Stromness - the second largest town in Orkney and is known to be a town shaped by the sea

Stromness is Orkney’s second largest town, and arguably its prettiest, with winding cobbled street, attractive architecture and bustling harbour. It is Orkney’s main ferry port, with sailings to and from Scrabster on the north coast of Caithness. It has been a port since Norse occupation thanks to the good anchorage points provided by Hamnavoe, the bay on which it sits, and its maritime heritage is evident in the town’s character. There are many independent shops and cafes, and arts lovers will delight in the Pier Arts Centre showcasing art from Orkney and beyond.

The town is the centre of Orkney’s world-leading renewable energy industry, hosting the Europe Marine Energy Centre. The Pentland Firth, separating Orkney from mainland Scotland, has one of the world’s fastest tidal flows and this energy is being captured to power the country sustainably – leading Scotland to be a world-leader in the renewables industry.

Stromness is packed with independent shops selling locally-made crafts including textiles and jewellery. Orkney really is a haven for artists and the islands are scattered with potters, weavers, jewellers, painters and more.

Stromness is the main base for diving in Orkney’s Scapa Flow, a world-famous location for wreck diving. Orkney’s myriad of islands and sheltered bays made for an excellent place to store the nation’s fleets during the world wars. Its sheltered waters have also been used by ships for centuries, and so it has played an important role in travel and trade throughout the years. This has left its mark on the seabed in the form of numerous wrecks, which divers flock from far and wide to explore.

If you would rather stay above the waves than dive beneath them, charter fishing boats leave Stromness so you can have a shot at catching cod or ling for your dinner.

Orkney is of course a world-class site for archaeology, and within half an hour of Stromness you can reach the Broch of Birsay, the Ring of Brodgar, Maeshowe, the world-famous Skara Brae and so much more. Orkney has been a place of great importance throughout history, including in Norse and Neolithic periods, and this shows – what has been left behind is just incredible. One of our favourites has got to be Maeshowe – a Neolithic burial chamber later raided by Vikings, who left their mark in the form of rune ‘grafitti’ on the walls!

Orkney is just overflowing with thing to do and see – even if history and archaeology aren’t usually your thing, Orkney’s sites are a whole other level! If you’re looking for a little peace and quiet but with easy access to shops, Stromness makes the perfect base from which to explore the islands.