Tours in Kirkwall
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Explore Group Travel →Cruising to Kirkwall
Orkney sits just off the northern tip of Scotland, a scattering of around 70 islands shaped by millennia of Atlantic wind and human endeavour. Kirkwall, the archipelago's capital, is a medieval sandstone town whose narrow flagged streets have changed little in character since the Norse earls who built St Magnus Cathedral over 900 years ago. For cruise passengers stepping ashore, the immediate impression is of a place that wears its history lightly — it is all around you, but it never feels like a museum piece.
What sets Orkney apart from almost anywhere else in Europe is the sheer density of prehistoric remains. The Heart of Neolithic Orkney UNESCO World Heritage Site — encompassing Skara Brae, Maeshowe, the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar — represents a civilisation that flourished here more than 5,000 years ago, before Stonehenge or the Great Pyramids were conceived. These monuments are not remote curiosities requiring strenuous hikes; most sit within a short drive of Kirkwall, making them realistic targets for a well-planned shore day.
Beyond the ancient stones, Orkney offers a living culture shaped by Scandinavian and Scottish influences. Local food producers have earned the islands a reputation far beyond their remote location, with Orkney beef, farmhouse cheeses, and the legendary Highland Park single malt whisky distillery (one of the world's northernmost) all drawing genuine admirers. The town of Kirkwall itself, with its cathedral, earls' palace, and cluster of independent shops and cafés, is pleasantly walkable and makes a satisfying base even for passengers who prefer to stay close to the ship.
The light in Orkney is unlike anywhere else in the British Isles. On a clear summer day the low sun angles across the moorland and lochs for almost 18 hours, casting the standing stones in extraordinary relief and painting the sky in shades that photographers travel from around the world to capture. Even on a grey day, when Atlantic clouds roll in from the west, the landscape has a dramatic grandeur that most cruise destinations simply cannot match.
Top things to do in Kirkwall on a cruise stopover
Ring of Brodgar and the Heart of Neolithic Orkney
The Ring of Brodgar is among Europe's finest prehistoric stone circles — 60 original megaliths arranged in a near-perfect 340-foot circle, surrounded by a rock-cut ditch dating to around 2500 BCE. Standing within it, with the lochs of Harray and Stenness stretching away on either side and curlews calling overhead, the weight of deep time is palpable. The adjacent Stones of Stenness are even older, dating to 3100 BCE, with four enormous surviving stones reaching 19 feet in height. Together with Skara Brae village and the burial mound of Maeshowe, this landscape forms Orkney's UNESCO World Heritage Site — arguably the most significant prehistoric complex in Northern Europe. Venture Ashore's Private Ancient Treasures of Orkney tour is designed to make the most of these remarkable sites within a cruise schedule.
St Magnus Cathedral: The Rose-Red Heart of Kirkwall
Built from warm red and yellow sandstone quarried from Orkney's own landscape, St Magnus Cathedral dominates Kirkwall's skyline and ranks among the best-preserved Romanesque cathedrals in the British Isles. Construction began in 1137 on the orders of Norse Earl Rognvald, and the building was dedicated to his uncle Magnus, an Orkney earl martyred in 1117. Walking through the cathedral's massive nave, past pillars carved with the names of long-dead parishioners, you sense the continuity of devotion that has maintained this building for nearly nine centuries. The bones of both St Magnus and Earl Rognvald are believed to be interred within the pillars. The cathedral remains an active place of worship and is free to enter, making it an unmissable stop for any visitor to Kirkwall regardless of how much time they have ashore.
Skara Brae: Europe's Best-Preserved Prehistoric Village
Hidden beneath a sand dune on the western coast of Orkney's Mainland for 4,000 years, Skara Brae was revealed by a great storm in 1850 and astonished the Victorian world. Today, peering down into its clustered stone dwellings — complete with stone beds, dressers, hearths, and storage boxes — you stand face to face with daily life as it was lived around 3180 BCE. This is not a reconstruction: the furniture is original, the walls are original, the passages connecting the houses are original. It predates both Stonehenge and the Egyptian pyramids. The visitor centre provides excellent context, and the adjacent Skaill House (a 17th-century laird's mansion) adds a contrasting layer of Orcadian history. On a dramatic coastal headland with Atlantic waves breaking below, Skara Brae delivers one of the most viscerally moving prehistoric experiences available to the modern traveller.
