Enjoy an unforgettable road trip through Vágar Island’s dramatic landscapes. This Faroese gem offers breathtaking natural wonders for a perfect day trip.
Our 1-day itinerary showcases the island’s must-see attractions, from the cascading Múlafossur Waterfalls to Sorvágsvatn, known as “The Lake Above the Ocean.”
Experience the beauty of the Faroese countryside on this compact island.
Table of Contents
Vágar Island Itinerary
Our itinerary below sets out the road trip from west to east, as we discovered the island.
- See the iconic Múlafossur Waterfall and the nearby village of Gásadalur.
- Explore the charming village of Bøur and photograph its turf-roofed houses.
- Stop for lunch in Sørvágur or Miðvágur, Vágar’s largest towns.
- Experience breathtaking views as you hike the Sorvágsvatn Trail, along The Lake Above the Ocean.
- End your day on the Witches Finger Trail to see the Trøllkonufingur sea stack.
- If you have an additional day, take a boat trip to Mykines Island to see adorable puffins.
Vágar Island Map
Vágar is the third largest of the Faroe Islands and has 6 populated villages.
We’ve got the best places for you to visit on Vágar, starting with the dramatic Múlafossur Waterfall on the west coast.
Múlafossur Waterfall
One of the most photographed spots on the Faroe Islands is Múlafossur Waterfall. It plunges over 30 metres directly into the Atlantic Ocean. Enjoy a short, easy walk to the viewpoint for an epic view.
The tiny village of Gásadalur, sitting in the stunning green valley, is the perfect backdrop to the falls.
Gásadalur
The village of Gásadalur is on the edge of Mykinesfjørður, surrounded by some of the highest mountains on Vágar.
With the opening of the road tunnel in 2006, residents could finally reach their tiny valley village by road and so could tourists. Up to that time, it was a strenuous hike from nearby Bøur or a helicopter ride. The postman walked the mail in twice a week. Today, you can hike the challenging Postman’s Route, 2.8 kilometres one-way, between Bøur and Gásadalur. The trailhead is in the valley west of Bøur and about a kilometre to the left (south) of the tunnel entrance.
Viewpoints of Tindhólmur and the Drangarnir Sea Stacks
Travelling east from Gásadalur, the small pull-off along the road, just after passing through the tunnel, is a good stop for views of Tindhólmur and the Drangarnir Sea Stacks.
Tindhólmur, an uninhabited islet, is known for its five distinctively-shaped peaks and rich birdlife. Its dramatic cliffs and unique shape interests nature lovers and adventurers alike. It is home to many seabirds, including puffins during the summer months.
The Drangarnir Sea Stacks are two rock pillars. The translation of drangur is “sea stack”.
Any hikes on either Tindhólmur or Drangarnir must be with an official guide and are considered challenging.
An easier way to view these dramatic features is to book a boat tour from Sørvágur.
Bøur
The picturesque, coastal village of Bøur is mentioned in writing as early as 1350 AD. The narrow lanes showcase traditional wooden houses with turf roofs. The village’s setting, surrounded by rolling hills and the wild Atlantic, provides excellent photo opportunities.
In the heart of the village, the Bøur Church is a beautiful example of traditional Faroese church architecture. This wooden church was built in 1865. Admire the beautifully crafted, cast iron, altarpiece. It is believed that this church was built on the foundations of an earlier one.
From most places in the village the view of Tindhólmur and the Drangarnir sea stacks is stunning but the unobstructed view from the dock is exceptional.
Just up from the dock, the 1861 storage house, Pakkhúsið í Bø, is used for social events and sometimes operates as a restaurant. It was built by Zacharias Heinesen, the first merchant in Bøur.
About 1.3 kilometres east of the village is the parking area for the relatively unknown hike to Vatnsdalsvatn Lake. With more time, climb 275-metres up the mountain to this amazing heart-shaped lake. It is the third largest lake on Vágar. Enjoy the panoramic view of the west coast including Tindhólmur and Mykines Island. The hike is approximately 3-km out-and-back and takes 1.5 hours to complete.
Continue east along Vágar’s southern coast to Sørvágur.
Sørvágur
With a mix of traditional and modern elements, Sørvágur has become the hub for island transportation.
It is home to most visitors’ first view of the Faroes, Vágar Airport, the only airport on the islands.
