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From the NorthLink ferry ride along the Orkney coast (beautiful!), our enjoyable stay in the historic city of Kirkwall, to visits to the prehistoric sites of Skara Brae, the Standing Stones of Stenness, Meashowe, etc., the Orkney Islands have so much to offer. We would love to return to this beautiful island some day!

We've been to Orkney several times. Lovely island. Can be cold and wet and windy, so take several layers of clothing. Very attractive island. Maeshowe and Skara Brae are amazing, as are the other historical monuments. Museums excellent. St Magnus Cathedral lovely. Good restaurants and cafes. Travel easy by car but some roads are narrow so drive with care. Haven't tried the buses but understand there is a good bus service. Our grandaughter's car broke down one evening and AA (of which she was a member) didn't come. Eventually the police took her home at 4 am. Not impressed by AA. Police very helpful.

I have been coming to Orkney for about 40 years, to see family and to visit the amazing sites etc. The only down side, for me, that since I last came, 2023, visitor numbers have increased hugely but I guess that's the price you pay for progress. But that does not deter me from future visits.

I felt that there wasn't enough pubs, coffee shops, shops open on a Sunday. I felt Stromness was quiet and there was a severe lack of shops. The Blues Festival was on when we were there and if this was not on Stromness would have been very quiet indeed. A lot of empty shops on Kirkwall and Stromness high streets which is really sad to see.

There is so much to see and do in Orkney it warrants several visits to explore the sights and other islands. Local food is excellent. Try the seafood restaurants. Local people we met were helpful. A great place for a holiday and share with friends.

These islands have a fascinating history and culture with internationally notable archaeological sites such as Skara Brae, the Ring of Brodgar, and Maeshowe. For Maeshowe its is important to book ahead as access is limited. You can do this at the very helpful Visit Scotland Travel Centre in Kirkwall by the bus station. It is now thought that Neolithic Orkney may have been the wellspring of the culture that built Stonehenge in England and Newgrange in Ireland. The museums in Kirkwall and Stromness are well worth a visit. The former is free and the latter very cheap. The bus service on the main island, unsurprisingly called Mainland, is excellent. Day tickets are available and good value on the buses. I spent a day looking at the Churchill Barriers around Scapa Flow and the quaint and interesting second town of the islands, Stromness, using the buses. There is a frequent bus service, no. 4, between Kirkwall Airport and the Travel Centre in the heart of the town. There is plenty of natural interest as well as archaeology. I saw a hen harrier, skua, a pair of eider ducks, and common and grey seals. Food and drink is good. I recommend St Ola's, a friendly locals' pub on the harbour side, with good ale from both the excellent island breweries and food. Helgi's next door is worth trying but tends to get very full. Next time I will visit some of the other islands of the archipelago. Beware that visiting cruise liners can double the population of the islands and according to the locals everywhere is then utterly packed out. I visited in the last week of April and first one of May, just before they started to arrive. Worth checking on cruise ship visits to Kirkwall before booking your trip.