Cooped up at home and can’t wait to start venturing out again? You’re not alone. With coronavirus restrictions dragging on and our travel adventures still being relegated to the stuff of dreams, might as well dream big! How about someplace very far away and hard to get to? Perhaps someplace you never even considered. The Faroe Islands fit that bill nicely. So this month we decided to take you there — virtually speaking anyway — with our monthly Travel Video share. And since we’re dreaming big, let’s do it with a double feature!

The Faroe Islands are located some 200 miles north of Scotland in the chilly North Atlantic, about halfway between Iceland and Norway. The terrain is rugged and the climate is every bit as challenging — windy, wet, cloudy, and cool! Yet temperatures average above freezing year-round because of the Gulf Stream. The northerly latitude location also results in very long daylight hours during the summer (up to 22 hours during June and July) and, conversely, very short days during the winter. Although there are many islands in the group, only 18 are inhabited, with a total population of about 49,000. The islands are accessible by air from Denmark and Iceland or by ferry from Iceland, Denmark, Norway or the Shetlands in Scotland.

Jagged mountains, fjords and countless waterfalls compose this natural wonderland. But, similar to Iceland, there are very few trees native to the islands due to the cool climate and short growing season. Nonetheless, the mountain tops are a lush green in the summer months, and they retain their beauty, albeit in brownish hues, during the winter months. (You will see these two contrasts in each of our films, as the first one was shot in the winter months.)

Hiking is the biggest recreational draw in the Faroe Islands, even for the locals, who consider a 6-mile trek through the mountains a walk in the park. There are so many beautiful mountains and coasts to hike around, it is practically mandatory. Other attractions include medieval churches, fishing villages, old farmhouses and sheep. We love it there: It’s not the least bit touristy. The people are very friendly and welcoming, and the younger generations tend to have a good handle on English. Modern technology has made its way to the islands, but the Faroese continue to lead simple, rather traditional lives, fishing and herding sheep as they have for centuries. Keep in mind, when talking with the Faroese, that whale-hunting is part of their livelihood, as well as their heritage, and they do not take too kindly to opposing opinions on the issue.

As promised, this month’s Travel Video share, featuring the Faroe Islands, is a double feature. The first film, entitled Islands in The Sky, features the work of Jose A. Hervas who was born on the island of Ibiza. The original score for the film, composed by Peter Nanasi, is mesmerizing and adds to the film’s mystique. The second video (underneath the first), is simply entitled Faroe Islands, and was created by Italian filmmaker Marcello Ercole (music by Chad Lawson). It is interesting to compare the two artists’ styles, as well as the seasonal differences depicted in the two films.

We hope you enjoy both of these works of art, each beautiful in their own way. Keep dreaming … and lest your travel dreams and fantasies need a dose of reality, we’ll be here when you’re ready!

The Avant Team