In search of rhythm in Cape Verde

October 30, 2019

“Where is Cape Verde?,” you might ask, and you would not be alone. Located a few hundred miles off the coast of Senegal, this set of volcanically formed islands is on few travellers’ radars. The country is also relatively hard to reach - direct flights run from either Lisbon or Ponta Delgada in the Azores, though fares are typically priced very reasonably. Geologically similar to the Azores, Cape Verde also has a Portuguese colonial history, achieving independence in 1975. Portuguese is spoken, as is Creole, with occasional English.

But this is a very different place than the Azores. You are no longer in Europe, but in Africa. Upon landing at Praia, I encountered a set of taxis waiting in front of the airport, charging a hefty 1,000 escudos ($10) for the 5-7 minute drive into the city. I declined, as I would have a night in Praia at the end of my trip, and opted to wait the four hours before my next internal flight at the airport cafe.

I was headed to São Vicente, the home of famed singer Cesária Évora, and the musical and cultural capital of the islands. Binter CV Airlines makes the trip, and on approach to São Vicente, a small church dramatically perched on rocky cliffs appears off the left side of the plane as you touch down 50 minutes later. I’d rented a car from Dyrk, and Emerson, the nephew of the owner, met me at the small airport. He was kind enough to stay with me as we sought to locate Georgette Guesthouse, on the fifth floor of a relatively modern apartment building overlooking the man-made but incredibly striking Laginha beach. The guesthouse’s stunning balcony, spacious rooms and hearty breakfast made it the perfect place to stay in Mindelo.

View of Laginha beach from Georgette’s guesthouse in Mindelo

After settling in, I went for a quick dip in the ocean, eyeing the island of Santo Antão in the distance, where I would head the following day. But first, food. I had a delicious octopus dish at Kalimba beach club, located directly on the beach, with incredibly friendly staff, followed by my first time trying percebes (goose neck barnacles, which are notoriously difficult and dangerous to gather) at Casa Cafe Mindelo. Percebes taste of the sea, with a texture similar to soft clams. Restaurants in Mindelo frequently feature live music from local bands and artists, and music videos of Cape Verdean artists looped for hours in the city’s cafes. The vibe is vibrant and energised in the most laid back way, so that time flows fluidly, and nothing is ever rushed. This is island life, after all.

The next morning, I took the ferry (along with my rental car) to Santo Antão, perhaps the most beautiful of the three islands I visited on this trip. The ferry arrives in Porto Novo, which is unremarkable except as a place to get supplies at a local mini-market, or for a fish dinner at the Italian-run Ristorante La Lampara. Take the interior road, a great source of pride for Cape Verdeans, which was hand-paved in granite stones several decades ago over the course of several years to reach Ponta do Sol at the other end. The vistas en route are simply otherworldly: fast-moving fog enveloping lush greenery, steep mountain passes, and locals going about their daily lives watching you as you drive by. I found myself gasping aloud in my car at the sheer beauty. There are also aluguers, or local collective minivans, that drive these routes, but I preferred to have my own car to maintain the freedom to stop when I wanted. As I encountered few other cars along the route, frequent stops for breathtaking views and photos were easy. On a couple occasions, locals approached me for a ride to the next village, and I happily obliged. Even as a solo female traveller, I never felt unsafe - ridesharing is simply a part of the culture, and it led to several interesting conversations and encounters. My Portuguese is basic, but I gave a ride to a papaya grower going to market who left me one as a gift, a schoolgirl who spoke fluent French and was curious about what I was doing in her country, and an elderly gentleman who was going to visit family in a neighbouring town. Yes, I did receive my fair share of stares most everywhere I went, but I ascribe that to the novelty of a solo female traveller in these parts.

View of Covo, the interior crater on Santo Antão

Once you reach Ponta do Sol, I highly recommend walking the road to Fontainhas (you reach it by heading left after the highest church in town; ask any of the locals), or driving if you’ve got a 4x4. The vistas are striking, and Fontainhas is something of its own world. I made the trek a couple of hours before sunset, and the colour palette was quite unlike anything I’d seen before. As with most places in Cape Verde, I encountered fewer than five other tourists en route.

