What to do on Vágar? If you are travelling to the Faroe Islands for the first time, there is a good chance you will come here anyway. The airport is located on Vágar. But this island is much more than just your arrival point. You will find some of the most famous places in the Faroe Islands here: Múlafossur Waterfall, Bøur, Drangarnir, Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa.
We stayed on Vágar for a few days and actually thought it was an ideal first introduction to the Faroe Islands. You drive short distances, immediately see those rugged coastlines and can combine a surprising amount in one day. Think of a waterfall plunging into the ocean, a boat tour past rock arches and puffins, and a hike to the famous “lake above the ocean”.
In this blog, I will take you along our route on Vágar. Not a dry list of sights, but a practical day route past the places we visited ourselves. Including tips for parking, duration, costs, where to stay and how to combine the route smartly.
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Why Vágar is an ideal first stop
Vágar is one of the most convenient islands for starting your trip through the Faroe Islands. You land here, pick up your rental car and within a short time you can already be standing by a waterfall, a village by the sea or a viewpoint where you would normally expect to have to travel much farther first.
We arrived in the Faroe Islands from Copenhagen. After collecting our luggage and rental car, we drove straight on. And then the Faroe Islands feeling started immediately: rain, wind, green mountains, waterfalls and sheep beside and on the road. Our waterproof clothing was still somewhere at the bottom of the suitcase, so not much later we were standing in a tunnel opening the boot of the car. Not ideal, but immediately a good lesson: take your waterproof clothing out at the airport if it is raining and you are heading straight out.
Our route on Vágar in short
If you have one full day on Vágar, you can use this route as a good starting point. You do not have to follow it in exactly this order, but it gives you a nice mix of short stops, a boat tour and a hike.
- Múlafossur Waterfall: easy stop near Gásadalur, free and only a few minutes’ walk.
- Bøur: small village with views towards Tindhólmur and Drangarnir, located just before Múlafossur.
- Drangarnir boat tour: sailing past cliffs, rock arches, puffins and waterfalls (booking a tour is required).
- Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa: hike to the famous viewpoint where the lake seems to hang above the ocean.
We visited Múlafossur and Bøur on our arrival day. The next day, we did the Drangarnir boat tour in the morning and then the Sørvágsvatn hike afterwards. But if you start early and the weather is on your side, you can also easily plan Múlafossur, Drangarnir and Sørvágsvatn in one full day. We still had to take into account an 8-month-old baby who slowed the pace down a little.
Stop 1: Múlafossur Waterfall near Gásadalur
Múlafossur Waterfall may well be the easiest must-see on Vágar. You park your car, walk around 300 metres and suddenly find yourself at one of the most famous views in the Faroe Islands: a waterfall that drops from a green cliff straight into the Atlantic Ocean.
The great thing about Múlafossur is that it requires hardly any effort. You do not have to buy a ticket, plan a long hike or figure out a difficult route. Park near Gásadalur, walk a short distance and enjoy the view.
We visited Múlafossur on our first day. The weather was not really cooperating, but even with rain and low-hanging clouds, this was a beautiful first stop. Perhaps that grey, rugged weather actually suits this place. You are not here for perfectly clear blue skies, but for green cliffs, wind, water and nature doing its own thing.
Also read our detailed blog about Múlafossur Waterfall on Vágar.
Stop 2: Bøur, the village you will not forget
On the way to Gásadalur, you pass through Bøur. Or, as we now remember it: the only place name a cow can pronounce. Moo-r. Silly, but you will never forget it again.
Bøur is small, but beautifully located. You look out towards Tindhólmur and Drangarnir, two of those typical rock formations that make the coast of Vágar so photogenic. Do not expect a village where you will walk around for hours, but it is nice as a short stop.
We would mainly combine Bøur with Múlafossur. You drive past it anyway and immediately get another perspective on the coast. Apparently, the Danish king sometimes stays here when he is in the Faroe Islands. Does that change your planning? Not really. But it is a fun little fact for the road.
Stop 3: Drangarnir boat tour from Sørvágur
One of the best things we did on Vágar was the Drangarnir boat tour from Sørvágur. Drangarnir is that famous rock formation with the large arch in it, between Vágar and Tindhólmur. You can also hike there, but you are not allowed to do that hike independently just like that and it takes more time.
The boat tour is therefore a nice way to still see Drangarnir up close. You sail past high cliffs, rock formations and, if you are lucky, puffins. We saw them flying all around the rocks. You do have to look carefully, because they are smaller and faster than you think.
For us, the weather was rainy at first, but once we reached the harbour, it cleared up a little. Because you mostly sail between the cliffs and islands, the tour felt surprisingly relaxed. We did not really end up on the open sea. Due to wind force 6, we unfortunately could not sail through the arch, but even without that, we thought the tour was worth it.
