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Orkney is an archipelago of about 70 islands, some twenty of them inhabited, lying across the Pentland Firth off the northern tip of Scotland. Gentle farmland at first sight, it is one of the richest prehistoric landscapes in Europe: you walk among villages and stone circles older than the pyramids.
Five thousand years of history in the open air
The main island, Mainland, holds most of it: Kirkwall, the capital, with its red-sandstone St Magnus Cathedral begun in 1137, and Stromness, a small harbour town of flagstone streets. The UNESCO-listed Heart of Neolithic Orkney brings together the village of Skara Brae, the Maeshowe tomb with its Viking graffiti, the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness.
The Second World War left other traces: the Churchill Barriers, causeways you drive across, and the Italian Chapel, built in 1943 by Italian prisoners inside two huts. In Scapa Flow, where the German fleet scuttled itself in 1919, seven wrecks draw divers from around the world.
To the south, Hoy raises its cliffs and the Old Man of Hoy, a sandstone stack more than 130 m high; to the north, Westray and Papa Westray are linked by the world’s shortest scheduled flight, about 90 seconds.
Two opposite trips
From May to August, days pass 18 hours of light around the solstice and twilight never fades: the “simmer dim”. Puffins are present from April to early August, peaking mid-May to mid-July, notably on Westray and at Marwick Head; the St Magnus Festival livens up Kirkwall in June.
Winter is windy but rarely freezing; days are short, sites almost empty and the northern lights possible on clear nights. At Christmas and New Year, Kirkwall’s streets host the Ba’, a mass ball game played for centuries.
A ferry or a small plane, then drive on the left
There is no direct flight from Paris: connect via Edinburgh, Glasgow or Aberdeen, then Loganair to Kirkwall. By ferry, NorthLink links Scrabster to Stromness in 1 h 30 and Aberdeen to Kirkwall overnight; Pentland Ferries crosses from Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope in just over an hour.
A car is highly recommended as the Neolithic sites are scattered. Drive on the left, often on single-track roads with passing places. Since Brexit, EU visitors need a passport and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA), applied for online before departure.
Essentials & your questions
| Main town | Kirkwall |
|---|---|
| Area | about 990 km² |
| Language | English (Orcadian dialect) |
| Currency | Pound sterling (GBP) |
| Entry | Passport + ETA (£20) for EU visitors |
| Best time | May–August for light, puffins and festivals |
Do EU visitors need a visa for Orkney?
No, but a passport and an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA, £20) have been compulsory since 2025. ID cards are not accepted.
Do you need a car?
It is strongly recommended on Mainland as the sites are scattered. The north isles are reached by ferry or small plane.
Where can you see puffins?
At Castle o’Burrian on Westray or at Marwick Head, mostly mid-May to mid-July.
Photo: James Allan, CC BY-SA 2.0, Wikimedia Commons