Orkney and Shetland Islands

With some parts closer to Norway and the Faro islands than mainland UK, it’s no surprise that Orkney and Shetland have close historic ties to the mighty Vikings, who settled on these islands over a thousand years ago. These ties can still be seen today at the annual Up Helly Aa festival that takes place in the capital of Shetland’s Lerwick where a horde of Vikings march through the town before burning a Viking longship in the harbour. Orkney is home to Skara Brae, Europe's most complete Neolithic village pre-dating Stonehenge or even the Egyptian pyramids, along with remnants of World War I and World War II with Scapa Flow, the site of the grounding of the World War I German Navy, the Churchill Barries and the Italian Chapel, built by Italian prisoners of war held on the island. The region's distilleries and Scottish Gin brands include Orkney Gin Company, Deerness Distillery, Kirkjuvagr Orkney Gin and the Saxa Vord Distillery, home to Shetland Reel, the UK’s most northerly Scottish Gin distillery.