World Lake Day Aug. 27, 2025

Nature has its tricks, and Sørvágsvatn is one of its best. World Lake Day is the perfect occasion to explore this optical illusion in the Faroe Islands, an autonomous administrative division of the Kingdom of Denmark. Also called Leitisvatn, this lake on the island of Vágar appears to float far above the ocean. In reality, it sits less than 30 metres above sea level. As the largest lake in the Faroes, Sørvágsvatn has a surface area of about 3.4 square kilometres and feeds the Bøsdalafossur waterfall, where its waters pour dramatically into the sea.

© Anton Petrus/Getty Images

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