I took the easier (and sometimes paved, thanks to a recent collaboration with an Italian construction company) coastal road to return to Porto Novo, spending the night en route at an Airbnb near Paul, in the village of Pombas. In the waning hours of the afternoon, I strolled by Senhor Ildo’s grog (a local sugarcane liquor) distillery to sample some of the local products and learn about how they are made. In the morning, a sausage and egg cachupa (the national dish, typically a slow-cooked stew of various meats and vegetables) took some time but was a tasty base for the day at Casa Maracuja.

A grog distillery near Paul, Santo Antão

Cachupa at Chez Loutcha, Mindelo, São Vicente

Upon my return to Sao Vicente, I decided to check out Salamansa, a small fishing village on the island’s north coast made famous by a Cesária Évora song by the same name. There’s a small creperie right on the beach, and you can hire kitesurfing equipment should you find yourself there in winter months with higher winds. Baia das Gatas was largely skippable, but driving further east, with dramatic views en route, you’ll reach the rockier stretches of Calhau, where the road ends. Further south lies the sprawling sandy expanse of São Pedro, perhaps the nicest beach on the island. Circle back to Mindelo for dinner at Chez Loutcha (be sure to try the cachupa and the canja de galinha, a hearty take on chicken soup) followed by a nightcap at the Clube Nautico.

The road between Salamansa and Calhau, São Vicente, Cape Verde

On my final day, after flying back to Praia, I chose to explore the capital on foot from my base at my Airbnb in Plateau. Plateau is pleasant enough, and you can walk through the local market as well as by the Presidential Palace. But I would not recommend walking on foot into the central part of town from here: this was the first and only time I felt unsafe in the country, as I encountered solo or pairs of males who made unpleasant comments as I passed, and the general state of affairs was very run-down. I made it on foot to the local monument to Pope John Paul II, who visited the country in 1990, and in whose honour there is both a cross and a statue that serves as something of a local gathering place for all. Although I am not personally religious, visiting this site was personally touching given the Pope was Polish, and I felt a common ground that unites people around the world, despite their many differences. Cape Verde is not an easy place to visit, but it is all the more rewarding for that very reason.

Packing list:

Hiking clothes & shoes
Rain jacket
Mosquito repellent
Bathing suit
Sunscreen

Where to stay:

Georgette Guesthouse, Mindelo, Sao Vicente

Paul Airbnb, Santo Antao

Praia Airbnb, Santiago

Where to eat and drink:

Kalimba beach club, Mindelo, Sao Vicente

Casa Cafe Mindelo, Mindelo, Sao Vicente

Chez Loutcha, Mindelo, Sao Vicente

Bar Creperie Chez Zoe, Salamansa, Sao Vicente

Ristorante La Lampara, Porto Novo, Santo Antao

Casa Maracuja, Paul, Santo Antao

Nice Kriola, Praia, Santiago

The Azores: lush, dramatic and unspoilt

September 15, 2019

With Delta offering nonstop flights (May-September only) from JFK to Ponta Delgada, now is the time to travel to the Azores, a set of nine volcanic islands in the middle of the Atlantic, some 1,000 miles west of mainland Portugal. Featuring a temperate climate, the isles are rarely particularly hot or cold, and they receive a fair amount of rain, typically in shorter, passing bursts, mostly in the mountainous interiors. Each island was formed at a different point in history, leading to dramatically different landscapes. Pico, the youngest island, is nearly all black, with bright green spots of grapevines pushing through the volcanic soil. São Miguel, the largest island, was formed over the course of millions of years, and features impossibly blue and green crater lakes and lush greenery.

The view from Miradouro da Grota do Inferno

We spent three days on São Miguel (four is probably the right amount of time), renting a car (a must to get to see the island) and frequently stopping en route. One of the highlights of any visits is the short walk up to Miradouro da Grota do Inferno, which offers a fantastic vantage point over the village of Sete Cidades and the surrounding blue and green crater lakes. Local legend has it that a princess fell in love with a shepherd boy, and the King forbade their marriage. They met one last time to embrace and cry, and as the princess’s eyes were green and the boy’s eyes were blue, the two lakes formed in those colours.

