Kirkwall is the largest town on the Orkney Islands, a Scottish archipelago inhabited for more than 5,000 years. Dominating the skyline, 12th-century St. Magnus Cathedral is a magnificent red-brick structure with a tower that provides phenomenal views of the harbor, and nearby you’ll find ruins of the 12th-century Bishop’s Palace and 17th-century Earl’s Palace. The Orkney Museum offers a fascinating look at the islands’ millennia of history, from the Stone Age to modern times, while prehistoric remnants of the past still stand in place today at the nearby settlement of Skara Brae. Together with the enigmatic henges of the Ring of Brogdar and Stones of Stenness, these ancient monuments are protected by UNESCO as one of the most important Neolithic sites in Western Europe. The perfect conclusion to your visit is an informative tour of the esteemed Highland Park Distillery – which may now seem young at just over 200 years old – capped off with a dram of single malt Scotch whisky.
