There is a place, in theNorthern Hemisphere, where summer does not bake the streets, burn your skin, or leave you with that constant craving for shade. A place the hot ( or very hot) season is, on the contrary, a cool caress, a landscape that looks like something out of a Nordic dream, with low clouds chasing each other between green cliffs and steel-gray sea.
This place is the archipelago of the Faroe Islands, and that is where I decided to take refuge, while in the rest of the northern hemisphere summer was becoming the season of excessive heat, sweat, sand and overcrowding.
I was looking for freshness. I found another world. When we think of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, we automatically imagine Greek beaches, scorching art cities, warm beer in a sunny square. But if you draw an arc northward, beyond Scotland, between Iceland and Norway, you realize that there is another kind of summer.
A silent summer, suspended between clouds and damp grass.
The Faroe Islands are eighteen fragments of land lost in the North Atlantic, autonomous but under the Danish crown. It doesn’t get above 15°C (59°F) here in July, and in return you get eighteen hours of daylight. Nature dominates everything: cliffs that seem to be sculpted by wind, waterfalls that fall straight into the ocean, sheep more numerous than the inhabitants.
Walking, in the rain, with a smile
Walking in the Faroes is like moving inside a book of ancient sagas. On the islands of Kalsoy and Mykines, the paths cut through the mountains and reach all the way above the void, where you can sit and watch puffins dive into the churning sea, while the wind scampers your thoughts.
There is no heat to take your breath away, no crowds to take away your space. Only silence, moss, sea and sky.
People look into your eyes. Time as well.
Faroese villages seem to stand still in time. Wooden houses with grassy roofs, colorful porches, boats pulled dry.
The people are reserved, yes, but sincere. In a tiny pub in Tórshavn, Europe’s quietest capital, I was served craft beer brewed with rainwater, and a plate of traditionally smoked lamb: strong flavors, like the land that generates them.
Time here is not measured in hours, but in passing clouds, breathing mountains, and landscapes that change with the rhythm of the sky.
Where to sleep in the Faroe Islands: between grass roofs and ocean views
In the Faroe Islands, the welcome is unobtrusive but warm. You can choose from traditional guesthouses with grass-covered roofs, family-run B&Bs in remote villages, or scenic boutique hotels in Tórshavn.
A popular option is the Gjáargarður Guesthouse in Gjógv, a spectacular village nestled in the mountains, perfect for hiking.
If you want to wake up to the sound of the sea, seek lodging on the more exposed islands, such as Mykines or Vágar-as long as you don’t fear isolation.
Personal tip: Book well in advance, especially between July and August, because facilities are few and far between and in high demand.
How to get to these forgotten but god-kissed islands
Getting there is easier than it sounds: you fly to Vágar, with stopovers from Copenhagen, Edinburgh or Bergen. Then you drive around, through underwater tunnels and scenic roads that take your breath away. Some islands can only be reached by ferry or helicopter, but that’s part of the game here. The isolation is part of the charm.
My advice? Don’t plan too much. In the Faroe Islands, even the weather does its own thing. Let the clouds guide you, the wind, a ray of light that invites you out just when you thought you’d stay home.
The coolest boreal summer ever
Summer travel in the Northern Hemisphere does not have to mean facing the heat. The Faroe Islands are living proof that there is another summer: green, wet, wild, alive.
A summer for those seeking silence, raw beauty, authenticity.
A summer for those who want to rediscover a sense of time.
I did not bring home a tan. But I brought wind in my hair, rain on my face, scenery in my eyes. And the feeling of having experienced a season unlike any other.
Practical information
- When to go: June-August, the days are very long and the temperatures stable (but never high).
- Getting around: rental car recommended. Safe roads, little traffic.
- What to bring: waterproof clothes, hiking shoes, camera. And willingness to discover.
- Official site for making travel arrangements: Visit Faroe Islands
The ideal summer for those who love Elsewhere
If classic summer and summer heat have tired you, if you are looking for freshness not only in climate but also in soul, then the Faroe Islands are the answer.
The Faroe Islands are my secret summer, the one that doesn’t take your energy away but gives it back. And maybe if you go there, you’ll never want to go back.