Sizzling limpets (lapas) at Restaurante Gazcidla, Mosteiros

From there, we checked out the natural thermal pools by the ocean’s edge at Ponta da Ferraria. Wear close-toed shoes to hike across the sharp lava fields to the small natural pools that combine the cool ocean with the natural heat from the sulfurous hot springs. Afterwards, enjoy a lunch or dinner of the day’s catch of fresh fish and sizzling limpets (“lapas”) covered in garlic butter and lemon at Restaurante Gazcidla in nearby Mosteiros. The black sand beach here makes the ocean more accessible for a quick swim in the summertime.

The northern coast has some of the nicest beaches in São Miguel. Perhaps my favourite is the surfer haven of Praia do Areal de Santa Bárbara, where you will find a surf center and various options for rentals and lessons, as well as the oceanside Tuká Tulá bar and restaurant (reservations recommended for dinner), featuring some of the best limpets of the trip as well as cocktails with local gin and rum. The beach itself is a long stretch of black sand with multiple layers of breaking waves, perfect for swimming, surfing or bodyboarding. Afterwards, enjoy a steak dinner (the local meat is known for its rich flavour) at the Restaurante da Associação Agrícola de São Miguel, or stop for fresh fish and shellfish at Alabote Restaurante in coastally scenic Ribeira Grande. Nearby, you can also sample some of the local liqueurs (passionfruit is a particular favourite) at Ezequiel Moreira Silva & Filhos or Mulher de Capote in Ribeira Grande.

Perhaps the most interesting place to visit on São Miguel is Furnas, an area of high thermal activity, with several natural hot spring pools as well as sulfurous, steamy fissures. One of the typical dishes of the Azores, cozido das furnas, is made here. The dish is a meat and vegetable stew that is placed a few feet underground and cooked by the natural heat in the area. One of the best places to try it (and to stay the night) is the Terra Nostra Garden hotel, which offers it a la carte or as part of a 3-course menu at its beautiful restaurant overlooking the hotel gardens. By dining at the restaurant, you’ll also receive passes for free entrance to the hotel’s park and hot springs (normally a cost of 8 EUR/person), which are a great place to spend the afternoon.

Afterwards, don’t miss the view from Miradouro do Pico do Ferro, a vantage point with a view of the Furnas lake and the place where the restaurants dig in their cozido pots (to go there directly, arrive by 12pm, and be prepared to pay a few euros a person to gain access to the grounds).

To cool off, we went for a swim at the Salto do Cabrito, an impossibly scenic waterfall that has carved its path through the surrounding rock. Don’t be afraid to drive all the way down the road, which can be a bit steep, to shorten your path to the falls, and bring water shoes, as getting into the falls is rocky and slippery. Not swimmable, but also beautiful, are the waterfalls at the Parque Natural dos Caldeirões, from where you can do numerous hikes as well as abseiling and canyoning. Follow it with a free introduction and sampling of the tea at the Porto Formoso tea factory along the north coast, and stop off at the Miradouro de Santa Iria for sweeping views of the northern coastline.

Pineapples growing on the Arruda plantation

Ponta Delgada, the Azores’ largest town, has a relatively walkable center, but is otherwise not particularly pedestrian friendly, and it has a severe parking shortage. We dropped by O rei dos queijos to try (and buy) some Azorean cheeses and bolos, the local bread, and checked out the fruits and vegetables for sale at the Mercado da Graça next door. On the outskirts of town, Ananases A Arruda is a pineapple plantation (an important local product) where you can view the different stages of pineapple farming and sample them in various formats at the onsite cafe.

We also visited two other islands, Faial and Pico. The best way to reach either is to fly via Azores Airlines (50 minutes), taking the ferry to get between Faial and Pico (30 minutes). Faial’s highlight is probably the Praia Do Almoxarife, from which on a clear morning you can clearly see Pico mountain, Portugal’s highest peak, on the neighbouring island of the same name. Also worth a visit is the Caldeira do Cabeço Gordo, from which you can do a number of different hikes across the island, as well as the Centro de Interpretação do Vulcão dos Capelinhos, from where you can see the destruction caused by the 1957-58 eruption of the Capelinhos volcano and the stunning surrounding landscape. For lunch, we had a delicious octopus salad and Portuguese sparkling wine at Praya, overlooking the Praia do Almoxarife. For dinner, I highly recommend Restaurante Canto da Doca in Horta, where you receive a hot slab of volcanic stone together with a selection of raw seafoods and meats, and you proceed to cook your own dinner to your liking.

