Faroe Islands respect · Courtesy in Faroe Islands
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Courtesy in Faroe Islands
Courtesy in Faroe Islands
Never say that you are in Denmark when visiting the Faroe Islands. The Faroese do not identify themselves as Danes. The general view in the Faroes is that the Faroe Islands are undisputedly a separate nation but are, alas, a part of the Danish Kingdom - Danes are automatically looked upon as foreign nationals. In Denmark the Faroe Islands are a part of the Denmark - and the Faroese do not represent any nation different from the Danish one.
Danish and Faroese people do not understand each other. There are many stereotypes in Denmark, which portray Faroese people as being less civilized and extremely conservative - Supporting this view are Danish newspapers who thrive on extreme cases. Faroese people can’t bear these clichés. So, if you are from Denmark don’t come to the Faroes and think you are flattering people by telling them how everyone must love sheep rearing and how proud they all must feel about their rural existence. It’s a no go. Faroese people live ordinary suburban lives and don’t know what on earth you are talking about, and only find you weird, insulting and embarrassing.
Most Faroese people are very proud of their national heritage, so avoid criticizing Faroese traditions. You may have heard of the grindadráp whale hunts and dolphin kills; most Faroese regard these hunts as an important part of their culture, it is best to avoid strongly criticizing the hunts as there is likely to be a sharp retort.
Faroese people are known to be very helpful, friendly and hospitable and expect you to be the same way.
If you go and visit the old part of Tórshavn around Tinganes - don´t bother the people who live there (like peering in through people's windows or ask if you can use the toilet) - the old wooden houses are not a tourist display, and their inhabitants are getting increasingly tired of visitors who fail to understand this.
The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about Faroe Islands
Where To Stay & Best Hotels in Faroe Islands - updated Apr 2024
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Faroe Islands Travel Guide from Wikitravel. Many thanks to all Wikitravel contributors. Text is available under Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0, images are available under various licenses, see each image for details.