Best Time to Visit Torshavn

Summer: mild, damp and light

Torshavn doesn't have hot weather, and it doesn't have a dry season. Even so, June to August is the best stretch. July and August are the warmest months, with highs of 12°C. June is the driest of the year, with rain on 14 days. Our comfort score picks June and August, though every month rates Poor on paper because it's cool and cloudy all year.

On the ground, that means soft light, drizzle that comes and goes, and evenings that stay bright for hours. It's good weather for walking the old Tinganes peninsula, where the turf-roofed red houses sit, and for wandering the harbour. Hiking and day trips by bus or ferry are easiest now, though fog can still hide a view. Pack a proper waterproof, not an umbrella. The wind will win.

Spring and early autumn: quieter and easier

May is a good pick if you want fewer people. Rain falls on 15 days, which is fewer than in any month from July to April, and the days are getting long. Highs are 8°C, so it's coat weather. Puffins return to the islands in spring, but boat trips to seabird cliffs such as Vestmanna run mainly in the warmer months, so check the season before you plan around them.

September is wetter, with rain on 20 days, but the summer crowds thin out. Travelling with kids? Early summer is easier, as the weather is kinder and more places are open.

Winter: dark, wet and cosy

From November to February, daylight is short and sun is rare. December is the wettest month, with 134 mm over 23 days, and January has the least sun at 0.8 hours a day. Temperatures stay around 6°C, so it's mild for the latitude, but wind and rain make it feel raw. Flights and ferries can be disrupted, so leave slack in your plans.

If you like quiet towns, cafés and long dinners, winter has its charm. You'll have the streets to yourself, and some tourist sites close or cut their hours.

Events and crowds

High season runs roughly June to August. The big date is Ólavsøka, on 28 and 29 July, the national festival. Expect rowing races, concerts, folk dancing and people in traditional dress around Tinganes. Rooms fill up early, so it's the one time when you really should book ahead. For music, G! Festival is held in Syðrugøta on Eysturoy, usually in July.