Praia do Almoxarife, Faial, with Pico obscured by clouds in the background

Cooking our own seafood and meats on a volcanic stone at Restaurante Canto da Doca, Horta, Faial

But Pico is the real stunner here, dark and dramatic, where more acidic, typically white wine is made from the grapevines growing in the volcanic soil beneath the looming peak of Pico (tastings are available at the Cooperativa in Madalena). The mountain is hikeable, though ideally requires starting in the middle of the night in order to reach the summit by sunrise. Numerous agencies and guides on the island offer the trip, and you get a t-shirt to commemorate the accomplishment. Also well worth a visit is the Gruta das Torres (reservations recommended), where over the course of an hour, a guide took us through a few hundred metres of Europe’s longest lava tube, a fascinating experience. Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch with a view at the modern Cella Bar just north of Madalena. Don’t miss the octopus salad, and the pork ribs were delicious. It can get windy, so bring a jacket. It was so good, we found ourselves back for dinner, during which we discussed returning again next year. Go before the Azores get more of the attention they deserve.

Exiting the Gruta das Torres lava tube on Pico

A selection of local cheeses al fresco at Cella Bar on Pico

Packing list:

Rain jacket
Mosquito repellent
Bathing suit (bring an old one that you don’t mind getting discoloured from the sulfur in the hot springs)
Hiking shoes
Water shoes

Where to stay:

Praia de Santos Exclusive Guesthouse, Ponta Delgada, São Miguel

Hotel Verde Mar & Spa, Riberia Grande, São Miguel

Terra Nostra Garden hotel, Furnas, São Miguel

Hotel do Canal, Horta, Faial

Pocinho Bay, Pico

Where to eat:

Tuká Tulá bar and restaurant, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel

Restaurante da Associação Agrícola de São Miguel, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel

Alabote, Ribeira Grande, São Miguel

Restaurante Gazcidla, Mosteiros, São Miguel

Terra Nostra Garden hotel, Furnas, São Miguel

Praya, Faial

Restaurante Canto da Doca, Faial

Cella Bar, Pico

Haiti: escape into the past

September 12, 2019

I knew I would be met with more confused looks than usual when I told friends I was heading to Haiti, and I didn’t want my Mom to worry about the political situation, so I didn’t speak of the trip much at all until I was back. It was only four days, a quick getaway thanks to direct flights from NYC on Jetblue, and yet it felt like I’d been gone for well over a week. Haiti is so full of sensory experience that you feel overwhelmed until you’ve settled into the local rhythm.

Haiti’s mountainous interior further complicates driving in the country

Upon landing in Port-au-Prince, we headed to the rental car counter to pick up our car and meet our driver. I had a brief, in retrospect completely delusional, idea of driving in Haiti, but my research indicated this was a bad idea, and I’m glad reason prevailed. I’d driven in the Dominican Republic earlier this year, and that was a walk in the park compared to the roads in Haiti. The traffic jams in Port-au-Prince are some of the worst I’ve ever seen anywhere in the world, with complete chaos reigning as hundreds of cars attempted to go in multiple different directions. Tall piles of trash littered the streets, locals weaved between the cars selling snacks and drinks, and if not for the lack of animals wandering the streets, I might have thought I was in India.

But if travel to Haiti is considered more difficult relative to other countries, the reward is all the more compelling: we encountered nearly empty white sand beaches, spectacular if humid hiking, and friendly locals whose pace of life reminded us to slow down and appreciate each moment. There is also a small expat population, largely consisting of aid workers and artists, and these were pretty much the only other foreigners we encountered.

