A Perfect Orkney Itinerary For 2, 3 or 7 Days

Orkney has always flown relatively under the radar compared to a lot of Scottish destinations, but it’s jam-packed with historic sites, coastal views and wildlife. With a full archipelago of islands to discover, Orkney holds its own against tourist hotspots in Scotland.

The truth is, Orkney is comparatively remote. Flying is expensive; ferries can be long. The short ferries across the Pentland Firth are great, but getting to the northern coast of Scotland in the first place is still a two and a half hour drive from Inverness, and many people see Inverness as “the far north”. But it’s actually not that hard to get here if you want to.

And those who do make it here are rewarded with sights you won’t get anywhere else. Puffins on the most breathtaking cliffs on an island you can walk to? A neolithic tomb graffiti’d by Vikings? A unique road built over the sea by Italian prisoners of war? A 5,000 year old village complete with stone furniture in the houses? Where can I sign up?!

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And the next question: how do you fit it all in? Well, that depends on how long your trip is.

It’s possible to hop over for a day, but I wouldn’t recommend it. There used to be a passenger-only ferry which made this quite easy with connecting buses, but you wouldn’t get to see much in such a short space of time. These days, the earliest boat you could get is at 08:45 and the last one going south is either 19:00, or you could take the overnight ferry to Aberdeen at 23:45. If you do only have one day, I would recommend at the very least visiting Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, the Stones of Stenness, and the Italian Chapel.

If you have longer, I’ve put together several itineraries here for you!

A 2 day Orkney itinerary

Two days is what I would say is the absolute minimum that you need to see Orkney’s best sights.

Day 1 – Neolithic Orkney

Orkney is understood to have been a central point of civilisation in Britain 5,000 years ago. This is probably due to the strategic location for trading and exploration.

Not that I’m biased, but some of the best history in the world is here.

Start your day at the best Neolithic site of all: Skara Brae. This 5,000-year-old village is in my opinion the most remarkable attraction in Orkney. There’s an excellent visitor centre with an exhibition full of artefacts found on the site, before you have the opportunity to explore a replica house. From there, it’s a short walk going back in time to the village, where you can see preserved houses exactly how they were found 150 years ago.

You can buy a ticket which includes entry to Skaill House, which belonged to the farmer who discovered Skara Brae. This lovely manor house is a great addition if you have time, and a really interesting insight into who lived here. I used to be fascinated by all the taxidermy when I was a kid!

Coming out of Skara Brae, take the road south for some more of Orkney’s most famous sights. Before long, you’ll come across the Ring of Brodgar. This scenic stone circle is the setting for… well, we’re not quite sure what. Like Stonehenge, there are lots of theories as to why this would have been here, whether it’s ceremonial or for worship.

It’s well worth walking around the circle, before driving half a mile down the road for some more, even bigger standing stones!

There are fewer stones at the Stones of Stenness, mostly because farmers pillaged them for decades, until it was realised that they may be of some historic importance. So yes, there may even be some walls around that are made of these stones!! The ones that remain are absolutely massive, and really impressive for a quick stop.

It’s time for lunch, so I recommend heading to Stromness for a nice café. Stromness is Orkney’s second largest town and worth a little wander as far as the cannon. I also recommend popping into Lollie & Laine, a lovely gift shop supporting local artists. Arguably it’s the prettier town, but as I’m from the east, I’m not allowed to admit that.

Fun fact: there are loads of blue plaques in Stromness. One is for Eliza Fraser, who Fraser Island in Australia is named after. Another more fun one is to do with scurvy-ridden whale men…

In the afternoon, you could head to Maeshowe, Orkney’s largest chambered cairn. This is one that you will need to pre-book, as you can only visit on guided tours and they do sell out. This large tomb is one of the most interesting in Orkney – firstly, it’s built with the entrance facing exactly where the sun will come in on the winter solstice. And secondly, it’s full of Viking graffiti.

There’s even a dragon drawn into the stone, which has become a symbol of Orkney!

As well as Maeshowe, there are other chambered cairns scattered throughout Orkney, some of which are free to visit – but many of which have interesting ways of entering! My picks would be Wideford Cairn (climb down a ladder), Cuween (crawl in on hands & knees!) or Unstan (one of the bigger cairns you can enter – Ash had to do hands & knees but I just crouched). These are all free.

If you miss out on Maeshowe and you only have two days, I would highly recommend my favourite place in Orkney, the Brough Of Birsay, but plan this around tide times. Read more about it on day 4.

