Visitors travelling to the Faroe Islands may be surprised to find the world's first underwater roundabout during their journey - just a two-hour flight from the UK. The roundabout is located within the Eysturoy Tunnel, which opened in December 2020 and has dramatically cut travel times between the various islands in the archipelago.

Situated approximately halfway between Scotland and Iceland, the Faroe Islands are part of the Kingdom of Denmark, although they have been self-governing since 1948. The islands' location means unpredictable weather can create difficulties for travellers, leading to the creation of an extensive tunnel system - 17 on land and four under the sea, with the deepest section reaching 187m (613ft) below sea level. The Eysturoy Tunnel, at 6.9 miles long, and its roundabout are believed to have cut journey times from the capital, Torshavn, to the village of Runavik from one hour and 14 minutes to just 16 minutes.

The Faroe Islands consist of 17 inhabited islands along with many smaller islets and reefs. Discussing the tunnel network, Súsanna Sørensen, marketing manager of Visit Faroe Islands, said: "Though we are 18 islands, we often joke that we defy the fact that we are islands (thanks to the tunnels)."

While driving through an undersea tunnel in the Northern Atlantic might appear intimidating, the tunnels were built with exactly this concern in mind.

Teitur Samuelsen, chief executive of Eystur-og Sandoyartunlar, the company operating the tunnels, said: "The tunnels are designed by the world's leading engineers and geologists, so safety with regards to the Atlantic above is not an issue."

According to CNN, the Eysturoy Tunnel is "magical" to drive through, with the roundabout proving so striking that its colours have been likened to the Northern lights, or even jellyfish.

And it's not just this tunnel that possesses visual charm - artwork and installations can be found in several of the other tunnels too.

Take the Sandoy Tunnel, for example, which connects the islands of Streymoy and Sandoy. It's decorated with glow-in-the-dark totems, honouring characters from Faroese folklore.

Discussing the decision to invest in beautifying these tunnels, Teitur Samuelsen remarked: "We have a lot of good art in the Faroes, and we'd like to support our artists.

"In addition, it breaks up the monotony in a long, dark tunnel, so it's good for driving safety."