Highland Park Distillery: The World's Most Northerly Scotch
Operating continuously since 1798 on the southern edge of Kirkwall, Highland Park is one of the world's great single malt whisky distilleries — and one of the most northerly. The distillery still maintains its own floor maltings, where barley is germinated and then dried over peat fires, giving Highland Park its distinctive lightly peated, slightly heathery character. Tours of the working distillery take you through the entire production process, from malting floor to warehouse, culminating in a tasting of expressions that range from the approachable 12-year-old to rare aged releases. The location is an easy walk from Kirkwall town centre, making it a practical and deeply enjoyable addition to any shore day. The distillery shop stocks the full range, including Orkney-exclusive bottlings unavailable elsewhere.
The Italian Chapel: Beauty Born of Captivity
On the small island of Lamb Holm, connected to the Orkney Mainland by the Churchill Barriers (causeways built during the Second World War), stands one of the most unexpected and moving places in Scotland. Italian prisoners of war, held on Orkney after their capture in North Africa, transformed two corrugated Nissen huts into an ornate Catholic chapel using salvaged materials, paint, and extraordinary ingenuity. The façade is rendered in concrete to resemble an Italian church; the interior is painted with trompe-l'oeil brickwork, ornate ironwork fashioned from scrap metal, and a serene altar fresco. The result is genuinely beautiful and deeply poignant — a testament to human creativity and the need for dignity even in captivity. The chief artist, Domenico Chiocchetti, returned from Italy in 1960 to restore the chapel and met with islanders who had maintained it in his absence.
Kirkwall Old Town: Norse Streets and Orcadian Character
The medieval core of Kirkwall runs along the pedestrianised Albert Street and its continuation, Broad Street — a flagstoned main street flanked by sandstone buildings whose layout has barely changed since the Norse settlement it grew from. The ruined Bishops' and Earls' Palaces (Historic Environment Scotland, small entry fee) sit just across from the cathedral and repay a leisurely 45-minute exploration. The Orkney Museum, housed in a 16th-century townhouse, provides an excellent free introduction to the island's natural and human history. Local shops along Albert Street stock Orcadian food products, craft jewellery with Norse-inspired designs, and authentic knitwear from the outer islands. The whole area is compact, walkable, and pleasantly free of the tourist-trap atmosphere that afflicts more heavily visited ports.
Kirkwall travel tips
Dress for All Four Seasons — Even in July. Orkney's weather is famously changeable. The archipelago has little tree cover and sits exposed to Atlantic weather systems, meaning conditions can shift from warm sunshine to driving rain within an hour. Even in peak summer, pack a genuinely waterproof jacket, layers, and sturdy footwear — the ground around the standing stones and Skara Brae can be uneven and muddy. Conversely, on a clear day the warmth reflected from the stone and the lack of shade can catch visitors off guard. Dressing in layers and carrying rain gear in a small pack will keep you comfortable in almost any conditions.
Start with the Neolithic Sites, Not the Town. Kirkwall town is easy to cover in the latter part of a shore day — the cathedral and distillery are open late into the afternoon and the streets are pleasant for an evening stroll. The Neolithic sites, particularly Skara Brae, can become crowded by mid-morning, and Maeshowe (entry by timed slot only, booked in advance through Historic Environment Scotland) must be planned carefully. If your shore programme includes the western Mainland sites, aim to reach them when they open in the morning and work back towards Kirkwall as the day progresses.
Book Maeshowe in Advance. Entry to Maeshowe — the 5,000-year-old chambered cairn containing the largest collection of Viking rune inscriptions outside Scandinavia — is by guided tour only, with timed slots that sell out. Bookings must be made in advance through Historic Environment Scotland's website. If you arrive without a reservation during busy summer months, you may find all slots taken. Check availability before your cruise departs and secure tickets early; this is one of Orkney's most extraordinary experiences and not one to miss through poor planning.
Carry Cash for Rural Stops. While Kirkwall's shops, restaurants, and the Highland Park distillery all accept cards reliably, smaller stops along rural roads — farm gates selling local produce, community trusts managing some minor historic sites, roadside honesty boxes selling eggs and vegetables — operate on cash only. Having a small amount of Sterling in your pocket means you won't miss spontaneous opportunities to buy Orkney honey, hand-knitted goods, or freshly caught shellfish directly from producers.
Photography: Chase the Low-Angle Light. Orkney's latitude means the sun traces a shallow arc across the sky, even at midsummer. This produces the kind of low, warm, directional light that photographers dream of — not just at golden hour but for much of the day. The standing stones at Brodgar and Stenness photograph beautifully in any conditions: sun creates long shadows that emphasise the stones' scale, while overcast skies produce dramatic, moody skies that suit the prehistoric atmosphere. For the best shots of St Magnus Cathedral's west front, morning light from the east is ideal.
