If the thought of a staycation leaves you cold, why not travel to the captivating Faroe Islands? From 1 July, fly direct from Edinburgh with Atlantic Airways in just 1 hr 25 minutes.
This remote archipelago – located midway between Iceland and Norway, north of Scotland – is the perfect place to get away from the crowds, with a population across its 18 islands of just 50,000, plus 80,000 sheep. Visitors can enjoy a host of outdoor activities – hiking, birdwatching, fishing and adventure sports – alongside a vibrant food scene (including Michelin-starred restaurant KOKS), an exciting programme of summer music festivals and the chance to buy one of Sarah Lund’s iconic wool jumpers at designer store Guðrun & Guðrun.
The Faroe Islands has been on the UK’s Green List since 17 May but, with UK travellers having to transit via Denmark, restrictions there have meant that only travellers with a ‘special worthy purpose’ could actually go.
Now, thankfully, Denmark has eased travel restrictions for fully-vaccinated people from OECD countries (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), which includes the UK.
Fully vaccinated travellers from the UK are now allowed to enter the Faroe Islands without the need to quarantine. All visitors still have to be tested on arrival at the airport (at a cost of £36) and should self-isolate until they have received the result (usually within half a day), with a follow-up test to be taken on the fourth day of their stay. Travellers are asked to be careful and keep a social distance from people they meet until they have the result of the fourth day test. Travellers are still allowed to go hiking, explore the islands in their car and enjoy outside space as well as indoor activities such as visiting restaurants.
The moment you land on the Faroe Islands, you are transported to an ethereal environment, surrounded by incredible scenery and dramatic landscapes, from stunning waterfalls and rugged cliffs to quaint grass-roofed houses and spectacular coastlines.
For more Faroe Islands travel inspiration, read Mark Bibby Jackson’s Faroe Islands Holiday: Sound of Silence.
Fly direct from Edinburgh to Vágar Island from £308 pp return. Flights operate twice-weekly (Mondays and Thursdays) from 1 July to December 2021. Visit www.atlantic.fo for further information. To learn more about the Faroe Islands, visit www.visitfaroeislands.com.