In the evening, it’s time for a classic Orcadian chippy. My go-to whenever I’m in Orkney is a pattie supper – something you can’t get anywhere else! It’s battered mince & tatties, so you can’t get much more Scottish than that. Hopefully it’s nice weather, because it’s lovely to just sit by the harbour or outside the cathedral.

Read more: Why You Should Visit Orkney

Day 2 – Kirkwall & the south isles

In the morning, take a walk to the striking cathedral in Kirkwall, and make sure to pop into Argo’s bakery for some breakfast on the way.

It’s free to go into the cathedral, so it’s worth a wander inside to start your day. If you’re staying longer, you could skip this and go in another day – I’ve got a whole day dedicated to Kirkwall later on.

Drive south from Kirkwall, and you’ll reach the Churchill Barriers. Only cross the first one for now – our first stop is the Italian Chapel on the island of Lambholm.

This island was home to hundreds of Italian prisoners of war in WW2; a far cry from the uninhabited island it is now. They were employed during the war to build the Churchill Barriers, which now connect the south isles to the Orkney mainland by road.

During their time on the island, they built a chapel out of two nissen huts, and today it’s one of Orkney’s most beloved attractions. It’s certainly one of my favourites and one that I recommend to everyone!

There are four barriers altogether, and two of them are surrounded by shipwrecks. These were actually sunk deliberately to stop enemy submarines getting through to Scapa Flow before the barriers were built. You can stop at the end of the third barrier to see the best wreck remains, and if the tide’s out, there’s a great beach here too.

The fourth used to have some brilliant wrecks, but believe it or not they have been buried in the sand that has built up to create a fantastic beach. When I was growing up, the beach was right next to the road and there are photos of me somewhere playing in the wrecks! Now they’ve been buried, and the beach is a fair walk from the road. Which means Burray & South Ronaldsay are now basically one island.

South Ronaldsay is the southernmost island in Orkney, and the one I grew up on. I recommend lunch at Robertsons café in St Margaret’s Hope and a quick look in the craft shop along the front before heading out of the village. There’s also a small blacksmith’s museum which is free.

You could go one of two ways here – continuing the wartime history theme, Hoxa Head is home to several very well-preserved battery lookout points that you can explore for free. If you’re looking for artworks, a friend from school has followed in her mother’s footsteps to create tapestries at the Hoxa Tapestry Gallery, where you can buy prints as well as the original tapestries.

Further south is the best attraction on the island: the Tomb Of The Eagles. This closed during Covid, in which time the family retired and it hasn’t opened since. The community has pooled together to re-open the visitor centre, which sadly we missed on our recent visit, but it’s finally re-opened in September 2025!

The Tomb Of The Eagles is one of my favourite attractions so I’m really glad it’s open again. It’s another chambered cairn, but to get into this one, you lay down on a glorified skateboard and pull yourself in on a rope!! (When I was a kid, it was an ACTUAL skateboard!) The visitor centre is also excellent and really interactive and hands-on, so I hope this’ll still be the case now.

I also absolutely recommend taking a quick detour down to Windwick Bay. It’s great for bird-watching and just taking in the views. If you happen to be there in October, it’s also full of baby seals!

Oh, and make sure to stop at the Olad Summit for one of the best views in the whole of Orkney.

In the evening, grab dinner at The Sands in Burray. This is my favourite restaurant in Orkney! *Highly* suggest trying the Grimbister cheese starter, and the Orkney fudge cheesecake for dessert.

I love Orkney fudge cheesecake so much that I requested for our wedding venue to make it, and our guests still talk about how good it was! You can find it on lots of menus in Orkney.

Or if you really want some good seafood, look no further than the Murray Arms in St Margaret’s Hope. (And say hello to Gina for me!).

A 3 day Orkney itinerary

An extra day can make all the difference, and I recommend getting out to one of the islands.

Days 1 & 2 – follow the itinerary above

Day 3 – get out to an island (my picks: Hoy or Rousay)

Orkney is made up of an archipelago of 70 islands, 20 of which are inhabited. That makes for a lot of potential exploring! I recommend getting out on a boat to at least one of them, and if you’ve just got one day, my picks would be either Hoy or Rousay.

I have a full guide to Hoy here, but essentially if you are into a) war history, and b) coastal walks, look no further. The Scapa Flow museum is excellent – and completely free! It covers the influence of Scapa Flow during the World Wars, complete with engine rooms and more.

And of course, one of Orkney’s most famous sites is the Old Man Of Hoy, an impressive sea stack surrounded by some of the highest cliffs in the UK. If you do one hike in Orkney, it should be this one. If you’re not planning a hike, then Rackwick Bay, the starting point, is an excellent place to while away a few hours. You might even meet a Highland coo!

