Sandoy
Sandoy is one of the southern islands of the Faroe Islands, connected to the capital Tórshavn by the Sandoyartunnilin, a 10.8-kilometre sub-sea tunnel that opened in December 2023 and replaced what was previously a 30-minute ferry crossing. The island's name means Sand Island, and true to its name it has some of the only proper sandy beaches in the archipelago, a rarity in the Faroes where most coastline is rock and cliff. Its largest settlement is Sandur, a Viking-age village with a historic church and views over the sandy bay of Sandsvatn. The island is considerably quieter than the more visited parts of the Faroe Islands and rewards those who explore it with empty roads, genuine villages, and a pace that feels entirely removed from tourist circuits.
One of the Faroe Islands' Quieter Gems, with Sandy Beaches, Seal Coves and a Remarkable Sub-Sea Tunnel
The journey to Sandoy is itself part of the experience. The Sandoyartunnilin, which opened on 21 December 2023, runs 10.8 kilometres beneath the North Atlantic from Streymoy to Sandoy and is lined with large-scale cave art by Faroese artist Edward Fuglø, depicting scenes from Faroese history and legend on the tunnel walls. The crossing takes around ten minutes by car and transformed what was a weather-dependent ferry service into an all-conditions road connection, effectively bringing Sandoy into the connected road network of the central Faroe Islands for the first time. Emerging from the tunnel into the wide valley of Sandoy feels like surfacing into a different, quieter version of the archipelago.
The island has a character noticeably different from the dramatic cliff scenery of the northern Faroe Islands. The landscape is more open and gently rolling, with green hillsides, lakes, and the sandy lowlands around Sandur that give the island its name. Sandur itself is one of the oldest settlements in the Faroe Islands, with Viking-age roots, and in 1863 a hoard of 98 silver coins dating to around 1000 AD was unearthed in the churchyard here, now known as the Sandur Hoard. The sheltered cove of Søltuvík on the west coast regularly has seals hauled out on its seaweed-covered beach, and a stone memorial near the shore marks the 1895 wreck of a steamer in which all crew but one were lost. The hamlet of Skarvanes, the island's smallest settlement, sits on a coastal promontory and was the birthplace of Dírikur av Skarvanesi, considered the first artist of the Faroe Islands. The Listasavnið á Sandi art museum in Sandur holds a century of Faroese art including works by the revered painter Sámal Joensen-Mikines.
Sandoy is best explored by car, which allows you to cover all the island's villages and viewpoints in a full day. The hike from Skopun to Líraberg Cliff on the island's rugged western edge takes two to three hours return and gives wide views over the Atlantic. The island has a hotel on the east coast and a small number of other accommodation options for those wanting to stay overnight. From Tórshavn the drive to the tunnel entrance and across to Sandur takes around 30 to 40 minutes. The island is a natural addition to any Faroe Islands itinerary that includes a day or two based in Tórshavn.