If you also want to do this tour, I would book in advance. Especially if you only have a few days in the Faroe Islands, you do not want to miss out. You can book the Drangarnir boat tour from Sørvágur here. Also read our detailed experience with the Drangarnir boat tour in the Faroe Islands.
Extra beautiful: waterfalls from the sea
What we liked about the Drangarnir boat tour is that you see the coast from a completely different perspective. From land, you often look down from a cliff. From the water, you look up against those enormous rock walls.
Along the way, we also saw a waterfall flowing into the sea. Visually, it looks a little like Múlafossur: green cliffs, water falling down and the Atlantic Ocean below. From the sea, you only really see how steep and rugged this side of Vágar is.
Stop 4: Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa hike
After the Drangarnir boat tour, we drove on to Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa. It was around a fifteen-minute drive, so it was very easy to combine. First the Faroe Islands from the water, then from the cliffs. Not a bad day, you could say.
Sørvágsvatn is the largest lake in the Faroe Islands. You will also often come across the name Leitisvatn. It is the same lake, but a different name is used depending on the region. Trælanípa is the high cliff at the end of the lake. From there, you get the famous view where it looks as if the lake is hanging above the ocean.
The hike starts at a spacious car park near Miðvágur. Parking was free for us. At the start, there is a small café / building where you buy your ticket, because you walk across private land. The hike costs 200 Danish kroner per adult. Children up to 15 years old can join for free.
By Faroe Islands standards, we found the walk quite manageable. The path goes up and down a little, but you only really get much elevation gain at the end towards the cliffs. Because of the rain, it was a bit muddy, but the path was well maintained and they were adding fresh gravel in several places.
In the end, we walked around 8 kilometres, because at the junction we went both ways: up to Trælanípa and onwards towards the end of the lake. In total, we spent about two hours on the route, including photo stops.
The view is exactly why you do this hike. The lake seems to hang above the ocean, while the waves crash against the cliffs. You know it is an optical illusion, but that does not make it any less amazing. Celine did not notice much of it, because she slept in the baby carrier for almost the entire walk. Also perfectly fine, after a travel day and boat tour.
Read our full blog about the Sørvágsvatn hike to Trælanípa here.
Can you do this route in one day?
Yes, you can. But it does depend on your pace, the weather and how early you start. If you have one full day on Vágar, this is how we would plan it:
- Morning: Drangarnir boat tour from Sørvágur.
- Afternoon: Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa hike.
- Before or after the hike: Múlafossur and Bøur as short stops.
If you have a little more time, I would divide it more calmly over two days. For example, Múlafossur and Bøur on your arrival day, and Drangarnir + Sørvágsvatn the following day. That is roughly what we did as well, and with a baby it felt much nicer.
What else can you do on Vágar?
Besides these three highlights, there are a few more places you can include if you stay longer on Vágar. Gásadalur itself is small, but beautifully located and nice for a short look around after Múlafossur. Several boat tours depart from Sørvágur, including tours towards Drangarnir and sometimes also towards Mykines. Mykines is especially known for puffins, but depends more strongly on weather, season and boat connections. You need to allow more time for this.
Sandavágur and Miðvágur are also convenient if you want to stay near Sørvágsvatn. Do not expect lively villages, but the location is practical. Always useful if you want to stay flexible because of the weather.
Staying overnight on Vágar
We slept in a boathouse on Vágar. And that feels very fitting for the Faroe Islands. You are close to the airport, Múlafossur, Bøur, Sørvágur and Sørvágsvatn, but still have privacy with a beautiful view.
If you want to do this route, staying overnight on Vágar is really convenient. You do not have to keep driving back and forth from Tórshavn and can adapt your plans to the weather more easily. And believe me: in the Faroe Islands, that is not a luxury, but a necessity.
View accommodation here on Vágar around Sørvágur, Bøur and Múlafossur. Would you rather stay somewhere central for several days in the Faroe Islands? Then Tórshavn is more practical, but for this route you will have to drive a fair distance to Vágar each time.
Practical tips for your day on Vágar
- Keep your waterproof clothing within reach. Not at the bottom of your suitcase, like us on day one.
- Do not plan too tightly. The weather can change within an hour.
- Book the Drangarnir boat tour in advance. Especially if you only have a few days in the Faroe Islands.
- Bring layers for Sørvágsvatn. We walked in late June wearing hats and gloves because of the wind.
- Bring money for Trælanípa. The hike costs 200 DKK per adult.
- Be sensible near cliff edges. The wind can be strong and there are not fences everywhere.
Vágar may well be the best place to start your trip through the Faroe Islands
Not only because you land here, but especially because you see so many different landscapes in a short amount of time.
Múlafossur is easy and iconic. Bøur is small, but beautifully located. Drangarnir lets you experience the coast from the water. And Sørvágsvatn and Trælanípa give you that famous view of the lake above the ocean. Together, they create a very strong first impression of the Faroe Islands.
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