If you are more into the neolithic history and want more after day one, Rousay might be a better choice. This is excellent for kids as there are several chambered cairns to explore at your leisure. I haven’t actually been since I was a kid, so I don’t have up-to-date recommendations, but I don’t think it needs to be up-to-date when the attractions are 5,000 years old!

Both of these are very accessible islands and very easy to do in a day.

You also don’t *need* a car for either, although it might be easier. Passenger-only ferries go to Hoy from Stromness, with a bus taking you to Rackwick. Otherwise car ferries leave from Houton, near Orphir, and arrive right next to the Scapa Flow Museum – but getting anywhere else from there might be difficult with no transport. The ferry to Rousay goes from Tingwall, and also stops at Egilsay and Wyre, so you might even be able to island-hop.

Read more: Visiting Hoy: A Day Trip To The Highest Island In Orkney

A 7 day Orkney itinerary

Days 1 – 3 – follow the itinerary above

Day 4 – Brochs and coasts

Today we’re off to the northern part of the mainland for more sightseeing, and one of my favourite parts of Orkney!

The timing of today very much depends on the tide times. We’re heading to Birsay to visit a tidal island – but it’s only accessible for around 3 hours twice a day, so this usually means only once during the daytime. I highly suggest going as early into the 3 hours as possible; usually about an hour before low tide.

There is a good causeway out to the island, where you can explore a Viking settlement, walk to a lighthouse, and even see puffins! In fact, this is probably the best place to see them on the Orkney “mainland”.

It’s also my favourite place in the world for wave watching.

This isn’t the only thing to do in the area, either. Head to the Birsay Bay Tearooms for lunch – we always try to visit when we’re up! It also means if the island is accessible in the morning or afternoon, you can go to the tearooms either side of visiting the island. They also have a board with the tide times, and they said they get the times each morning from the tourist info office as the information online has been unreliable, so to be safe, I’d perhaps contact them or check the Met Office.

In Birsay village, make sure to stop at the Earl’s Palace ruins before you leave – this is free to wander around and read the info boards.

Nearby is another fantastic coastal walk that doesn’t need much time – just a head for heights.

Marwick Head is one of my favourite views in Orkney. You can either park up near Kitchener Memorial in a small car park, or park down at Marwick Bay and walk up. The first one means just a 10-15 minute walk to the memorial and it’s a fabulous place to take in the views and watch the seabirds on the cliffs. Also watch out for rabbits!

The memorial is a somber reminder that more than 600 men died just off the coast here in 1916, including Lord Kitchener, who you may recognise from the “your country needs you!” war-time posters. There are some colourful conspiracy theories surrounding what really happened, which make for interesting reading!

From Birsay, head east to our next stop: the Broch of Gurness. This iron age broch is a really underrated attraction in Orkney as it’s overlooked by the older neolithic sites. It’s also the most remote attraction on the mainland, so we’re going a little off the beaten path here.

This is an iron age broch from around 500BC, and the surrounding village makes it one of the best preserved, so it’s well worth adding to your itinerary despite the detour.

Other things you could do out this way are:

• Visit Orkney Brewery (their café is also great) or Swannay
• Take a look around HMS Tern, a wartime airfield now with a museum and a preserved cinema – oh, and did I mention it’s in Twatt? It’s only open on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays during the summer, but the volunteers who keep this place running are excellent
• Head to Warebeth Beach just outside Stromness for sunset

You could easily combine this with some of the activities on day 1 – it’s up to you what you’d prioritise.

Related reading: 7 Coastal Walks In Orkney You Need To Take

Day 5 & 6 – go to another island overnight

With so many islands to visit, why not visit another one? Not all of them are day trippable, so I’d go further afield to either Westray, Sanday or Stronsay. Question is: which one should you choose?

If you’re visiting in the summer months, Westray is the best place to go for puffins, and from there you can take the shortest flight in the world, over to neighbouring Papa Westray. Papa Westray is home to what is thought to be the oldest preserved house in Northern Europe – similar to the houses at Skara Brae, the Knap of Howar is Papa Westray’s primary attraction.

As well as puffins, Westray is a great spot for other birdwatching, such as gannets at Noup Head. We actually visited Westray in a morning (!) and spent most of our time at Castle o’Burrian where the puffins are, so we didn’t make it that far, but we did stop at Noltland Castle before we had to head back to the ferry.

Sanday is the perfect place to enjoy some beach time – it lives up to its name, after all!

We finally visited Sanday on our recent trip and I will say it’s probably my favourite island of all. It’s the perfect place to relax, explore at leisure, and even find some neolithic and wartime history in the shape of a chambered cairn and a shipwreck. There’s a hotel, but you could also stay at the Ayres Rock Hostel & Campsite – we stayed in one of their cosy pods and it was delightful.

