Scapa Flow attracts many divers from all over the world who have the chance to dive in one of the most interesting dive sites available. Following the First World War and the surrender by the German nation, the entire German Fleet was scuttled. Today 8 wrecks remain in Scapa Flow, providing a thriving tourist attraction and a home to marine life.

Other tourist attractions include The Italian Chapel (right), built by prisoners of war during World War II and St Magnus Cathedral, built in 1137 and located in Kirkwall.

Skara Brae, pictured right, is the biggest tourist attraction on the islands. It is one of Orkney's most visited ancient sites and is regarded as one of the most valuable historic sites in Europe. This Neolithic village is preserved by sand dunes although at present are in danger of crumbling due to heat exposure and weathering by Orkney’s constant wind and waves. Work is currently underway to find ways of preserving the site as we see it today. Skara Brae is excavated in such a way that the visitor can walk around the site seeing first hand how the ancients used to live. Radio-carbon dating in the early 1970s showed the settlement was much older than first thought and revealed that it was inhabited between 3200 BC and 2200 BC.

The climate is remarkably temperate and equable for such a northerly latitude. The average temperature for the year is 8°C (46°F), Winter averages out at 4°C (39°F) and summer at 12°C (54°F). The winter months are January, February and March, March being the coldest. Spring never begins before April, and it is the middle of June before the heat grows pleasant. September is frequently the finest month, and at the end of October or the beginning of November occurs the ‘peerie’ (or little) summer.

The average annual rainfall varies from 85 cm to 94 cm. Fogs occur during summer and early autumn, and furious gales may be expected four or five times in the year, when the crash of the Atlantic waves is audible for 30 km. This often results in spectacular scenery around Orkney’s coastline.

For tourists one of the fascinations of the islands is their nightless summers. On the longest day the sun rises at 3 AM and sets at 9.25 PM, darkness is virtually unknown, it being possible to read at midnight. On the shortest day the sun rises at 9.10 AM and sets at 3.17 PM.

Italian Chapel

Skara Brae

The Standing Stones

Earls Palace