tourist centre lerwick

Lerwick VisitScotland iCentre

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LERWICK VISITSCOTLAND ICENTRE: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

• Mon - Sat 09:30 - 17:00
• (0.03 mi) Minn, Flat 1, Gardie Court, Lerwick, Shetland
• (0.03 mi) Breckon, Flat 4, Norna's Court, Lerwick, Shetland
• (0.03 mi) Saltness, Flat 3, Norna's Court, Lerwick Shetland
• (0.04 mi) Lund, Flat 2, Gardie Court, Lerwick, Shetland
• (0.14 mi) Fort Charlotte Guest House
• (0.01 mi) Da Steakhoose
• (0.03 mi) Phusiam Restaurant & Takeaway
• (0.07 mi) No 88 Kitchen and Bar
• (0.09 mi) The Dowry
• (0.08 mi) Peerie Shop Cafe

THE 10 BEST Things to Do in Lerwick

Things to do in lerwick, explore popular experiences, ways to tour lerwick.

Full-Day Private City Tour in Lerwick

Half Day Private Tour with Puffins, Ponies and Past Shetland

Ponies Express Private Tour to Scalloway

4 Hours Rugged Northern Exposure Private Guided Tour from Lerwick

The Shetland Pony Experience - Private Tour

Private Tour from Lerwick West Side Explorer

Tours & sightseeing.

Top Attractions in Lerwick

Other Top Attractions around Lerwick

Private & Custom Tours

Shore excursions, what travellers are saying.

• Shetland Museum and Archives
• Croft House Museum
• Clickimin Broch
• Lerwick VisitScotland iCentre
• Seabirds and Seals Noss Boat Tours
• Shetland Seabird Tours - The Noss Boat

Must-see attractions in Lerwick

Shetland Museum

This museum houses an impressive collection of 5000 years’ worth of culture, people and their interaction with this ancient landscape. Comprehensive but…

Clickimin Broch

This fortified site, just under a mile southwest of Lerwick's town centre, was occupied from the 7th century BC to the 6th century AD. It’s impressively…

Shetland Textile Museum

A mile north of the centre of Lerwick, this four-square stone house, birthplace of P&O founder Arthur Anderson, was also once a fish-curing station. It…

This headland gives a marvellous perspective of the entrance to Lerwick's harbour, as well as Breiwick (bay) and Bressay. There's a golf course, parkland,…

Fort Charlotte

Built in 1781, this fort occupies the site of an earlier fortification built in 1665 to protect the harbour from the Dutch navy. The five-sided fortress…

• 1.1 Visitor information
• 2.1 By plane
• 2.2 By boat
• 3.3 By boat
• 3.4 By taxi
• 7.2 Mid-range
• 7.3 Splurge

Lerwick ( Norwegian : Leirvik , "clay bay") is the largest town and capital of the Shetland Islands , with a population of 6880 in 2016. It's the obvious base for touring them.

Understand [ edit ]

The town dates back at least 3000 years, initially centred a little to the west by the freshwater Clickimin Loch. A wooden town grew up but was burned down by the inhabitants of Scalloway in the 17th century, ostensibly because they objected to the drunken immorality of the Lerwick sailors. Their real motive was fear that Lerwick would supplant Scalloway as capital of Shetland, as indeed it did in 1708. Stone buildings came to predominate in the 18th and 19th centuries and Lerwick became a busy fishing and shipping port. It still is.

Visitor information [ edit ]

• Lerwick visitor information webpage
• The tourist information centre is the VisitScotland iCentre on Market Cross, south end of the harbour. It's open Apr-Sep: M-Sa 9AM-5PM, Su 10AM-4PM; and Oct-Mar: M-Sa 10AM-4PM.

Get in [ edit ]

By plane [ edit ]

Sumburgh Airport ( LSI  IATA ) is Shetlands' main airport, 25 miles (40 km) south of Lerwick. This airport has flights by Loganair from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness, Kirkwall and Bergen. One flight a day is local, to Lerwick-Tingwall. Bus 6 runs between Sumburgh and Lerwick (every hour or two; 60 min), and there is car hire at the airport.

By boat [ edit ]

Northlink Ferries sail overnight from Aberdeen . These carry vehicles and sail every afternoon: on 4 days direct, the other 3 days via Kirkwall in Orkney. See Shetland page for practical info. Ferries no longer sail to Scandinavia, Faeroes or Iceland.

