Faroe Islands Public Holidays 2025
Faroe Islands has 15 public holidays and 2 observances in 2025. Explore the full holiday calendar below.
All Holidays
| Date | Day | Name | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wed | New Year's Day | public | |
| Thu | Maundy Thursday | public | |
| Fri | Good Friday | public | |
| Sun | Easter Sunday | public | |
| Mon | Easter Monday | public | |
| Thu | Flag Day | public | |
| Fri | Great Prayer Day | public | |
| Thu | Ascension Day | public | |
| Thu | Constitution Day | public | |
| Sun | Pentecost | public | |
| Mon | Whit Monday | public | |
| Mon | St.Olav's Eve | observance | |
| Tue | St.Olav's Day | observance | |
| Wed | Christmas Eve | public | |
| Thu | Christmas Day | public | |
| Fri | Boxing Day | public | |
| Wed | New Year's Eve | public |
About Faroe Islands's Holidays
The Faroe Islands mix national, public and cultural holidays. The biggest national festival is Ólavsøka in late July. Religious holidays follow the Nordic church calendar so Christmas and Easter are widely observed. Public days include New Year and Labour Day.
Holidays focus on community. You will see parades, concerts, traditional Faroese chain dance and rowing races. People wear bunads, sing folk songs and eat local foods like smoked lamb. Small villages become very lively when festivals bring families and tourists together.
On public holidays many shops and services close or run reduced hours. Schools and offices shut for major dates. The calendar blends local traditions with wider Danish and Christian holiday practices.
Holiday Traditions
In the Faroe Islands people celebrate with a strong sense of community and island pride. Villages fill with music, singing and the old Faroese chain dance that links hands and tells stories through movement.
Families come together for big meals at home. Traditional foods appear like cured and fermented lamb, smoked and dried fish, flatbread and local cheeses. Meals are slow and shared while people talk and remember family history.
Public celebrations blend sport and culture. Boat races, concerts, folk dancing and speeches happen on greens and harbors. Many wear colorful national costumes and wave flags to show Faroese identity.
Events mix pagan seafaring roots and modern civic pride. Respect for nature and the sea shapes rituals, making holidays both joyful and deeply rooted in island life.
Travel Tips
Visiting the Faroe Islands (fo) in the holiday season means some shops, museums, and restaurants close or cut hours. Small local businesses often shut for family time, so plan essentials ahead and carry cash or a card.
Public transport runs, but schedules are reduced on public holidays and around Christmas and New Year. Ferries and flights can fill up or be limited. Book tickets early and check timetables the day before travel for changes due to weather.
Roads are usually open, but winter weather can delay travel between islands. Car rentals may be scarce. Expect busier towns on celebration days and quieter villages otherwise.
Bring warm layered clothing, check opening hours online, and allow extra travel time.