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Orkney
With hundreds of miles of coastline, beautiful beaches and views as far as the eye can see, you’ll have no trouble falling in love with Orkney.
See 5,000 year old sites in the UNESCO Heart of Neolithic Orkney, stroll along idyllic beaches and dramatic sea cliffs, get up close to amazing wildlife and reconnect with nature in Orkney.
Find your perfect island and join us over a peaceful holiday break.
Discover Orkney Islands and find information on Orkney holidays, how to travel to Orkney, Orkney map, and more.
Find experiences
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Travel to and around Orkney
Getting to Orkney
Train
You can take public transport up north to the Orkney islands – you can travel to Aberdeen and Thurso by Scotrail train. You can then catch the ferry over to the islands.
Ferry
There are three ferry routes, with several daily sailings. Pentland Ferries from Gill's Bay to St Margaret's Hope, Orkney (one hour) is the quickest sailing, and the most environmentally-friendly passenger ferry of its type in Scotland, thanks to the new purpose-built catamaran MV Alfred.
You can also sail with NorthLink Ferries for 1.5 hours from Scrabster to Stromness in Orkney, or from Aberdeen to Kirkwall, Orkney for 7 hours and onto Lerwick in Shetland.
During the summer, there is a fourth ferry route for foot passengers from John O’Groats to Burwick.
Flying
Planes also fly direct to Kirkwall from Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Inverness with Loganair, with flights lasting up to one hour. There are connections from Birmingham, Belfast City, Bristol, Exeter, Manchester, Newcastle, Norwich and Teesside.
Getting around Orkney
Driving
Many people arrive in Orkney in their own car or hired vehicle. Orkney has quiet roads and an excellent inter-island ferry service. You can find petrol stations in Kirkwall, Stromness and Dounby as well as petrol pumps on some of the outer islands. Electric vehicle drivers will find multiple public charging points across the islands.
There are several car-hire firms and taxi services on Orkney if you don't have a vehicle.
Cycling
Bike hire is widely available in Orkney. Bicycles can be hired in both Kirkwall and Stromness and outer islands such as North Ronaldsay and Stronsay.
Bus and coach
Prefer to travel by bus? Orkney's local bus services will help you reach most corners of the Orkney mainland. The network can be used to visit iconic sites such as the Ring of Brodgar and Italian Chapel. The outer islands often have local bus services too.
Ferry
Looking to hop around several islands? Check out services from Orkney Ferries which are accessible from four ports on the Orkney mainland.
Flying
For an exciting sightseeing adventure, you could even hop onboard an inter-island flight with Loganair. These flights reach six islands from Kirkwall Airport, including the shortest scheduled flight in the world, between Westray and Papa Westray.
Brough of Birsay
© Orkney.com
Places to Stay
Find the right accommodation in Orkney to suit your budget, from camping and lodges to friendly B&Bs and cosy self-catering options.
A tip from your local expert

VisitScotland Information Centre
© VisitScotland / Kenny Lam
Help and advice
You can also get advice from our accredited iKnow partners, with excellent local expertise, travel advice and insider tips about must-see attractions and great accommodation in the local area.
Find our iKnow Partners in this areaOld Man of Hoy
Lorraine Kelly's Guide to Orkney
Orkney casts a spell over all its visitors. Among them are popular tv presenter Lorraine Kelly. Lorraine tells us all about her favourite things to see and do while exploring this destination which holds a special place in her heart.
Discover the magic of Orkney with the help of Lorraine's personal itinerary.

Birsay Tea Room
Places to Eat in Orkney
Orkney is full of exciting food & drink destinations. Why not sample a tipple or brew or take a look at our list of island restuarants to try?
Map of Orkney
Explore Orkney
Get friendly and helpful advice for your trip at our iCentres.
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Things to Do in Orkney
Enjoy the outdoors, visit world class attractions and enjoy some free time.
Heart of Neolithic Orkney
The Heart of Neolithic Orkney brings together four key sites near Stromness on the Orkney Mainland.

Landscapes & Nature in Orkney
Reset your mind and body and reconnect with nature in beautiful island surroundings.
Leisure & Sport in Orkney
Visitors of all ages can get active across Orkney all year round, whatever the weather.

Shopping in Orkney
Find a unique gift or keepsake in one of Orkney's independent shops.
Unique Experiences
One of Orkney's best loved and most unusual attractions.

The Italian Chapel
© VisitScotland/Fionn McArthur
The Italian Chapel
Visit the Italian Chapel, a beautiful Roman Catholic chapel in Lamb Holm which was constructed by Italian POWs during the Second World War.

North Ronaldsay Lighthouse, Orkney
© Orkney.com
Tours, Routes & Trails
Make your way around Orkney on a dedicated tour or trail, from ancient pilgramages to tasty foodie experiences.
Events
North Ronaldsay beach
There are plenty of events and festivals taking place on the island, and this year the Orkney Folk Festival is celebrating its 40th anniversary!
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