Sørvágur’s picturesque port is the departure point for both private boat tours and the public ferry to Mykines Island. Mykines is a favourite destination of bird enthusiasts.
If you are in the village at low tide, check out the waterfront which is at the head of a narrow fjord. The large tidal range here (1.8 to 2.5 metres) creates one of the largest stretches of sand in the Faroe Islands. Be careful, the sandy beach area disappears completely at high tide.
World War II buffs won’t want to miss the Faroe Islands War Museum in a WWII bunker. Located opposite the airport, the museum exhibits showcase the islands’ role in the North Atlantic during WWII. The Faroes played host to a strategic office of both the British Royal Air Force and Royal Navy.
As you leave Sørvágur, the tiny village of Vatnsoyrar sits at the top of Sorvágsvatn Lake. The first people built homes here in 1921. It is one of the newest villages in the Faroes and the only one which is not on an ocean coastline. During WWII, it was used as a British Army base.
Keep an eye out for the wire sculpture of the Nix as a horse on the northwest shore of Sorvágsvatn Lake. Faroese folklore tells that the Nix lives deep in the lake but appears on land as a beautiful, tame horse luring people to pet it. But once they touch its tail, the victim is permanently attached to the Nix and dragged back to the Nix’ home at the bottom of the lake. If the Nix hears its name called, it loses its enchanting powers and its victim is freed. Stories like this are found throughout Faroese culture.
Miðvágur
The word Miðvágur, which means “middle bay”, perfectly describes the village’s location on the southern coast of Vágar. See its colourful houses with their turf roofs. Its history dates back to the Vikings who first arrived in the Faroes in the 9th century.
One of the island’s best known hikes begins in the hills south of the village.
Sorvágsvatn Lake Hiking Trail
Enjoy this hike above Sørvágsvatn Lake to Trælanípa and the Bøsdalafossur Waterfall. Its dramatic setting makes it a must for anyone exploring the Faroe Islands and especially nature lovers.
The hike isn’t too strenuous and is accessible for most visitors, though there are some uneven spots and rainy conditions may make the trail slippery.
A fee is charged to hike the trail. We paid 200kr each for this roughly 2.5 hour/7 km-long hike.
Why do we recommend this hike? The views are incredible.
Sorvágsvatn (Lake Above the Ocean)
The trail parallels the shore of Sørvágsvatn Lake, also known as Leitisvatn, the largest lake in the Faroe Islands. Views along the lake are spectacular.
The lake is famous for appearing to be suspended above the ocean when viewed from certain angles, particularly from the Trælanípa cliff viewpoint. The lake’s elevation versus the surrounding cliffs makes it seem as if the lake is hanging above the sea. The lake sits about 30 metres above sea level.
The hike to the viewpoint takes 45 minutes to 1 hour (one way).
Trælanípa Cliff (Slave Cliff)
Trælanípa cliff is breathtaking, rising 140+ metres above the Atlantic Ocean. Legend suggests that when Viking slaves were disobedient they were pushed off this cliff into the ocean far below, leading to its name, Slave Cliff.
The trail splits at Trælanípa viewpoint. We took the left fork up to the top of the headland. The view back to Lake Sørvágsvatn is impressive. The right fork is the return path from the Bøsdalafossur waterfall.
To reach the waterfall, we hiked along the top of the headland then down to a cliff above the waterfall.
Bøsdalafossur Waterfall
The waters of Sørvágsvatn Lake fall over the cliffs at the lake’s western end in a powerful waterfall into the Atlantic Ocean. The area around Bøsdalafossur Waterfall is a great spot for bird watching, with lots of seabirds nesting in the nearby cliffs. The view of the waterfall, the ocean, and the surrounding landscape, including several sea stacks, is a highlight of the hike. Be sure to grab a photo!
Return to the Trælanípa cliff viewpoint by the well-worn path midway up the hillside. While remnants of a trail along the lakeshore are visible, it was closed in recent years to protect bird-nesting sites. From the cliff viewpoint, trace your steps to the trailhead and the parking lot.
Sandavágur
In the village of Sandavágur ruins have been discovered from the Middle Ages, including a runestone found in a field near the village in 1917. The stone is kept inside the church.
