Shetland Tours

About Shetland

Shetland is Scotland's most northerly archipelago — over 100 islands, of which 16 are inhabited, stretching closer to Norway than to Edinburgh. Mainland Shetland is the largest island; Lerwick, the capital, is a vibrant harbour town. The archipelago demands time — allow 4-5 days for Mainland, a week if exploring the outer isles including Unst, Britain's most northerly inhabited island. Reaching Shetland is part of the adventure. NorthLink Ferries run overnight from Aberdeen to Lerwick (12 hours, cabins available). Alternatively, fly to Sumburgh from Aberdeen (1 hour). Up Helly Aa, on the last Tuesday of January (27 January 2026), is Europe's largest Viking fire festival. Up to 2,000 guizers in torchlit procession march through Lerwick, culminating in the burning of a full-size replica Viking galley. The procession is free to watch. Jarlshof, near Sumburgh, is an extraordinary multi-period site — Bronze Age, Iron Age, Pictish, Norse, and medieval ruins on one exposed headland. Uncovered by a storm, it tells 4,000 years of settlement in a single visit. Mousa Broch, on the tiny island of Mousa, is the best-preserved Iron Age broch in the world — a 13-metre drystone tower reached by summer boat. Storm petrels nest in the walls at night. Sumburgh Head offers puffins in summer, a lighthouse, and visitor centre. Scalloway Castle and Museum tell the Shetland Bus story — secret wartime boat runs to Norway. The simmer dim of June brings barely-dark nights and near-endless daylight.