Photos: Fogo Island Inn
Half the size of Singapore and home to fewer than 2,500 people, Canada’s craggy, windswept Fogo Island lies off the northeastern coast of Newfoundland in splendid isolation. First settled by cod fishermen in the late 17th century, Fogo today harbors a handful of seaside communities where wood-frame houses and stilted fishing shacks overlook the North Atlantic’s Iceberg Alley.
Places of note: Fogo is also an emerging cultural destination thanks to locally born tech millionaire Zita Cobb, who’s made it her mission to revitalize the island’s failing economy. Among her projects are an ambitious artist‐in‐residence program and, pictured here, the 29-room Fogo Island Inn, which opened in 2013 on the granite shoreline near Joe Batt’s Arm. Not only is the spruce-clad hotel a looker, but it also delivers a strong sense of place: local woodworkers and quilters made most of the furnishings; the restaurant showcases locally fished and foraged ingredients; and “community hosts” are on hand to introduce you to island life. There are also plenty of trails to choose from for hikers and walkers keen on exploring farther corners of the island, while tours are available for those keen on knowing more of the island’s marine ecosystem.
When to visit: Fogo Island can be visited all year round, with each of the seven seasons offering a different set of memorable adventures and experiences.
How to get there: Fly into the town of Gander from St. John’s then drive for two hours to catch a ferry at Farewell.
