Not to miss

Mykines Island

Mykines village is Mykines Island's single village, and it's a beautiful little place with bright houses with turf roofs. With only 18 inhabitants there's not a great deal to see, but the countryside around is ideal for walking with lovely views and a calm air.

Lundaland ('the land of puffins') is on Mykineshólmur, an islet connected to the main island by a footbridge over a 24m (115ft) deep gorge called Hólmgjógv. The walk is one of the best in the Faroes, with magnificent scenery and some of the world's densest bird colonies. If you have more than a few hours, it's worthwhile climbing to the island's summit, the 560m (1837ft) Knúkur, for the fantastic views, or visiting Steinskógurin ('the Stone Forest') near the northern coast at Korkadalur. East of Knúkur, the terrain becomes precipitous and the walk to the eastern end of the island is treacherous.

Kalsoy

Kalsoy is possibly the most rugged of any of the Faroes, and the hiking is excellent. The western coast consists only of steep cliffs, and there are four small settlements on the eastern slopes: Syðradalur, Húsar, Mikladalur and Trøllanes, with a combined population of around 130.

The villages are connected by a series of tunnels, and because so many holes have been carved through it the island is whimsically known as 'the flute'. It is possible to walk from the ferry landings at Syðradalur or Húsar to Trøllanes, through unlit tunnels.

Walking through the cold, damp darkness in the heart of a mountain is an eerie experience - bring a flashlight. Another excellent walk from Trøllanes goes to the Kallur Lighthouse on the northern tip of the island. On the cape you have a good chance of seeing puffins, and a natural sea arch under the northern tip of the island gives great views of cliffs and a deep blue cove sheltering in the rocks below. On a clear day you can see all the way to the Risin og Kellingin sea stacks at the northern end of Eysturoy.

Christianskirkja

Klaksvík's most interesting site is Christianskirkja, a church with a 4000-year-old sacrificial bowl from a pagan temple as a baptismal font. The gables are reminiscent of early Viking halls, the stone walls call to mind those of St Magnus' Cathedral in Kirkjubøur and the design of the gable windows was inspired by those of Faroese boathouses.

Vestmanna Bird Cliffs

The magnificent boat tours to the wild Vestmanna bird cliffs of northwestern Streymoy are probably the highlight of a visit to the Faroe Islands. When the weather's fine, you sail from Vestmanna along the west coast of Streymoy to towering cliffs and sea stacks that teem with fulmars, kittiwakes, guillemots, razorbills and, occasionally, puffins.

Føroya Fornminissavn

The excellent Føroya Fornminnissavn (Historical Museum) is split between two sites in the Hoyvík suburb, 3km(1.86mi) north of central Tórshavn. The main site (Brekkutún 6) beautifully displays Faroese artefacts from the Viking Age to the 19th-century with helpfully illustrative photos and notes.

In the downstairs treasure room, the 15th-century Kirkjubøur pew-ends include a much-photographed carving of the Virgin Mary meeting Elisabeth (mother of John the Baptist).

At a wonderfully peaceful second site (Kúrdalsvegur) is a superbly preserved 1920s farmstead complete with bell telephone, chuntering grandfather clock, and a full set of turf-roofed outhouses. It's all the more delightful due to its bucolic setting on a low grassy bluff lush with juicy marsh marigolds.