An Island Home for Reflection and Discovery
Geilin is an island home for reflection and discovery. The house offers generous space for 8–12 guests, yet remains intimate and peaceful — perfect for one person, a couple or a small circle of friends, artists or explorers. A place for nature lovers, photographers, writers, birdwatchers and researchers.
Geilin provides the calm and focus needed for quiet retreat or concentrated work, surrounded by cliffs, sea and wide horizons. From the windows you can see one of the most scenic and dramatic fjords, you can watch the shifting sky and the birds that gave Fugloy its name: “The Bird Island.”
The house has been lovingly restored to keep its Faroese soul. Quiet rooms, soft light and original wooden interiors create a sense of time slowing down. Modern comfort blends naturally with the building’s history, offering a warm and simple base for days shaped by weather, light and landscape.
The basement has been converted into a place with modern bathroom facilities, laundry facilities, a kitchen room (The kitchen is currently without kitchen equipment though) and an idyllic space for groups to stay, for seminars, dining, work spaces, and other shared activities.
Geilin invites you to settle in, slow down and experience the island from within — gently, attentively, and in your own way.
The History
Geilin was built in 1916 by Gulak and Karolina Matras — he a local shopkeeper and fish producer, she the village schoolteacher.
Together they created a home that stood at the centre of life in Kirkja, shaped by work, learning and the quiet resilience of island living.
For decades, their house was a gathering point — a place of trade, teaching and everyday community against the backdrop of wind and sea.
After Gulak’s passing in 1947, the house remained in the family and was cared for across generations, carrying forward both his and Karolina’s legacy.
Today, Geilin is still a family home, restored with respect for its original spirit — simple, strong and closely tied to nature.
Its old rooms, wooden interiors and traces of daily life remain part of the house’s story.
Now, Geilin opens its doors to guests, researchers and travellers who wish to experience the same timeless rhythm of island life