Respect the Sites — They Are Not Theme Parks. Orkney's prehistoric monuments are UNESCO-listed for good reason — they are irreplaceable. Please remain on the designated paths around the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness; the archaeological layers beneath the turf are fragile and easily compacted by foot traffic. At Skara Brae, stay behind the barriers — touching or entering the excavated structures is not permitted. Maeshowe's interior is experienced only during guided tours, when the guide controls access to the chamber. These regulations exist to preserve sites that have survived 5,000 years; a little consideration ensures they survive 5,000 more.
Port Facts Every Cruiser Needs To Know
Kirkwall shore excursion FAQs
Hatston Pier is approximately 1.5 miles (2.5 km) north of Kirkwall town centre. Many cruise lines operate a complimentary or low-cost shuttle bus between the pier and the town. Alternatively, it is a 25-minute walk along a signed coastal path with pleasant views over the bay. Taxis are available at the pier on arrival, though numbers can be limited when multiple ships are in port simultaneously.
Yes, but it requires planning. The Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness are about 12 miles from Kirkwall, and Skara Brae is around 16 miles, on the western coast. Local bus services do run from Kirkwall, but timetables are infrequent and may not align with your ship's schedule. A pre-arranged shore excursion or hired transport offers much greater flexibility and ensures you return to the ship on time.
Venture Ashore offers a Private Ancient Treasures of Orkney tour from Kirkwall. This private experience is designed around Orkney's extraordinary Neolithic heritage, taking guests to the island's most significant prehistoric monuments. Being a private tour, the itinerary and pace can typically be tailored to your group's interests. Contact Venture Ashore for full itinerary details and availability on your sailing date.
Maeshowe requires advance booking. Entry is by guided tour only, with strictly limited numbers per session. Tickets must be purchased in advance through Historic Environment Scotland's website (www.historicenvironment.scot). Turning up on the day is possible only if cancellations have freed slots, which cannot be relied upon during the busy summer cruise season. Book well ahead if Maeshowe is on your list.
St Magnus Cathedral warrants at least 45 minutes to an hour for a proper visit, including time to walk the full length of the nave, examine the detailed stonework, read some of the medieval memorial inscriptions, and sit quietly in the atmosphere of this remarkable building. Entry is free. Immediately adjacent are the ruined Bishops' Palace and Earls' Palace, which together take another 45 minutes if you have a Historic Environment Scotland ticket.
Highland Park offers walk-in tours on most days during the cruise season, though pre-booking via their website (www.highlandparkwhisky.com) is recommended to guarantee your preferred tour time. Tours last approximately 50 minutes and conclude with a guided tasting. Even whisky novices tend to find the tour fascinating — the distillery's traditional malting floors and characteristic Orcadian peat are genuinely distinctive, and the setting on the edge of Kirkwall is charming.
The Italian Chapel on Lamb Holm is one of the most unexpectedly moving places in Scotland — a beautifully decorated Catholic chapel built from two corrugated Nissen huts by Italian prisoners of war in the 1940s, using salvaged materials and remarkable artistic skill. It is 8 miles southeast of Kirkwall, en route to the Churchill Barriers causeways that connect Mainland Orkney to the southern islands. The chapel is free to enter (donations welcomed) and takes about 30 minutes to visit. It combines well with a drive along the Churchill Barriers and views across Scapa Flow.
Orkney has a serious food reputation built on exceptional local produce. Look for Orkney beef (often on pub and restaurant menus in Kirkwall), Orkney farmhouse cheeses (available from Judith Glue's deli and other shops on Albert Street), freshly caught crab and lobster, and smoked salmon. Orcadian oatcakes with local cheese make an excellent portable lunch for a day at the sites. And for drinks: a dram of Highland Park at the distillery itself is a Kirkwall institution — try the 12-year-old as an introduction to the house style.
Kirkwall town centre is largely flat and accessible, including the interior of St Magnus Cathedral and most of the main shopping street. Highland Park Distillery has accessible tour options. However, Orkney's premier prehistoric sites present real challenges: the ground around the Ring of Brodgar and Stones of Stenness is uneven grass and gravel; Skara Brae involves some sloped paths around the excavations; and Maeshowe requires entering through a low stone passage that demands stooping. Contact Historic Environment Scotland in advance if you have specific accessibility requirements.
Orkney's outdoor sites remain accessible in most weather — locals would suggest there is no such thing as bad Orkney weather, only wrong clothing. Rain actually enhances some experiences, particularly the prehistoric sites which become atmospheric and crowd-free. If conditions are genuinely severe, Kirkwall's indoor options are excellent: the Orkney Museum (free, housed in a beautiful 16th-century building), St Magnus Cathedral, the Orkney Library and Archive, and the Highland Park Distillery visitor experience all make worthwhile full or half-day programmes entirely under cover.
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