Tórshavn & Surroundings

When visiting the capital, we recommend you check out the following highlights:

• Old Town, which is located around Reyn and Undir Ryggi. Go on a leisurely stroll through this part of town, you will see a number of black-tarred wooden houses with grass roofs.

• Tinganes, the historical part of the city by the harbour and one of the oldest Parliament meeting places in the world. The Viking parliamant began meeting here more than 1200 years ago to discuss matters of national importance. The parliament complex consists of a number of bright red wooden houses, some of them with grass roofs. There are no guards or security controls, you can walk around this area as you please.

• Skansin, the remains of the fort built by the Faroese adventurer Magnus Heinason in 1580. The fort was destroyed by French pirates in 1677 after their rather outrages demands were not fulfilled. According to the offical Faroe Islands Tourism Website, they asked for 100 oxen, 200 sheep, 500 pairs of gloves, 1,200 pairs of stockings and 60 nightshirts. The fort was rebuilt and expanded a few times and used as a mility base by the British Royal Navy during Wold War II. Today, not much remains but there are still a few brass cannons and the Skansin Lighthouse. Also, when you walk up the hill, you will have a good view of the Torshavn port as well as the surrounding islands.