3 Best Sights in Faroe Islands, Denmark

The first settlers in the Tórshavn area, believed to be Irish monks, settled on the southernmost tip of the island at Streymoy, just 10 km (6 miles) outside of the capital. Although the cathedral, built around 1300, remains unfinished, it's still the largest medieval structure on the islands. Next door is one of the world's oldest inhabited wooden houses, the Roykstovan farmhouse, which dates to the 11th century and has been occupied by the same family since 1550.

A postcard favorite, this rocky promontory dividing the harbor has been the home of the Faroese parliament for more than 1,000 years. It also hosts a bundle of red sod-roofed cottages built in the 16th and 17th centuries that are cute enough to pinch. The prime minister's office is in the last building, but the marks of Viking chieftains long gone are still visible in the rocks to practiced eyes. A guide is recommended.

The workspace in this 1887 factory building overlooking the harbor is still being put to good use by regional lithographers and designers, who create and display their artwork in the spacious studio. Exhibitions in visual art by artists like Peter Carlsen occur regularly, as do book and poetry readings and live music.