“Go as far as you can see; when you get there, you’ll be able to see farther.” — Thomas Carlyle

Named after Nordic mythology’s God of thunder and lightning, Thorshavn’s (meaning Thor’s Harbor) origins can be found on the Tinganes peninsula. Few people lived here, but the central location on Streymoy, the largest of the Faroe Islands, made it an ideal spot for the Vikings’ annual “thing” meeting. From around 850AD, the largest landowners met in a legal and political decision-making assembly called the Althing, or parliament. After the Viking era ended in 1035, the peninsula evolved into a marketplace and then a permanent medieval place of trade connected to Bergen, Norway from where cargoes of salt, timber, and grain arrived every summer.

Regular contact with the outside world and the arrival of governmental emissaries who made Thorshavn their home saw the town develop as a port rather than as a peasant society, as was the case on the other seventeen islands. Yet, the population grew very slowly during the town’s first 900 years, and only in the 20th century did Thorshavn’s population exceed 1000 residents. This present-day cultural and economic center of the island group is home to 19,000 people and has spread its newer suburbs up to the surrounding hillsides. The Faroese simply call their small capital Havn: “the harbor”.

Despite its size, Thorshavn has much to offer the traveler from afar. On the Tinganes peninsula, the charming ancient red wooden buildings retain their function as offices for the self-rule government, such as for the Lagmand (First Minister) and several ministries. The adjacent hilltop neighborhood of Reyn is the city’s oldest, where residents live in extraordinarily picturesque homes with green-turfed roofs. It’s here, in historic buildings, where Thorshavn’s not-to-be-missed new Nordic food scene flourishes.

The peninsula divides the harbor from another inlet, where a ferry service to Denmark departs and arrives under the watch of the old fortress Skansin. Erected in 1580 to prevent pirate raids, it served 300 years before its decommissioning made way for the still-working lighthouse that provides views from a walkway over the town, port, and the neighboring island. Nearby, the white-washed 1788 Thorshavn Cathedral, Havnar Kirkja, is small yet worth a visit for the intricately painted Renaissance altarpiece.

At the harbor front, the former Öström factory showcases all types of Faroese design, including glass, ceramic, and woven art. The adjoining exhibition hall, with an old printing press upstairs, attests to a long graphic arts tradition in Torshavn. A walk up the hill into town leads past the sleek, modern Lagting parliament building and a lovely little park to the pedestrian street, lined with small shops and anchored by a delightful fountain. Further on through a newer neighborhood lies the surprising Vidarlundin, a tranquil woodland park whose name aptly means little forest. At the far end, a path leads to the National Gallery of Art “Listavavn Føroya” which houses a permanent collection of local paintings from the 1800s to the present, divided into captivating categories: the ocean, wool and knitting, rocks, landscape, and graphics. Just out of town but within walking distance, the beautiful Nordic House Cultural Center has an amphitheater for concerts and exhibition space. The blackened wood and glass structure with a grass-covered roof is meant to resemble an enchanting hill of elves.

Don’t Miss:

A stroll around the ancient government quarter to admire the bright red buildings.

Serendipity:

Finding the way- When wanting to hike over a hill ridge in thick fog, luckily meeting a guide who helps download an app to show the way.

Lunch Tip:

Restaurant Katrina Christiansen, in a historic house, for tapas of fish and other traditional Faeroese fare as new Nordic cuisine.

Bedtime:

Hotel Brandam, about 1.6km (1 mile) uphill from the harbor, for modern Scandinavian style with a relaxing vibe and excellent food.

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*All photographs are mine, taken with my Nikon D3100 or iPhone 12 Pro.*