60.163 -1.159 2 Holmsgarth Terminal is the ferry pier, on A970 main road about 2 miles north of Lerwick centre, opposite the Shetland Hotel. Bus 4 (Lerwick to Scalloway) runs past the terminal every hour or so and there are taxis. Cruise ships often visit Shetland in summer and may dock here, or anchor up and bring passengers into Kirkwall by tender.

Get around [ edit ]

By car [ edit ]

Most visitors either fly into Sumburgh and hire from the airport, or bring their own car on the ferry: for a family the extra fare is more than offset by the convenience and saving of self-driving to Aberdeen. This means that Lerwick has only a small hire fleet, which is also serving the airport, so you need to book. As of 2021 the car hire firms in Lerwick are Europcar , Grantfield Garage , and Bolts who are agents for Avis. They're all open M-Sa 9AM-5PM and closed on Sunday.

By bus [ edit ]

You're unlikely to use the bus within town, but for Holmsgarth Terminal use Bus 4 hourly towards Scalloway. Bus 1 circles town hourly and runs north near the terminal and south by Broch of Clickimin. Bus 6 hourly to Sumburgh also passes the Broch. For timetables see Zetrans

60.157 -1.146 3 Viking Bus Station is north end of the centre, just beyond Fort Charlotte.

The only inter-island ferry from Lerwick is the hourly ten-minute crossing to Bressay . It's a little roll-on, roll-off ferry sailing from the harbour in town centre, not Holmsgarth.

The other inter-island ferries ply from different points around Mainland, but their sailing status is shown on a big display board at the harbour, worth checking if the day looks doubtful. Those ferry piers are sometimes altered in rough weather, and Lerwick is a "port of refuge" for the Out Skerries ferry — don't go visiting in such conditions.

By taxi [ edit ]

Taxi firms in Lerwick include Sinclair's +44 1595 696060, Allied Taxis +44 1595 690069, and Ace +44 1595 693030.

There's a taxi rank by Victoria Pier in town centre, and taxis await the ferry from Aberdeen.

See [ edit ]

Lerwick is mostly a modern industrial town, with quays and marine industries sprawling along the shoreline. Scenically the best of it is one block back from the quay, along pedestrianised Commercial Street. Follow this past various Victorian buildings south out of town, onto Twageos Road, then out to the breezy headland of The Knab.

• 60.1459 -1.1386 4 The Knab , South of the town at the end of Knab Road . A small park at the end of a peninsula with a scenic viewpoint out towards the sea, and plaques explaining the historical events that occurred here. A coastal hiking trail heads off in both directions. There is also a cemetery maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. ( updated Sep 2022 )

Do [ edit ]

• Up Helly Aa events are held around New Year in several locations in Shetland, but by far the biggest and most spectacular is in Lerwick. The name means "end of holidays" but it's slipped back in the calendar to attract more visitors, and is nowadays on the last Tuesday in January. The programme starts with a morning procession at 9AM, followed by a civic reception before the "guizers" embark on a series of visits to schools, care homes and the hospital. The evening torchlight costume procession starts at 7:30PM (by which hour it's black night in Shetland), culminating in burning the Viking longship. The guizers are then entertained at a series of "Halls": private receptions to thank volunteers for their work over the year.
• Screenplay Film Festival is held at Mareel, late Aug to early Sep.
• And see Shetland Islands#Do for multi-venue events.
• Garrison Theatre is on Market St behind Fort Charlotte.
• Golf: Shetland GC is 3 miles west on A970. It's 5562 yards, par 68, visitor £32 per day.
• 60.1533 -1.1618 2 Clickimin Leisure Complex , North Lochside ZE1 0PJ ( north end of Clickimin Loch ). M-F 7AM-10:30PM, Sa Su 10:30AM-8:30PM . Shetland's largest leisure centre with swimming pool, steam room, gym and other facilities. Refurbished in 2019, good for kids and reasonably priced. ( updated Jul 2019 )

Buy [ edit ]

Lerwick has the best shopping in Shetland... since it's the only shopping. There's Tesco near the south end of town, plus a variety of shops in town centre.

