Sumba
©
Sumba

Sumba

Southernmost Faroese village below Beinisvørð sea cliff, with Atlantic views and poet heritage

Sumba is the southernmost village in the Faroe Islands, perched on the southwestern tip of Suðuroy with the North Atlantic crashing against the cliffs below. About 250 people live here, and the setting is spectacular even by Faroese standards.

The village's great landmark is Beinisvørð, a 469-metre sea cliff that drops vertically into the ocean — the second highest in the Faroe Islands. Seen from the sea it is a sheer wall; from the village side it is a steep green mountainside. You can drive to the viewpoint at Hesturin or walk to the top for views along the wild west coast of Suðuroy. Two kilometres east of Sumba, at Akraberg, is the southernmost point of the entire archipelago: a lighthouse built in 1909, vertical cliffs, and colonies of seabirds.

Sumba was home to one of the Faroes' most celebrated poets, Poul F. Joensen, who wrote repeatedly about Beinisvørð and the dramatic landscape that surrounds the village.

Guide

Getting There

Sumba is at the southern end of Suðuroy, reached by ferry from Tórshavn (about two hours) to the port at Tvøroyri or Vágur, then by road south. There is a bus service connecting the main settlements on Suðuroy, but schedules are limited. Having a car gives you more freedom to explore the cliff viewpoints and the road to Akraberg.

Guide

Things to Do

Sumba's appeal is entirely in the landscape — the sea cliffs, the southernmost point of the Faroe Islands, and the open Atlantic. Walking and driving are the activities here; the village itself is small enough to explore in an hour.