Sights of Árnafjørður Village and Fjord

October 31, 2026

The sights of Árnafjørður fit into a single easy circuit, and the order below avoids doubling back. The village is home to about 64 people at the head of a fjord on Borðoy, and it has no shop, cafe or public toilet, so combine it with a visit to Klaksvík.

Stop 1: the viewpoint

Coming from Klaksvík on route 70, you pass through the Árnafjarðartunnilin, a tunnel of about 1.96 km that opened in 2024. Soon after, and before the Hvannasundstunnilin (about 2.25 km), a roadside pull-off gives the best view down the fjord. The two tunnels are about 500 m apart. Photograph the water and the mountainside from here.

Stop 2: the church by the river

Drive down to the church, a white building with a red roof beside the Stórá river. Cars can park beside it, but leave the space free on Sundays from 11:00 to 12:00, when services run. Fjord, river and church make up the village’s best-known view.

Stop 3: the boat houses and the beach

Walk along the shore to see the line of boat houses. Next to them lies a small beach at the head of the fjord. The inlet carries the name Árnfjarðarvík. The village covers 16 merkur of land, according to Trap Faroe Islands, and its population has dropped from 98 in 1966 to 64 in 2025.

Stop 4: a ship from 1875

Wikipedia records that in 1875 an abandoned Norwegian ship loaded with timber drifted ashore. The timber was auctioned off, and local timber prices collapsed. Nothing remains to visit, so this is a story to remember while you stand at the water’s edge.

Stop 5: Katlarnir, for walkers

Katlarnir, the old Thing site with its Thing stones, is a detour on the hike from Klaksvík and the goal of the loop from the village. It is difficult going: the loop is 7 km, climbs 653 m and reaches 516 m. A boulder called Grindasteinur beside the trail is tied to pilot whale hunts. Use GPX and stay off the slopes in fog.

Beyond the village

Klaksvík is about 10 minutes away by car. Guide to Faroe Islands names Selatrað church, the Líraberg cliff and the Reipsáfossur waterfall as nearby sights. In Klaksvík, look at the Christianskirkjan from 1963, built in an Old Norse style, and at the Norðoya Fornminnissavn museum. Hvannasund, about 8 km along the road, is the departure point for ferries to Svínoy and Fugloy.

Visiting well

Wind and fog arrive quickly in the Faroes. Dial 112 in an emergency.
Stay back from unfenced cliff edges.
Sheep roam freely, so drive slowly.
Nothing in the village sells food, so carry your own.

Village facilities and sights: the Guide to Faroe Islands entry . To add a guided tour, search GetYourGuide for Northern Isles tours .