St Magnus Cathedral
© Orkney.com
- Home
- Places to go
- Kirkwall
Kirkwall
Head north for a weekend break or a holiday in Kirkwall. There are plenty of things to do here, from the ancient cathedral and Viking heritage to shopping and art, not forgetting stunning accommodation. You'll enjoy incredible landscapes with an abundance of wildlife and historic attractions nearby.
Discover Kirkwall in Orkney and find holiday ideas including information on things to do, how to get there, Kirkwall map and more.
Find experiences
JavaScript needs to be enabled to see this product search form. You can turn this on in your browser settings.
Travel to and around Kirkwall
Getting to Kirkwall
Ferry
Kirkwall is a great starting point and a useful place to stock up on supplies before continuing your Orcadian adventure to the more remote islands. With its harbour and airport, it is the arrival point for ferries from Shetland and Aberdeen, cruise ships, and flights from the UK, as well as a departure point for ferries to the other islands in Orkney.
You can sail from Aberdeen to Kirkwall with Northlink Ferries.
Flying
Planes 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
Walking
Kirkwall is relatively small and compact, so it is easy to get to most places in the town on foot.
Cycling
You can get around even faster by bike, with good cycle paths around the town.
Check out Cycle Orkney for bike hire and more information.
Driving
It's certainly useful to have access to a car on Orkney, especially if you want to see some of the more remote sites.
Many people bring their own cars but check out Orkney Car Hire if you plan to hire one.
Electric vehicle drivers will find multiple public charging points across the islands.
You can also hire local taxis to get you from A to B.
Places to Stay
Find your perfect accommodation in Kirkwall, from cosy cottages to friendly guesthouses and B&Bs.
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 areaPlaces to Eat in Kirkwall
Find ideas on where to try Scottish food & drink in Kirkwall.

Freshly caught seafood at Kirkwall harbour.
© VisitScotland / VisitOrkney / Colin Keldie
Food & drink ideas
Check out the foodie hotspots in Kirkwall and sample the very best local produce and fresh seafood the island has to offer.
Map of Kirkwall
Explore Kirkwall
Loading
Javascript is needed to show this map.
Javascript is needed to show this map.

The Italian Chapel
© VisitScotland/Fionn McArthur
Things to do in Kirkwall
There are many exciting things to see and do in Kirkwall from ancient landmarks and historical treasures, to incredible whisky distilleries and more - but here are just a few!
Unique Experiences
Your trip to Orkney will be full of exciting discoveries. Kirkwall is a fantastic base for exploring all that these islands have to offer.

A JP Orkney camper seen here in an evening spot.
© JP Orkney / VisitScotland
Stargazing in Orkney
Find out how, where and when you can catch a sight of the Aurora Borealis in Orkney.
Brough of Birsay, Orkney
© Orkney.com
Routes, Trails and Tours
Orkney is perfect for walking and exploring. Check out these ideas.
Orkney Distillery gin tasting
Other things you might like
Orkney

Accommodation in Orkney

10 amazing things to do in Orkney

Scotland's Landscapes, Scenery & Nature Spots

7 Scenic Natural Wonders
Scotland in your inbox
Subscribe to our newsletter and we'll email you with unique attractions, exciting trip ideas and visitor offers.