Once we left the traffic of Port-au-Prince, the main (and only) road south took us through numerous villages and small towns vibrant with life. After a total of seven hours, we reached Les Cayes, where a small boat awaited us for the crossing to our first destination, Île-à-Vache. Our small wooden hull was no match for the large waves that battered us from the south, and after an hour we reached the island completely soaked to the bone, laughing at the situation. We were met by three of the employees of Suites la Colline, who took us up the hill to the cool respite of the hotel. Run by a French Canadian, Lambert Farand, Suites la Colline incorporates local art with a modern, tiered construction that gives the feeling of a true escape. A short hike up from the hotel provides spectacular views of the beach and Abaka Bay resort below (where mounted photos show a visit by former U.S. president Bill Clinton), while a short hike down leads to the village of Cacor, where we spent an evening listening to locals playing voodoo music while dancing and drinking the local rum, pulling in passing villagers one by one until the party was 100 strong.

The view from just above Suites la Colline, Île-à-Vache, Haiti

Over drinks on the hotel terrace, Lambert told us that we were one of only three visits he has had from actual tourists in the ten years he has been running the hotel. The remainder have been from aid workers or Haitians living abroad returning on vacation. So if you’re looking for under the radar, and have a sense of adventure when inevitably things don’t go as planned (it took us 3 tries to find an ATM that was in working order, and time in general runs fluidly), Haiti is it.

From Suites la Colline, you can hike to completely deserted beaches, untouched by humans, and have the place all to yourself. One afternoon at Île-à-Vache we asked locals to take us on a boat ride around the island, and we stopped off at a stunning islet of sand, known as Île des Amoureux, where we swam while our boat driver went to purchase a lunch of freshly grilled fish, conch (“lambi”) and local beers. Our enjoyment turned to concern when our boat did not return after one hour, then two hours...until we finally saw it appear on the horizon. It’s generally advisable not to assume anything in Haiti, and to set clear expectations. Lambert recounted a multitude of stories about the construction of Suites la Colline and the importance of hiring strong local overseers and being fully present to have any hope of completing the project.

After returning to Les Cayes from Île-à-Vache, we continued on to Jacmel, known as Haiti’s cultural hub. We walked the colonial streets and met a couple of local artists before heading to our Airbnb about 30 minutes east of the city by car. Run by Janet, a Canadian who spent her career in developing countries in Africa before making her way to Haiti to serve as the country’s director of Save the Children, the standalone apartments are a short walk from an amazing outdoor shower and the main residence, an open air construction stylishly decorated with acquisitions from Janet’s travels. There are swinging beds and spots for relaxation galore, as well as a small plunge pool surrounded by tropical greenery. It’s a truly peaceful place, the kind of haven to which one might imagine retreating to work on a novel or other creative endeavour. Needless to say, we did not want to leave.

Packing list

Sun protection and hat (it gets quite hot, and the sun is very strong)
Bathing suit
Hiking shoes
Mosquito repellent

Where to stay

Suites la Colline

Janet’s Chic Chateau Airbnb near Jacmel (room 1, room 2)

City escapes: Block Island, RI

June 28, 2019

A few hours away from NYC, a train and ferry ride away, lies the hiply cute Block Island. With its Victorian houses and large expanses of green sloping into sand dunes and stretches of beach, Block Island feels somewhat like a hideaway for New England’s elite. But its serene exterior belies its down to earth, casual vibe that makes it so easy to love.

Frederick Benson Town beach, Block Island

Several ferry routes service Block Island: New London, CT (easiest for those coming from NYC), Montauk, NY, Fall River, MA, Newport, RI and Point Judith, RI (easiest for those coming from Boston). You can also fly in from Westerly, RI on New England Airlines. Amtrak runs frequent train service to New London, CT, from which the ferry is a 5 min walk. Otherwise, you can take a train to the nearest Amtrak and request an Uber or Lyft to the ferry or airport.

The beach in front of Avonlea by the Sea

Book a B&B or hotel within walking distance of New Shoreham, Block Island’s main port town, so that you have no need for a car or taxi upon arrival. Instead, rent a bike from Aldo’s Bikes & Mopeds or Island Moped & Bike. At just six miles between its northernmost and southernmost tips, Block Island is the perfect place to leave your car behind and bike, rollerblade or walk. We stayed at the charming Avonlea by the Sea, which includes a home-cooked breakfast by the resident Sabrina, as well as wine and snacks every afternoon, including Block Island barnacle cookies. After settling in, we headed to Ballard’s for drinks directly on the beach. The food is skippable—for better food options, take a short stroll to the The 1661 Inn (which also features a curious animal farm that you can visit) or the Spring House Hotel (both also higher end options to stay at night). Seafood is the local specialty on the island, with oysters, shrimp and haddock typically a good bet. Afterwards, we danced to the live band playing covers at Captain Nick’s, perhaps the liveliest watering hole on the island. Next door is also the reliable Poor People’s Pub with plenty of outdoor seating.