The Sandavágur Church, with its red roof and tower, is eye-catching and distinctive. The tower has two levels; the lower has 4 sides while the upper has 8. It was built between 1914 and 1917 and is the oldest church that was both designed and built by Faroe islanders. The church’s beautiful interior has seven paintings and an altarpiece estimated to be around 150 years old. Records suggest there have been at least six churches on this site over the last 300 years.
Two monuments nearby memorialize important Faroese people. There is a bust of Jens Pauli Heinesen, a writer from Sandavágur and one of the Faroes’ most important novelists. The second celebrates V.U. Hammershaimb, who is credited with the survival of the Faroese written language.
Visit Fiskastykkið – Úti á Gjógv, a beautiful café in Sandavágur serving local favourites. The café is in an old warehouse, or pakkhusini, of the area’s fishing industry. These were used over a century ago by area families who processed cod for export to the Mediterranean. The stone-paved ground nearby was used to dry out the salted cod. Faroese salted cod continues to be exported worldwide. In countries such as Spain, the words Bacalao Faroe refer to the great quality and first-class salted fish of the Faroes.
End your day with a leisurely hike to see Trøllkonufingur.
Trøllkonufingur – Witch’s Finger Trail
Park in the parking lot at the end of Traðarvegur Street and enjoy the short hike, about 3 kilometres long. This hike is considered easy and accessible for most people. We walked it in under an hour.
The views of the surrounding landscape are worth the walk. The trail ends with a stunning view of the thin sea stack Trøllkonufingur, which extends 313 metres above the ocean waves. It’s shaped like a crooked finger. This hike is popular with photographers, who recommend visiting in the late afternoon for the best light.
From Faroese folklore, the Trøllkonufingur is a witch’s finger turned to stone. The story is told that a witch arrived on the Faroe Islands intending to throw the islands north to Iceland. As she approached Vágar, the rising sun turned her to stone and she fell into the water, face down. Her pointy finger and the back of her head remained above the water and are the sea stack Trøllkonufingur and the island Koltur.
Mykines Island – Puffins
If you have an additional day in the Vágar region, a visit to Mykines island may be an option.
Mykines is known for breathtaking landscapes and its thriving puffin colony. The island is home to thousands of Atlantic puffins who return to the island each summer to breed, making it popular with birdwatchers and nature enthusiasts alike.
Puffins can be seen on the island’s grassy slopes typically from May to August. By September, most of the puffins have left.
For tourists, the ferry from Sørvágur (Vágar Island) to Mykines is available from May to the end of August. Book early as spaces can fill up quickly during peak puffin-watching season. The ferry trip takes about 45 minutes each way. Also watch for possible trip cancellations due to rough weather.
Additional Fee: Access to view the puffins or hike is controlled by locals in the village of Mykines. Be aware that, once you arrive on the island, you will pay another fee. Upon payment of the fee, a local guide provides an introduction and takes you to a puffin viewing area. After that, you are free to roam on your own.
These charming birds can be seen along the trails, especially near the footbridge to the islet Mykineshólmur, where puffin burrows are abundant. Mykines is also an important nesting area for other seabirds. This is the only island in the Faroes where gannets come to nest every summer.
The island’s rugged cliffs and green hills offer stunning views and excellent hiking options, including hiking to Mykines’ highest point, Knúkur.
In the past it was possible to hike to the Mykines Hólmur Lighthouse on the extreme west end of Mykineshólmur. Unfortunately, the path to the lighthouse is now closed, due to a landslide. There is no indication that it will ever be re-opened.
In the village, enjoy a coffee or a bowl of soup in the café. Other interesting stops before your ferry ride back are the Memorial Monument and the Mykines Church which dates from 1878.
We did not visit Mykines Island since our visit to the Faroe Islands was in September with little chance to see puffins. We had been lucky and managed to see puffins while in Iceland.
Explore Our Complete Faroe Islands Itinerary
Exploring Vágar Island is just one part of an unforgettable Faroe Islands adventure. Discover our complete series of detailed guides to help you plan your perfect 5-day trip:
Main Article: 5 Days in the Faroe Islands
Day 1: Tórshavn – Explore the capital city
Day 2: Vágar Island – You’re reading this guide now!
Day 3: Streymoy Island – Historic villages and dramatic cliffs
Day 4: Eysturoy, Kalsoy and the Northern Islands – Unforgettable nature and legends
Day 5: Suðuroy Island – The less travelled southern gem
