The Old Town, Undir Ryggi, Thorshavn, Visitor Guide & Things to Do Nearby

Undir Ryggi is a corner of the old town of Tórshavn, the capital of the Faroe Islands, where narrow lanes and small wooden houses sit close to the harbour. It is a place to wander rather than tick off, and it carries its own share of local ghost lore.

The story behind it

Tórshavn grew up around its harbour, and the old streets near the water are where the town's long history is easiest to feel. Houses here stand close together, built for a climate of wind and rain, and many still have the dark timber and grass roofs that Faroese old towns are known for.

One tale tied to the area is set on a bright summer night, when the whole household was asleep. A woman in the attic bedroom, near the stairs from the front door, saw her window suddenly darken. She heard heavy footsteps and a rattling door handle, and a large black figure came in, breathing loudly. It sat on the foot of her bed and rasped her name over and over: Elsa, Elsa, Elsa. Her cry to God was loud enough to be heard downstairs. The figure did no harm and eventually crept out the way it came, and the morning light returned to the room. It is a folk tale, so treat it as local legend rather than recorded history.

What to look for

• The small windows of the old houses, and the attic rooms above them, which make the ghost story easy to picture.
• Dark timber walls and turf roofs, which are typical of the Faroese old town and look different in every kind of weather.
• The tight lanes themselves, which open and close quickly and show how close together the houses were built.
• The nearby harbour, which explains why the town grew up on this spot.

Tips for your visit

• Allow about an hour if you want to wander slowly and take photos, longer if you add the harbour area.
• Many of these buildings are homes, so keep your voice down and do not expect to go inside.
• Summer nights stay light, which suits a ghost story, but evening is also a calm time to walk. Bring a waterproof layer, as the weather can change quickly.
• The old town is compact and easy to combine with the harbour and the rest of central Tórshavn on foot.

See it on a quest

The quest Ghosts of Thorshavn: The Lost Commandant passes this part of town. You reach it on foot as one stop on a longer route through the area, the app tells you about each place as you arrive, and you solve a puzzle in front of what you are looking at. With a ghostly theme, it suits these lanes well. One ticket covers the whole group, and you can start whenever you like, with no guide and no set time.