• Anderson & Co , 60-62 Commercial Street ZE1 0BD . M-Sa 9AM-5PM . Range of knitware clothing items. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• High Level Music , 62-64 Commercial Street . M-Th 9AM-8:30PM, F 9AM-7:30PM, Sa 9AM-5:30PM . Music including tuition, instruments, accessories, CDs and books of music ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Shetland Fudge Company , Esplanade . M-Sa 9AM-5PM . Very nice fudge, locally handmade. Care to try the "puffin poo"? ( updated Jul 2019 )
• The Wine Shop , 113 Commercial Street ( next to tourist info ). M-F 10AM-9PM, Sa Su 10AM-20PM . Wines from around the world and good selection of whisky. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Harry's Department Store , Esplanade . M-Sa 9AM-5:15PM . Department store selling a variety of items, not the cheapest but good range and service. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Westside Pine , Esplanade . M-Sa 9AM-5PM . Gift shop with items made from pine wood. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• 60.15796 -1.15499 1 Toll Clock Shopping Centre at 26 North Rd has some two dozen shops within. Open 9AM-5:30PM, a good refuge if the weather turns bad.

Eat [ edit ]

Budget [ edit ].

• 60.15484 -1.14466 1 Havly Cafe , 9 Charlotte St, Lerwick ZE1 0JL ( central ), ☏ +44 1595 692100 . M-Sa 10AM-5PM . Small cafe with hot drinks, light food and baked goods. Free Wi-Fi. ( updated Apr 2020 )
• Peerie Shop Cafe , Campbell's Close, Esplanade ZE1 0LL . M-Sa 8AM-5PM . Tiny place with a couple of outdoor tables, good coffee & brownies. ( updated Jun 2018 )
• Fort Cafe & Take Away , 2 Commercial Road, Lerwick ZE1 0HY . Fish & chips. ( updated Sep 2022 )

Mid-range [ edit ]

• 60.15314 -1.1403 2 Queen's Hotel , Commercial St . Daily noon-2PM & 6-9PM . They have a restaurant that is accessible from the opposite side of the building from their bar. Reservations are recommended as they can get quite busy in the evening. ( updated Jun 2018 )
• 60.1533 -1.142 3 Phu Siam , Esplanade, Lerwick , ☏ +44 1595 694351 . Daily 3-10PM . The most northerly Thai restaurant in the British Isles is surprisingly good. Just ignore the decor. Mains £6-14 . ( updated Sep 2022 )

Splurge [ edit ]

• At the bus station are Great Wall (Chinese) and Raba (Indian / Nepalese), both open daily.
• 60.153929 -1.143765 3 No 88 Kitchen and Bar , 88 Commercial St, Lerwick ZE1 0EX , ☏ +44 1595 692 139 . W-Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 11AM-5PM . A modern restaurant, bar and venue that places strong emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and produce. Reservations recommended. Lunch £8-15 Starters £9-10, mains £15-21 . ( updated Sep 2022 )
• 60.154189 -1.143751 4 The Dowry , 98 Commercial St, Lerwick, Shetland ZE1 0EX , ☏ +44 1595 692373 . A light and airy cafe bar with Scandinavian influences in the decor and fantastic views out over the harbour area. ( updated Sep 2019 )

Drink [ edit ]

• Thule Bar , Esplanade ZE1 0LL . Daily 11AM-1AM . Not the most salubrious of bars but busy at the weekend. Boilersuits and work boots are perfectly acceptable dress. Pool tables. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• The Lounge , 4 Mounthooley St ZE1 0BJ . Daily 11AM-1AM . This central bar is popular with locals and visitors. There are two parts, the public bar downstairs is very basic. Upstairs the lounge bar is much nicer and far more comfortable. Often has live traditional music. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Douglas Arms ( Marlex ), 67 Commercial Street ZE1 0NL . Daily 11AM-1AM . The public bar is very basic, the lounge bar is far more cosy with dark wood tables and a fireplace, live music Tuesday nights in summer. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Captain Flints , Market Cross ZE1 0LU . M-Sa 11AM-1AM, Su 11AM-midnight . Aaarr Jim lad! A pirate-themed bar in the centre of Lerwick. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Da Wheel Bar , 13 Commercial Road ZE1 0LX . Sa-W 11AM-midnight, Th F 11AM-3AM . The public bar is downstairs open all day, and has a pool table. The lounge bar is open late and has a big dance floor. ( updated Jul 2019 )
• Grand Hotel , Queens Hotel and Shetland Hotel have bars, see Eat and Sleep.
• Lerwick Brewery is 2 miles east of town on Ladies Drive and has tours.