Both Sanday and Westray have a community bus which picks up from the ferry terminal and can drop you anywhere on the islands, so you can visit on foot – but Sanday especially I would recommend a car for flexibility.

Stronsay would be the best one to visit without a car as it’s smaller. You can hire bikes from the friendly community centre, and they even have e-bikes on offer if you don’t want a strenuous day. Like nearby Sanday, Stronsay is also home to some spectacular beaches. I have to say I was surprised just how scenic it is! The main attraction is a cliff formation, the Vat of Kirbuster, which is part of a fantastic coastal walk. We visited Stronsay in a day, but it depends on the ferry timetable as it doesn’t always line up well for a day trip.

If you want to go really off the beaten path, try North Ronaldsay. Famous for its seaweed-eating sheep and bird conservation, this is one for wildlife lovers. When I say off the beaten path – I only know a handful of people who have been there. (Three that I know of…)

As you can see, there are plenty of islands to explore, and as we’ve done several as day trips, you could even spend the two days island-hopping, including whichever island you didn’t do on day 3.

TIP: If you are taking a car, you MUST book, especially in the summer. If you’re a foot passenger, you can just turn up and go. All ferries are operated by Orkney Ferries.

Day 7 – explore Kirkwall’s museums and visit a distillery

It’s been a full-on few days, so it’s time to wind down in Orkney’s main town, Kirkwall. If you haven’t picked up souvenirs yet, I recommend some of the gift shops in Kirkwall:

• Judith Glue for knitwear, Twatt signs and lots of essential Orkney souvenirs. They also have a lovely café at the back.
• The Brig Larder for food and drink souvenirs
• Sheila Fleet or Aurora for jewellery
• Orkney Brewery shop for local beer

If you didn’t already go into the cathedral, now is a good time. I like a wee walk around the kirkyard too, for photos of the cathedral.

Make sure to pop into the Orkney Museum opposite too – it’s free! They have a brand new exhibition with an interactive AI Viking.

If you’re staying in Kirkwall, you don’t need to drive anywhere, so it’s a good time to check out a distillery. Highland Park is within walking distance of the town centre, and is an iconic feature in the town. Scapa Distillery has an impressive new visitor centre and is becoming ever popular. It’s just outside Kirkwall though, so you might need a taxi.

In the evening, check out a couple of pubs (if you’ve not been doing this every night anyway!). My favourite pub in town is the Auld Motor Hoose, fondly known as the Moho, which is decorated with car parts and garage signs everywhere. The Bothy is a great traditional pub, and if you’re lucky you might catch a trad music session there. For dinner, we really like Helgi’s, a casual cocktail bar, and the Kirkwall Hotel. For whisky lovers, I recommend the bar in the Orkney Hotel, or for those looking for a more youthful night out, the Torvhaug is the place to go.

There are several other things you could do in Kirkwall, including:

• Walking up Wideford Hill, which overlooks the town, to climb down into a cairn
• Earl’s & Bishop’s Palaces – these are right next to each other, opposite the cathedral
• If whisky’s not your thing but gin is, check out The Orkney Distillery along the waterfront (they’ve started doing whisky as well but it’s blended, not single malt)
• The Wireless Museum

How to get to Orkney

The number one thing that puts people off visiting Orkney: figuring out how to get here. Do you know how many couchsurfing requests I used to get that then got cancelled because they realise they can’t just hop over on their week-long trip to Scotland?

It’s not as hard as you think, though!

During the summer, there are six ferries a day from the north coast of Scotland, as well as four per week from Aberdeen if you don’t want to make your way all the way up to the top. The Aberdeen ferry is a big six hour journey compared to the hour or 90 minutes it takes from the north coast – on the way down, it’s an overnight ferry ride.

If you are arriving from the north coast, I’d recommend taking Pentland Ferries one way and Northlink the other – that way, you can drive across the Churchill Barriers to or from St Margaret’s Hope, and see the Old Man Of Hoy from the Northlink boat!

Here are the timetables so you can figure out which is best for you.

Pentland Ferries (1 hour 10 mins):
Gills Bay to St Margaret’s Hope: 09:30, 13:30, 18:45
St Margaret’s Hope to Gills Bay: 07:45, 11:30, 17:00

Northlink Ferries (1 hour 30 mins):
Scrabster to Stromness: 08:45, 13:15 (May to September), 19:00
Stromness to Scrabster: 06:30, 11:00 (May to September), 16:45
Weekend timetable (Sundays only in the summer; Saturdays follow the above timetable April to October):
Scrabster to Stromness: 12:00, 19:00
Stromness to Scrabster: 06:30, 16:45
There are a couple of exceptions, so check the website for the up-to-date times including dry dock services.

