Hvalba lies in the north of Suðuroy and is one of the oldest villages in the Faroe Islands. Mountains and lakes surround the village, while coal mining has shaped its history for centuries. For travelers, two distinct themes come together here: the history of an industry that was important for a long time and the landscape around the village. This gives a stay a clear local focus without prescribing a set itinerary. If you are looking for accommodation, you can first consider whether mining, village paths or the lake will shape your stay.

Coal Mine: Plan a Guided Visit

Hvalba is particularly known for its coal mines. Coal mining played an important role in the village for centuries. One coal mine is open to visitors and offers insights into the history of coal mining in the Faroe Islands and the area’s geology. Access is only possible with a guide; tours must be booked in advance. Confirm visiting and booking arrangements with the tourist information offices on Suðuroy before your trip. This lets you treat the mine visit as a planned activity rather than a spontaneous detour. The guided tour reveals two distinct sides of the place: its long mining history and the geological perspective, which is also part of the visit. Plan any other activities only after you have arranged the mine visit.

Landscape, Lake and Village Paths

Hvalba is surrounded by mountains and lakes. Confirm that your preferred accommodation is available before making travel plans around it. Old village paths lead from Hvalba to Sandvík and Trongisvágur. Local access conditions on the paths can vary; check in advance before planning a route. When planning, bear in mind that the mine tour and the village paths involve different considerations: the tour requires advance booking, while for the paths you should take local access conditions into account.

A Church Design with a Changing Location

The history of church construction offers another way to explore Hvalba’s past. Jens Paula við Sílánna submitted a design for a wooden church on the old church site in Skálum. Later, the committee moved the site to Skeljalagi and had the design adapted for a concrete church. The revised plan provided space for approximately 300 people; the building was to measure about 25 × 10 meters. The sequence shows that both the proposed location and the material changed during the planning process. Alongside coal mining, which was important for centuries, this provides a concrete design process linking two places and two different materials.

The two topics appeal to different interests: the mine combines the history of coal extraction with geology and a guided visitor experience; the church’s construction history tells of changes in design, location and materials. This makes it possible to distinguish a specific visit from a historical building development.

Discover more destinations: Klaksvík, Norðragøta, Trongisvágur

For the broader travel overview: Faroe Islands.