Wednesday, December 3, 2008

What To Do When On Holiday In The Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands, or Sheep islands are they are commonly referred to, are located in Europe. To be more precise, they are situated between the North Atlantic Ocean and the Norwegian Sea. They are growing in popularity with tourists looking for a peaceful relaxing holiday.

They are a province belonging to Denmark, and so they speak primarily Danish or Faroese. It is only off late that these Islands have become popular and people are getting curious to know more about them, which has been a good boost for their travel industry.

When you are planning a trip to these islands you should try and visit Kirkjubour. This was a famous house during medieval times and today it is visited by many tourists.

There are a few hundred stone and chalet houses located around this area. One of them, the St Olav's Church was built in 1111 as a memory to the king. There are also several ruins of the Magnus Cathedral behind this, which are hidden and undiscovered, making it a must see place for curious tourist.

Foroya Fornminissavn is a tongue twisting name for the National museum. Foroya Fornminissavn, is divided into two sites, each with its share of monuments and artifacts.

The main site of Brekkutun is full of artifacts of the Faroe Islands used during the Viking period. Some date back to the 19th century. In the treasure room, there is the famous carving of Virgin Mary meeting the mother of John the Baptist, Elisabeth.

The second site is very quiet and peaceful, Kurdalsegur has all the gadgets and historical pieces, like the bell phone and the grandfather clock. There are also some exquisite turf roofed outhouses in this section of the museum.

The Vestmanna Bird Cliffs are another popular place with tourists on holiday to this enchanting place. It is said that the one thing that everyone passing through the Faroe Islands looks forward to is the boat ride to Vestmanna Bird Cliffs.

The boat ride through the lake and trees, into the wild bird sanctuary of the north western Streymoy will have you in awe. You can also see the towering tall cliffs and the sea enveloping it from all sides. Birds of varied species can be spotted here, a treat for bird lovers and watchers.

Since the Faroe Islands are surrounded by water, fishing is a primary occupation for many, even today. If you were to visit the town of Torshavn, you would spot the colourful boats, all waiting to sail into the sea, with eager fisherman on board. While you are here, you can do some shopping at Sirri for you and your family.

Apart from the usual walking and hiking you can take a tour around the sea shore. This will give you a view of how broad and beautiful the ocean is. Many tourists now return year after year to the Faroe Islands drawn back here by the natural beauty of the place and the warm and friendly locals.

Andrew Gibson is MD of http://www.Directholidaybookings.co.uk.They are one of the largest holiday home websites with a selection of holiday villas and self catering holiday apartments to rent all over the world.

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