Sleep [ edit ]

• 60.15356 -1.14946 1 Islesburgh House Hostel , Islesburgh House, King Harald Street ZE1 0EQ , ☏ +44 1595 745100 , [email protected] . Check-in: 4-4:30PM, 9:45-10:15PM . 64-bed hostel run by the local council, affiliated to SYHA. Book by email or phone. Oct-Mar is cheaper, but Up Helly Aa in Jan is peak rate. Shared room £20 pp, own room from £40 . ( updated Jun 2018 )
• The Shetland Hotel , Holmsgarth Road ZE1 0PW ( opposite ferry terminal ), ☏ + 44 1595 695515 , [email protected] . Slabby building, but comfy 3-star, handy for ferry and short walk to town. ( updated Jun 2018 )
• 60.151273 -1.152374 2 The Lerwick Hotel , 15 South Road, Lerwick ZE1 0RB ( off A969 south side of town ), ☏ +44 1595 692166 , [email protected] . Three-star run by Brudolff Hotel Group. ( updated Jun 2018 )
• Kveldsro House Hotel , Greenfield Place, Lerwick ZE1 0AQ ( East along alley from jcn A969 & Knab Rd ). Comfy, welcoming 4-star with good restaurant. Run by Brudolff Hotels who also run Lerwick Hotel and Shetland Hotel in town. ( updated Jun 2018 )
• Template:Esleep

Connect [ edit ]

As of Nov 2021, there is 4G in Lerwick with all UK carriers, but the signal is patchy. 5G has not reached the Shetlands.

• 60.15333 -1.14659 1 Shetland Library , Lower Hillhead . M Th 10AM-8PM, Tu W F Sa 10AM-5PM, Su closed . 16 computers in the Library Learning Centre and Wi-Fi, both free. ( updated Jan 2016 )

Go next [ edit ]

Most of Shetland can be visited on a day-trip from Lerwick. Highlights include:

• Jarlshof, the prehistoric settlement at Sumburgh , next to the main airport 30 miles south.
• Scalloway , Shetland's second largest town and home to Scalloway castle, is a 6-mile drive.
• Trondra, Burra and East Burra are three small isles on the west coast, connected to Scalloway by road.
• Noss is a small island nature reserve with spectacular sea-cliffs, reached via the island of Bressay , a short ferry-ride from Lerwick.
• Yell and Unst are the two islands north of Mainland, linked by short ferry crossings; here you reach the north tip of the British Isles and UK.

Further out, Foula and Fair Isle vie with each other for the title of "Britain's most remote habitation". So they need a longer stay; nevertheless by air a day-trip may be possible.

Otherwise, return south (perhaps via the Orkney Islands ) to the Scottish mainland. You have to return there to reach other island groups such as the Hebrides.

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Lerwick Town Highlights Tour

A comprehensive tour of Shetland capital town Lerwick takes in all the best bits. A short stroll to the historic ‘Lodberries’ of Lerwick; a visit to the Town Hall and Fort Charlotte, time to shop and Shetland Museum visit.

The town of Lerwick is our capital and a natural harbour sheltered by the island of Bressay. Lerwick is home to the historic 17th century houses built into the sea called the Lodberries. Our tour takes us on a short waterfront walk to see these picturesque homes that started their life as trading courtyards and stores. It has been suggested that Lerwick was built by smugglers as there are secret tunnels in this area. Much of the prosperity of the town has been built around the herring fishery which the Dutch pursued from the 15th century. The most famous lodberry is the home to fictional detective Jimmy Perez from the BBC drama series ‘Shetland’. You will have time to photograph this scenic area while Anita tells you about the town’s history.

Transportation by car takes us via the Knab viewpoint and around the town, passing the Iron Age Fort of Clickimin Broch for a photostop before arriving at the Hillhead where we visit the Lerwick Town Hall, built in 1883 and featuring stunning stained glass windows depicting our Norse heritage.

Close by we take a moment to enjoy a panoramic view of the harbour from the walls of 17th Century Fort Charlotte overlooking the town.

After you have taken in the views, we walk along the pedestrianised shopping street with time to shop for knitwear and souvenirs and more photo opportunities of the historic lanes of Lerwick that lead up to the Hillhead from the street.

The tour then takes you by car to the 5-star award winning Shetland Museum which you can explore at your own pace, after a short introduction by your guide. Hays Dock café can be found on the first floor overlooking a restored historic dock, where you can sample Shetland Mussels along with other local delicacies.

• Duration – 3 hours (plus time at your leisure in the Shetland Museum)
• Price – £255 (total price for up to 4 people)
• Pick up in town or meet at Victoria Pier and tour ends at Shetland Museum
• Additional trip to Shetland Textile Museum can be added to this itinerary
• Walking is over short distances

Price on Request

Departure days.

• W Wednesday

January — December

Contact details

• 0044 () 07787736702
• View tour details
• [email protected]

Tour information

• Mainland, Shetland

½ Day

• Driver guide
• Archaeology
• Film and TV
• Food and drink

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Shetland guided tours.

