Around 200 miles from Scotland, you will find a group of 18 islands featuring dramatic landscapes, roaming sheep — and four subsea tunnels including the world’s only underwater roundabout
A beautiful destination features wild and unpredictable weather, but also an unlikely tourist attraction of an underwater roundabout and tunnels connecting the islands.
The Faroe Islands are often characterised by strong winds, with thick fog that settles as a blanket across the landscape. But underneath the islands it is much calmer. Down, under the drink, there are numerous tunnels connecting the landmasses. In fact, there are 21 tunnels across the Faroe Islands —17 on land and four subsea, including one that is the world’s only subsea tunnel with a roundabout that is underwater.
Despite being closer to Scotland (200 miles), the islands are actually a self-governing island nation within the Kingdom of Denmark. “Though we are 18 islands, we often joke that (because of the tunnels) we defy the fact that we are islands,” Súsanna Sørensen, marketing manager of Visit Faroe Islands said, reports CNN.
The latest two subsea tunnels have become a main attraction for visitors to the islands. “These are our Eiffel Tower or Big Ben, with people, especially tourists, driving through them just to see the art,” commented Teitur Samuelsen, CEO of Eystur-og Sandoyartunlar, the company operating the tunnels.
Over 6,000 vehicles travel through the nearly seven-mile long subsea tunnel which connects Streymoy — the largest of the Faroe islands — and Tórshavn — one of the world’s smallest capitals — with Eysturoy, the archipelago’s next biggest island. The Eysturoy Tunnel opened in 2020, after taking four years to complete. It dramatically cut the time travelling between the Faroe Islands capital on Streymoy, and the neighbouring island Eysturoy, from about 60 minutes to about 15 minutes.
At its deepest point, the tunnel is around 187 metres below sea level.
The tunnel also features a sculptural roundabout with shifting colours, which has been nicknamed ‘the jellyfish’ and has become somewhat of a tourist attractions. According to locals, many visitors will take several turns around the roundabout to take it in properly.
The roundabout features a central column, which is natural basalt before routes branch off towards Strendur and Rókin, located on either side of a fjord on Eysturoy. The central column features colourful clouds and at the base has a steel sculpture. The Eysturoy Tunnel is not the only amazing subsea tunnel connecting the islands.
Since the end of 2023, Streymoy and Sandoy have been connected by the latest subsea tunnel — the Sandoy Tunnel. The tunnel experiences about 1,000 vehicles a day, through its six-and-a-half mile stretch, that is around 155 metres below the North Atlantic. This tunnel also features an array of artwork as travellers drive through it.
Away from the subsea tunnels the Faroe Islands have a lot to offer. The islands are home to thousands of sheep, known to rule the roads, dramatic landscapes with cascading waterfalls and historic walking routes and several sights of historical or cultural significance. If travelling from the UK, you can get a flight from Edinburgh or Aberdeen. Alternatively, if you want to tie two trips into one, you could head to Copenhagen for a few days, the fly from there to the Faroe Islands.