Aberdeen > Kirkwall, 17:00 arr 23:00:
Tuesday (summer only)
Thursday
Saturday
Sunday
Kirkwall > Aberdeen, 23:45 arr 07:30:
Monday (summer only)
Wednesday
Friday

If you’d rather fly, Loganair flies a few times a day from Aberdeen, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Lerwick, and weekly or more from Manchester, London and even Norway. Flying can be more reliable than boats in the winter, but it’s an expensive way to travel to Orkney.

Where to stay in Orkney

Generally, I would recommend at least a few nights in Kirkwall. There’s plenty to do to keep entertained in the evenings, and it’s a very central location for getting anywhere – nowhere is more than about half an hour away on the mainland or south isles by road, and lots of the island ferries leave from the town. (The only ones that don’t are Hoy, Flotta and Rousay/Egilsay/Wyre).

Kirkwall has a mix of hotels, B&Bs, apartments, and even a few hostels on offer.

There are also hotels in Stromness, St Margaret’s Hope, Burray, and if you wanted somewhere a little more rural, there are a few dotted across the west mainland in places like Dounby, Harray and Stenness.

Otherwise there are lots of self-catering options all over the islands. If you’re looking for somewhere dog-friendly in Kirkwall, I highly recommend High Park Lodges – we stayed there this month and it’s going to be our go-to place to stay from now on. It’s next to the Highland Park distillery with beautiful views (see above photo – we were in Lodge #1!), and it’s a great place to come back to and relax.

When is the best time to visit Orkney?

During the summer months is best – everything is open, the days are very long, the weather is better, and generally it doesn’t get too crowded, though my one tip is to check the cruise schedule and avoid the main tourist sites on days when 5,000+ capacity ships are in!!

Winter can bring northern lights but also bad weather wreaking havoc with cancelled ferries. I’d advise being flexible, but if you’re lucky with the weather, it can be a great time to explore some of the sights with fewer crowds. Check for opening times though as not everything is open and other places are limited hours. Christmas and New Year means the Ba’ – a street football game like no other!

Do you need a car in Orkney?

You don’t need a car in Orkney for the main sights, but it does make it easier not having to rely on public transport. There’s a really good bus service now (the X1) between St Margaret’s Hope, Kirkwall and Stromness, which stops close to the Ring Of Brodgar and by the Italian Chapel. When I was growing up near the Hope, there were only about 3 buses a day – now it’s hourly! The dream. Skara Brae has also now got a much better bus service.

There are a few places on my itinerary which wouldn’t be so easy to get to, like Birsay where you are relying on tide times to visit the brough. Plenty of the islands are easy to visit without a car, and some offer bike hire which makes it easier to get around.

What do you need to buy & try in Orkney?

Oh boy, do I have a list for you.

• First of all, do NOT leave without buying Orkney fudge. Not that I’m biased, but it’s the best fudge in the world and unlike any fudge you’ve ever had.
• Make sure to go into Argo’s bakery for some sausage rolls. They have sooo many great goodies on offer, from pastries to tray bakes. Rendalls also do a brilliant macaroni pie.
• If you’re getting a chippy, you have to try a pattie supper.
• GRIMBISTER CHEESE!!!!!!!! This is a staple starter on most restaurant menus.
• Orkney fudge cheesecake. It’s so fecking good, you won’t want another type of cheesecake ever again.
• Seafood! Orkney crab, salmon and scallops are all really popular.
• A local beer – there are two main breweries, Orkney Brewery and Swannay. Obviously this is down to personal taste, but from each of the breweries, Ash’s favourites are Orkney Gold and Muckle. My Dad loves a Dark Island.
• Also, if you’re into gin, there’s a growing industry here now. For something a bit different, Orkney Gin Company does a flavour called Rhubarb Old Tom which is really popular. (Ash’s mum loved it!)

Overall, Orkney is a brilliant destination whether you have 2 days, 3 days or a full week.

There is enough to keep anyone interested, whether you’re into history, sea birds, food, beaches, whisky or crafts. It’s a great place for kids to visit, and always has lots of community things going on.

Hopefully this itinerary will inspire you to visit, and help you to have an amazing time on our fantastic islands!

Read more about Orkney here:
⭐ Why You Should Visit Orkney
⭐ 7 Coastal Walks In Orkney You Need To Take
⭐ Visiting Hoy: A Day Trip To The Highest Island In Orkney
⭐ 50 Photos To Make You Want To Visit Orkney