Vágar
Vágar is the third-largest of the 18 Faroe Islands and the practical entry point for all visitors, as it is home to Vágar Airport, the only airport in the islands. The island is also among the most scenically concentrated in the archipelago, with Múlafossur waterfall, the Sørvágsvatn lake hike, the Drangarnir sea arch, and the Trælanípa cliff all within a short drive of each other. A subsea tunnel links Vágar to Streymoy and the capital Tórshavn, about 45 minutes away. The ferry to Mykines departs from the harbour at Sørvágur.
The Faroe Islands' Gateway Island, Packed with the Archipelago's Most Iconic Sights
Vágar is 22 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide, with six inhabited villages. The most visited is Gásadalur on the western coast, an isolated settlement that until 2006 was only reachable on foot over the mountains. A road tunnel now connects it to the rest of the island, and visitors come primarily for Múlafossur, a 30-metre waterfall that drops directly into the Atlantic Ocean with the turf-roofed village as a backdrop. The Drangarnir sea arch, a free-standing basalt arch accessible by a guided boat tour or a permitted guided hike, lies offshore near the charming village of Bøur, which also offers views of the five-peaked Tindhólmur islet. Trøllkonufingur, a 313-metre rock monolith near Sandavágur, takes its name from the folklore legend of a witch who tried to throw the Faroe Islands to Iceland and was turned to stone by the sunrise before she could.
The most well-known hike on Vágar follows the southern shore of Sørvágsvatn, the largest lake in the Faroe Islands, up to the Trælanípa cliff. From the cliff edge, a perspective trick created by the angle of the terrain makes the lake appear to float above the ocean far below. The hike is about 5 kilometres return from the car park at Miðvágur and requires a paid permit. Bøsdalafossur waterfall flows from the far end of the lake directly into the sea. A separate hike to Dunnesdrangar, a pair of dramatic sea stacks on the northern coast, is available by guided tour only. The island is also the departure point for the ferry to Mykines, the westernmost Faroe island and one of the best places in the world to see Atlantic puffins at close range during summer.
Vágar Airport connects the Faroe Islands to Copenhagen, Reykjavik, Edinburgh, and several other European cities. A bus service runs between the airport and Tórshavn to coincide with most flights. The Vágatunnilin subsea tunnel links the island to Streymoy, and the drive to Tórshavn takes about 45 minutes. Cars rented at the airport come with a chip that records tunnel usage, with fees invoiced on return. Most visitors to the Faroe Islands spend at least one or two nights on Vágar before or after exploring the other islands.