Discover the spirit of Shetland with Anita, a certified local guide. Shetland Guided Tours offers tailored private tours in a luxury vehicle for up to 4 people. You can be assured of a quality, professional service, with a relaxed friendly approach. Anita will share her local knowledge to ensure you make the best of your time in Shetland. Head to the website to browse through the carefully planned 'Favourite Tours', or curate your own adventure under 'Personalised Tours'. A warm welcome awaits you at Shetland Guided Tours.

Visit Shetland Guided Tours

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Lerwick VisitScotland iCentre

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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

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Lerwick VisitScotland iCentre Guide - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2024)

• Mon - Sat 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
• (0.04 km) Minn, Flat 1, Gardie Court, Lerwick, Shetland
• (0.04 km) Breckon, Flat 4, Norna's Court, Lerwick, Shetland
• (0.04 km) Saltness, Flat 3, Norna's Court, Lerwick Shetland
• (0.06 km) Lund, Flat 2, Gardie Court, Lerwick, Shetland
• (0.23 km) Fort Charlotte Guest House
• (0.02 km) Da Steakhoose
• (0.05 km) Phusiam Restaurant & Takeaway
• (0.11 km) No 88 Kitchen and Bar
• (0.14 km) The Dowry
• (0.12 km) Peerie Shop Cafe

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Tourist Office

The Tourist Office webcam overlooks the Market Cross which is situated in the centre of Lerwick’s main shopping street.

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The Shetland Webcam network is supported by Shetland Broadband, Lerwick Port Authority, the Promote Shetland project and commercial sponsors. To learn more about Shetland visit Shetland.org .

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• Shetland Visitor Guide

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Lerwick is the capital and administrative centre of Shetland and the only sizeable town. Though the islands have been inhabited for many centuries, Lerwick only dates from the 17th century, when it began to grow as a trading port for Dutch herring fishermen, thanks to its superb natural sheltered harbour, the Bressay Sound.

The town spread along the waterfront, where merchants built their lodberries, which were houses and warehouses with their own piers so that they could trade directly with visiting ships. By the late 19th century Lerwick had become the main herring port in northern Europe.

Lerwick has continued to grow and is now home to a third of Shetland's population. The discovery of oil in the North Sea in the early 1970s led to the building of the Sullom Voe Oil Terminal, and the effect on Lerwick has been dramatic. It is now the main transit point to the North Sea oil rigs and there have been major extensions to the harbour area, bringing increased shipping and prosperity to the town. Phone code: +44 (0)1595 Population: 7,600

The best place to eat in Lerwick is Monty's Bistro & Deli, 5 Mounthooly St, Tel. 696655. It offers good modern Scottish cooking in a cosy, informal setting. Lunch cheap; dinner mid-range. Closed Sun. The next best choice is dinner or bar lunch at the Kveldsro Hotel and Lerwick Hotel (see above). Best place for a curry is the moderately-priced Raba Indian Restaurant, 26 Commercial Rd, Tel. 695585. Osla's Café, Tel. 696005, on Mounthooly St, is a cosy café serving a wide range of coffees, pancakes and other snacks and boasting the islands' only beer garden. Open Mon-Sat till at least 1900, Sun 1200-1600.

Despite a ready supply of fresh local produce, Shetland is a gastronomic desert

Travel Directions to Lerwick

Ferries from Aberdeen arrive at the main Holmsgarth terminal, which is about a mile north of the old harbour. There's a regular bus service between Lerwick and Sumburgh airport (50 mins) run by John Leask & Son, Tel. 693162. Taxis (around £25) and car hire are also available. All island bus services start and end at the Viking bus station, which is on Commercial Road, a short distance north of the town centre. The town is small and everything is within easy walking distance.

The main Tourist Information Centre is at Market Cross, on Commercial St, Tel. 693434, Shetland Tourism As well as booking accommodation, they are an excellent source of information, books, maps and leaflets, and will change foreign currency. Open May-Sep Mon-Fri 0800-1800, Sat 0800-1600, Sun 1000-1300; Oct-Apr Mon-Fri 0900-1700.

There are regular daily buses (Nos 3 and 4) to and from Sumburgh airport which connect with flights. These buses also stop at several main sights, including Jarlshof, Sandwick (for Mousa Broch) and St Ninian's Isle. Bus No 2 runs to Scalloway (Mon-Sat). There are also buses (daily except Sun) to Walls, Sandness, Aith, Skeld, North Roe, Hillswick, Vidlin, Toft and Mossbank. Buses depart from the Viking bus station. Full details are given in the Shetland Transport Timetable.