1661 Farm

By day, we followed Spring St. down to the South East lighthouse, built in 1874 and moved to its current location in 1993 due to erosion. Designated a U.S. National Historic Landmark, it’s a quick stop en route to the striking Mohegan Bluffs, set below several staircases from the main road. From here, we continued along the Mohegan Trail, which curves northward towards the airport. Should you arrive or depart by plane, the lively Bethany’s Airport Diner is a great spot to linger over a drink as you watch small planes take off.

Further north lies Legion Park, where we sampled delicious fresh unsweetened lemonade and snacks from local vendors at the weekly Saturday’s farmers market. Dead Eye Dick’s was perfect for a sunny lunch outside: the local oysters and bloody mary were a great combination, and they serve two delicious varieties of clam chowder. Should you desire a nap on the beach after lunch, nearby crescent-shaped Frederick Benson Town Beach is the place to be. For fewer crowds, we rode further up to Mansion Beach, bordered by untamed sand dunes and tidal pools. Bring your own drinks and snacks, as there are no facilities.

The Block Island North Lighthouse, accessible via a pebbly beach path, marks the northernmost point of the island. The winds here are stronger, so be sure to keep energy in reserve for the ride back to New Shoreham. For those who are meditation minded, the Sacred Labyrinth is a serene stop en route—it was completely empty when we stopped by.

Should you have time for hiking, Rodman’s Hollow or the Hodge Family Wildlife Preserve offer a number of options. Bring mosquito repellent, as the trails can get buggy. Afterwards, treat yourself to a dinner overlooking the town beach at the lively Beachead: we enjoyed the tuna poke, fish and chips, and the baked haddock as we listened to the waves crashing across the road. Sunset colours lit up the sky and reflected back onto the wet sand as we agreed we’d be back. Soon.

Where to stay

Avonlea by the Sea

The 1661 Inn

Spring House Hotel

Where to eat & drink

Dead Eye Dick’s

Beachead

Bethany’s Airport Diner

Ballard’s for drinks

Captain Nick’s for live music & dancing

The Faroe Islands: wild, isolated and unexpected

May 31, 2019

The Faroe Islands are remote and hard to reach—and that’s a good thing. It means you should go now, before the crowds inevitably descend and the islands become the next Iceland, which has become rather too popular for its own good. Where are the Faroes, you ask? And why go there? Both good questions…

The Faroes are an isolated set of islands located roughly halfway between Scotland and Iceland. The inhabitants, numbering just 50,000, are descendants of the Vikings, and their language, Faroese, is most closely related to Old Norse. Volcanic, this set of 18 islands is well connected through a network of tunnels and helicopter routes (in fact, it’s currently home to perhaps the cheapest helicopter rides you can take, at roughly $20).

Upon landing at Vágar airport, you may want to head directly to Mykines, an island that is accessible only by ferry or helicopter. Known for its large population of local birds, including puffins, gannets, and fulmars, among others, it has no real roads or cars, giving it that sleepy end-of-the-world feeling. One of the locals, Heini, whose family has been on the island for generations, runs a fantastic day hike to the picturesque lighthouse at the eastern end of the island (he also rents out his cottage). At one point during our walk, Heini asks our group of 10 or so from around the world to be silent. As our ears open up to the sounds around us, we begin hearing individual bird calls in addition to the crashing waves in which the birds fish. We hear no man-made noise: no airplanes, no distant highways, no sirens. For a New Yorker, this is the ultimate escape.

The helicopter flight back to Vágar airport is about as glorious as 10 minutes can be: dramatically jagged cliffs and small beaches set against vibrant blue skies. With the flights subsidized by the Faroese government at roughly $20 a ride so that locals can get around with greater ease, it is perhaps only a matter of time before tourists are restricted or asked to pay unsubsidized fares.

