Tórshavn

Tórshavn is one of the smallest capitals in the world, built around a sheltered harbour on the island of Streymoy. The old town, Tinganes, is a cluster of red-painted wooden buildings with turf roofs on a narrow peninsula. It has served as the seat of the Faroese parliament since the Viking age. The harbour area has a few shops, restaurants, and a surprisingly good Nordic kitchen scene for a town this size. The landscape around Tórshavn is open and treeless, with grass-covered hillsides dropping to the sea. Hiking trails leave directly from the edge of town. Boat trips run to the sea stacks at Vestmanna and to the smaller islands, where seabird colonies cover the cliff faces. Faroese lamb, dried and wind-aged, is the traditional protein. Fish, including fermented dishes, appears at most meals. The currency is the Danish krone, and Faroese and Danish are both spoken. English works fine with locals.