Faroe Islands vs Scottish Highlands
Which destination is right for your next trip?
Last updated
Quick Verdict
Pick Faroe Islands for Múlafossur cliff-edge waterfall, Saksun turf-roof hamlet, and Mykines puffin-cliff hikes. Pick Scottish Highlands if Glencoe drives, Glen Affric pinewoods, and Cairngorms whisky-distillery evenings match your trip.
Can't pick? Visit both.
Build a trip that includes Faroe Islands and Scottish Highlands, with complementary stops we'll suggest.
🏆 Scottish Highlands wins 79 OVR vs 78 · attribute matchup 4–2
Keep exploring
Faroe Islands
Faroe Islands
Scottish Highlands
United Kingdom
Faroe Islands
Scottish Highlands
How do Faroe Islands and Scottish Highlands compare?
Both the Faroe Islands and the Scottish Highlands sell wild North Atlantic drama, but one is a remote archipelago you reach by plane or ferry and the other is a road-tripper's dream you can drive into. The Faroes are eighteen green, treeless islands where the Múlafossur waterfall spills off a cliff at Gásadalur, Saksun sits under turf roofs, and Mykines hosts puffins on its sea cliffs. The Highlands stretch from the brooding pass of Glencoe to the pinewoods of Glen Affric, the Cairngorms plateau, and lochs like Ness, all stitched together by single-track roads and stone villages.
On cost they run close: about $230/day mid-range in the Faroes versus $200/day in the Highlands, with the Faroes pricier mainly because everything ships in. Both are outdoor-first destinations that score at the very top for raw nature, and both keep food and nightlife modest and low-key. The Highlands carry a bit more cultural depth, with clan history, castles, and whisky distilleries you can tour. Both feel exceptionally safe. Sensory-wise, the Faroes hit you with salt spray and the cry of seabirds off a green headland, while the Highlands smell of peat smoke and damp heather after rain.
Timing overlaps in summer: the Faroes are best June through September, and the Highlands stretch a touch wider from May through September. They combine naturally, since Faroese flights often route through Edinburgh, letting you bolt a Highlands loop onto an island week. Pro tip: in the Faroes, always build slack into your itinerary because fog can ground flights and close mountain roads without warning. Pick Faroe Islands for Múlafossur, Saksun's turf roofs, and Mykines puffins; Pick Scottish Highlands for Glencoe drives, Glen Affric pinewoods, and Cairngorms whisky evenings.
💰 Budget
🛡️ Safety
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands are one of the safest destinations in the world for tourists. Crime is essentially negligible. The real hazard is the environment — cliff edges with no guardrails, sudden fog, high winds, and cold North Atlantic seas. Respect the weather and the landscape, and you will be fine.
Scottish Highlands
The Scottish Highlands are very safe from a crime perspective. The main risks are weather-related and environmental — rapidly changing mountain conditions, exposure on remote walks, and single-track roads. Scotland's Right to Roam law means open access to most land, but this comes with responsibility.
🌤️ Weather
Faroe Islands
The Faroe Islands have a hyper-oceanic climate — remarkably mild for their latitude but relentlessly wet, windy, and foggy. The cliché "four seasons in one day" was practically invented here. Summer highs rarely exceed 13°C, winter lows rarely drop below 3°C. Rain, drizzle, and sideways wind are not exceptional events — they are the baseline. June and July bring near-"white nights" with 19-20 hours of usable light but rarely clear skies. Pack waterproofs and windproofs regardless of season.
Scottish Highlands
The Scottish Highlands have a maritime climate with changeable weather year-round. Rain can appear at any time in any season. The west coast is significantly wetter than the east. Midges (tiny biting insects) are a major nuisance from June to September. Pack layers and waterproofs regardless of season.
🚇 Getting Around
Faroe Islands
A rental car is effectively essential for exploring the Faroe Islands beyond Tórshavn. The main islands are connected by an impressive network of sub-sea tunnels (some with roundabouts beneath the ocean), toll roads, and bridges. Ferries and a subsidised helicopter service reach the outer islands. Public buses exist but schedules are infrequent outside the capital.
Walkability: Tórshavn is fully walkable within its compact city centre. Outside the capital, a car is necessary — villages are often kilometres apart on single-track roads and trailheads have no public transport access.
Scottish Highlands
A car is strongly recommended for exploring the Highlands — public transport exists but is infrequent and doesn't reach many of the best locations. Single-track roads with passing places are the norm in the west and north. Drive on the left. The NC500 and other scenic routes require a car or campervan.
Walkability: Individual villages are easily walkable, but the Highlands are not a walking-between-towns destination — distances are vast. However, Scotland offers some of the world's finest long-distance walking routes, including the West Highland Way (154 km, Glasgow to Fort William) and the Great Glen Way (117 km, Fort William to Inverness).
📅 Best Time to Visit
Faroe Islands
Jun–Sep
Peak travel window
Scottish Highlands
May–Sep
Peak travel window
The Verdict
Choose Faroe Islands if...
you want a North Atlantic outpost — basalt cliffs, grass-roof villages, sub-sea tunnel roundabouts, puffins on Mykines, and weather that changes every 20 minutes
Choose Scottish Highlands if...
you want glens, Glencoe, Loch Ness, Isle of Skye, single-malt distilleries, and the West Highland Line railway through Harry Potter country
Faroe Islands
Scottish Highlands
Frequently asked
Is Faroe Islands or Scottish Highlands cheaper?
Scottish Highlands is cheaper on average. A mid-range day in Faroe Islands costs about $230 vs $200 in Scottish Highlands, so Scottish Highlands saves you roughly $30 per day compared to Faroe Islands.
Is Faroe Islands or Scottish Highlands safer?
Faroe Islands scores higher on our safety index (92/100 vs 85/100). The Faroe Islands are one of the safest destinations in the world for tourists.
Which has better weather, Faroe Islands or Scottish Highlands?
Scottish Highlands has the more temperate climate year-round. The Scottish Highlands have a maritime climate with changeable weather year-round. Rain can appear at any time in any season. The west coast is significantly wetter than the east. Midges (tiny biting insects) are a major nuisance from June to September. Pack layers and waterproofs regardless of season.
When is the best time to visit Faroe Islands vs Scottish Highlands?
Faroe Islands peaks in Jun–Sep. Scottish Highlands peaks in May–Sep. Both peak in Jun–Sep, so a single trip pairs them naturally.
How long is the flight from Faroe Islands to Scottish Highlands?
Roughly 1h 11m on a direct flight (about 513 km / 319 mi). One-way fares typically run $120-350 depending on season and how far in advance you book.
How do daily costs in Faroe Islands and Scottish Highlands compare?
In Faroe Islands: budget ~$85-120/day, mid-range ~$180-280/day, luxury ~$400+/day. In Scottish Highlands: budget ~$60-100/day, mid-range ~$150-250/day, luxury ~$350+/day.
You might also compare
Faroe IslandsvsScottish Highlands
Try another