation technique, which historically was the only way to sustain food sources throughout the harsh winters on the Faroe Islands. On the menu—which is only offered through a changing daily tasting menu—you can expect dishes like fermented local fish, pilot whale, and wild birds, as well as local vegetables like potatoes and roots, foraged seaweed, and Faroese shellfish like sea urchin and langoustine.
Stay
Hotel Føroyar - I booked 5 nights at Hotel Føroyar, a traditional grass-roof hotel on the outskirts of the capital Tórshavn, and spent the days driving around different islands photographing the landscape and trying local foods and beer.
Do
Hiking among puffins at Mykines: Hiking the puffin trail on this island was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done in my life! Mykines is a remote island that’s only accessible via a small ferry boat from neighboring Vágar Island (note that the ferry service is weather-dependent and can be canceled at any time so it’s best to book tickets early in your trip and be flexible!)
Also included in her notes: pro travel tips and a village that she recommends day-tripping to for its “breathtaking views.”
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