Faroese island village near Tórshavn, known for storm petrel colonies and ridge walks to Borðan lighthouse.
Nólsoy is both an island and its principal settlement, easily reached by ferry from Tórshavn. The crossing takes about 20 minutes and drops you in a small village with a church, a shop, a cafe, and an arch made from the jawbones of a whale.
The island holds one of the world's largest storm petrel colonies, with some 50,000 pairs nesting in burrows on the eastern hillside. Seeing them requires an overnight stay — the birds return to their burrows only after dark, to avoid the skuas that hunt them in daylight. A walk to the southern tip along the ridge trail leads to the Borðan lighthouse in about five hours return — proper mountain walking, with views that take in most of the southern archipelago. For a shorter visit, head for the viewpoint on the lower hillside above the village.
Guide
Getting There
Nólsoy is reached by ferry from Tórshavn's main harbour. The crossing takes about 20 minutes and the ferry runs several times a day — check the Strandfaraskip Landsins website for the current schedule, which varies by season. The last ferry back to Tórshavn is typically in the evening, which means day visitors have only a limited window on the island. If you want to see the storm petrel colony (which you do), you need to stay overnight.
The ferry is the only way to reach Nólsoy; there is no bridge or road connection to the main island. Tickets are inexpensive and can be bought at the terminal or sometimes on board. Bikes are allowed on the ferry if you want to explore beyond the village, though the terrain is better suited to walking.