Culture Trip’s Guide to the Faroe Islands

The 62°N Guesthouse, just steps from the ferry terminal, plunges you into the heart of Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands. While its sun-yellow exterior ensures you’ll have no trouble finding it, the inside is stripped back with gold-framed art and dark-blue accents adding a subtle splash of colour. The bright rooms are budget-friendly crash pads, ranging from twins with shared bathrooms to singles with a private bathroom, so you can save your pennies for frothy coffees and reading material from Paname Café and its adjoining bookstore, just a short amble away.

Hotel Hafnia, built in the 1950s, is a patchwork of styles picked up over the years. Polished mahogany desks, yellow retro chairs and metallic pebble-like lampshades are found in most rooms, while in the lobby, sheepskin rugs, potted cacti and ’60s-style furniture give off a Mad-Men-in-the-desert vibe. There are more contemporary rooms if you prefer – the minimalist Nordic double has a giant mural of puffins (regular visitors to the Faroe Islands). Alternatively, if you’re after something more indulgent, suites come with Jacuzzis and picture-perfect views across Tórshavn.

Hotel Føroyar, just a few kilometres from Tórshavn, has turfed roofs and low, stretched-out architecture that resembles natural pleats of rock jutting from the hillside. Giant windows provide views of sheep-speckled fields or the city and wild Atlantic beyond. If you’re feeling active, there are a handful of hiking trails nearby that wind through the blustery countryside, or you can avoid the coastal winds by working out in the state-of-the-art fitness centre. In the evenings, unwind in capacious rooms decorated in soothing neutral tones, or pull up a seat at the hotel’s on-site restaurant and tuck into fresh seafood dishes.