To explore many of the remaining islands, a car can come in handy. Avis and Hertz operate on the islands, as do a few of the local companies, like 62 North. Given the last-minute nature of my trip, the best deal I found worked out to roughly $100/day—not cheap, but after all, you are on some of the most isolated islands on the planet.

A first stop might take you to the village of Gasadalur, via one of the islands’ one-way, rock hewn tunnels (be sure you heed traffic signs), to experience the picturesque Múlafossur waterfall dropping into the ocean below. You may want to follow that with a brisk 45 minute level hike to Trælanípan via the western side of Sørvágsvatn, the largest lake in the Faroes. From here you’ll experience a curious optical illusion: the lake appears to be a couple hundred metres above sea level, when in reality, it is only about 30. This was the only paid hike I experienced in the Faroes, at a cost of 100 DKK, which was easily payable by credit card with the friendly local at the entrance from the car park.

Another hike that is one of the highlights of the Faroes is up to the Kallur lighthouse on Kalsoy. Kalsoy, comprised of a long, thin stretch of mountains diving into the sea, is reachable by ferry from Klaksvík, the Faroes’ second-largest town (be sure to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance to be assured a spot on the ferry). The hike begins from Trøllanes and takes roughly 75-90 minutes. Worthy of a stop en route is Mikladalur, where a statue of the seal woman Kópakonan from local legend gazes over the town.

And who could resist visiting the highest peak of the Faroes, Slættaratindur? You’ll see a small parking lot just off the main road between Eiði and Gjogv. From here, the peak is about a 60-75 minute pure uphill hike. As you near the top, the hike becomes more of a four-legged scramble, and you may encounter snow. But the view is worth it: on a clear day, you can see most of the 18 islands that comprise the Faroes. Also not to be missed, a short drive away, is an easy, 10 minute walk from the main road to Hvíthamar, with a view of Funningur and the surrounding fjord.

View from the top of the world, Slættaratindur

Of course, driving through each village in the Faroes is like scrolling through the list of available dogs for adoption at your local shelter: each one induces successive exclamations of “Ooh, how cute!” One of the best known is Saksun, with picturesque grass-covered structures and the requisite steepled church encompassed by waterfalls gushing from the surrounding hills. The drive there alone is stunning, even without a place like Saksun at which to linger at the end.

But a large part of the appeal of the Faroes is to lose—or perhaps find—yourself in its isolation. For me, that place was Tjørnuvík and its surrounds. At the end of the road, featuring Viking graves with a large expanse of beach overlooking two rocky pillars (named Risin and Kellingin, or the Giant and the Witch, after a legend in which the two tried to steal the Faroes to bring them to Iceland), Tjørnuvík is as sleepy as it gets. At night, in the hot tub of my Airbnb, I listened to the waterfalls running down the surrounding mountains under the light of the full moon. In the morning, I ate waffles with rhubarb jam while watching the resident geese and sheep saunter between the two dozen or so houses that comprise the town. I felt at peace.

Heimablídni at Maud Hansen’s house on Nólsoy

On one of my last evenings, I had the privilege of experiencing heimablídni, or home hospitality, at the home of Maud Hansen on the island of Nólsoy (easily reachable by ferry from Tórshavn, the capital). Maud is a gifted chef, and she prepared a typical Faroese meal focused on seafood, including local staples like fermented lamb. It was one of the highlights of my trip, and while I was lucky enough to go on a day’s notice, it is generally advisable to book in advance.

I also paid a visit to the capital, Tórshavn (or “houn”, as a the locals call it), which comprises 20,000 of the island’s population of 50,000, and feels like a cross between a colourful fishing village and a local commercial centre. You can eat very well at Barbara Fishouse, or Ræst, known as the only restaurant focused on fermented food outside of Japan, followed by a cool beer at Mikkeller, which has an outpost there. A short drive away is the historic village of Kirkjubøur, featuring the oldest church of the Faroes, built before 1200. I felt so safe that I gave a ride back to a few other tourists who had hiked there from Tórshavn before returning up north to my Tjørnuvík Airbnb. I had started to settle into the calmer local rhythms, and I was enjoying it. If you are looking for a place to reflect, and to spend time in true nature, the Faroes should be your next destination.