World’s first underwater roundabout becomes unusual tourist attraction and UK flights to the island take just two hours
AN UNDERWATER roundabout in the Faroe Islands has become a popular tourist attraction in recent years.
Tunnels in the Faroe Islands aren’t uncommon, with several connecting the 18 islands that lie between Scotland and Iceland.
Despite opening to road users in 2020, an underwater tunnel that links the two largest islands in the Faroe Islands has become a draw for holidaymakers.
The 11.2km tunnel connects Tórshavn, on Streymoy Island to Eysturoy, the second-most populous island in the Faroe Islands.
It’s not the 15-minute drive that has holidaymakers desperate to visit but rather its roundabout, which features a colourful art display and a sculpture by Faroese artist Tróndur Patursson.
Eysturoyartunnil is the world’s first underwater roundabout, located 72m below the surface.
Its central pillar has been decorated in a deep blue colour and is illuminated by a ring of lights from above.
An 80m steel sculpture circles around the pillar and features figures holding hands around the roundabout.
The figures face towards the light, with the sculpture being nicknamed the Jellyfish.
Patursson, the artist behind the sculpture, told the Guardian: “The figures are walking from darkness into the light.
“And they symbolise the very Faroese idea that by joining hands and working together we achieve great things.”
The underwater roundabout and its artwork have become a tourist attraction for visitors to the island, according to Teitur Samuelsen, CEO of Eystur-og Sandoyartunlar.
He said: “These are our Eiffel Tower or Big Ben, with people, especially tourists, driving through them just to see the art.”
According to the businessman, holidaymakers drive through the tunnels several times to view the underwater roundabout.
After taking just four years to build, the Eysturoyartunnil opened back in December 2020.
The whole tunnel was built by Eystur- og Sandoyartunlar, a Faroese public limited company, and cost €260m (£215) to build.
Toll fees without a yearly subscription, which is what holidaymakers are likely to pay, cost 175 Dkk (€24) each way.
Fees with a yearly subscription are cheaper, costing €10 each way.
Direct flights operate from both Edinburgh and London to the Faroe Islands, with return fares starting from £200 in July.
What is it like to visit the Faroe Islands?
THE SUN’S Brittany Vonow visited the Faroe Islands earlier this year, here’s what she thought.
Calling all anxiety-riddled, exhausted adults.
You’ve been working hard and need a break — somewhere away from the city, with plenty of nature, fresh air and birds to watch.
Allow me to suggest the Faroe Islands.
There are 18 of them, all connected by bridges and subterranean tunnels.
Sitting between Iceland and Scotland, the islands provide an almost otherworldly destination.
And Atlantic Airways has launched direct flights from Gatwick this month, which means it’s easier than ever to get an eyeful of their sweeping scenery.
Gorgeous gorges, majestic mountains and fantastic fjords all stretch out as far as the eye can see.
There are hikes for all abilities — ranging from two-hour rambles between towns to all-day treks that take you to the most Instagram-worthy spots.
One such hike is the trek from the islands’ capital Tórshavn to Kirkjubøur, one of the oldest towns in the Faroes which dates back to the 13th century.
You can walk up and back from the towns — about two hours each way — or a free bus runs regularly between them.
We scurry up the side of one of the mountains, following the cairns — piles of rocks strategically made into mini pyramids to guide you — to gape at the fjord below.
The oyster catcher — the Faroe Islands’ national bird chirp their hellos, while the doleful Faroe sheep watch us make our way through their stunning backyard.
Puffins are the birds most commonly associated with the Faroes.
But despite going to Vestmanna and other puffin hotspots, I didn’t get a chance to spot the red-beaked seabirds.
That’s because they hadn’t quite made it to the islands by mid-April when I was visiting.
But other birds, including fulmars, helped to fill the puffin-shaped hole in my heart.
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