Kirkwall

Kirkwall is the capital of Orkney, a group of islands off Scotland's north coast that were part of Norway until 1468. The town is small and walkable, with stone buildings clustered around a harbour. St. Magnus Cathedral, built from red and yellow sandstone starting in 1137, dominates the centre and is still in use. Ships either dock at Hatston Terminal with a shuttle into town, or anchor in Kirkwall Bay with tenders. The main excursion is Skara Brae, a 5,000-year-old Neolithic village preserved under sand dunes on the west coast. The Ring of Brodgar, a stone circle older than Stonehenge, is nearby. The Highland Park distillery on the edge of Kirkwall does tours and tastings. Orkney's landscape is treeless, windswept, and green, with seabirds everywhere. The local food leans on seafood and beef from the island's farms.