Bolts Car Hire, Toll Clock Shopping Centre, 26 North Rd, Tel. 693636. John Leask & Son, Esplanade, Tel. 693162. Star Rent-a-Car, 22 Commercial Rd, Tel. 692075. Both also have offices at Sumburgh Airport. Cycle hire Grantfield Garage, North Rd, Tel. 692709, Mon-Sat 0800-1300 and 1400-1700. There are several taxi companies in Lerwick: 6050 Cabs, Tel. 696050; Sheilds Taxis, Tel. 695276; Abbys Taxis, Tel. 696666.

Bank of Scotland, Clydesdale and Royal are on Commercial St. Lloyds TSB is on the Esplanade.

Communications

Post office Commercial St (open Mon-Fri 0900-1700, Sat 0900-1200), also in Toll Clock Shopping Centre, 26 North Rd.

Embassies and consulates

Denmark, Iceland, Netherlands and Sweden at Hay & Company, 66 Commercial Rd, Tel. 692533; Finland, France, Germany and Norway at Shearer Shipping Services, Garthspool, Tel. 692556.

Lerwick Laundry, 36 Market St, Tel. 693043, closed Sun. Service washes only. Medical facilities Gilbert Bain Hospital, Scalloway Rd, Tel. 743000. Opposite is the Lerwick Health Centre, Tel.693201.

Travel agents

John Leask & Son, Esplanade, Tel. 693162.

Local Sights & Activities for Lerwick

The town's heart is the attractive Commercial Street, which runs parallel to the Esplanade. At the southern end are many old houses and lodberries, and you can continue south along the cliffs to the Knab or to lovely Bain's beach. Lerwick Walks is a leaflet detailing many interesting walks in and around town.

Overlooking the north end of Commercial Street is Fort Charlotte, built in 1665 and later rebuilt in 1780 and named after Queen Charlotte, George III's consort. It has since been used as a prison and Royal Naval Reserve base and, though there's little to see in the fort, there are fine views of the harbour from the battlements. Info - Jun-Sep daily 0900-2200; Oct-May 0900-1600. Free. One of Lerwick's most impressive buildings is the Victorian town hall, on Hillhead. The stained-glass windows of the main hall depict episodes from Shetland's history. Info - Mon-Fri 1000-1200 and 1400-1530. Free.

Opposite the town hall, above the library, is the Shetland Museum, which gives a useful introduction to the islands' history. Amongst the artefacts on display is a replica of the St Ninian's Isle treasure. Info - Mon, Wed and Fri 1000-1900; Tue, Thu and Sat till 1700. Free. Tel. 695057.

Also in town is the Up Helly-Aa Exhibition, in the Galley Shed off St Sunniva Street. This gives a taste of the famous Viking fire festival held annually in Lerwick on the last Tuesday in January, when a torch-lit procession through the town by hundreds of people dressed in Viking costumes (guizers) is followed by a replica Viking longship built especially for the event. At the end of the procession the ship is set ablaze when the guizers throw their flaming torches on to it. Info - Mid-May to mid-Sep Tue 1400-1600 and 1700-1900, Fri 1700-1900, Sat 1400-1600. Adult £3.00, concession £1.50.

A mile west of town are the substantial remains of Clickimin Broch, a fortified site occupied from 700 BC to around the fifth or sixth century AD. A path leads to the site from opposite the Safeway supermarket on the A970. Info - Always open. Free.

A mile west of town are the substantial remains of Clickimin Broch , a fortified site occupied from 700BC to around 5th or 6th century AD.About a mile north of the ferry terminal is the Böd of Gremista, a restored 18th-century fishing böd (booth) which was the birthplace of Arthur Anderson (1791-1868), co-founder of the Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, now P&O. One of the rooms features an exhibition on Anderson's life and involvement with P&O. Info - Jun to mid-Sep Wed and Sun 1000-1300 and 1400-1700. Free.

The best place for a drink is the upstairs bar in the Lounge, on Mounthooly St near the tourist office, where local musicians usually play on Sat lunchtimes and some evenings. The town's only nightclub is Posers, at the Grand Hotel. Folk music has a strong following in Shetland and the islands play host to 2 of Scotland's top folk events. In mid-Apr the islands are alive with the sound of music as musicians from around the globe come to play at the Shetland Folk Festival. Later, in mid-Oct, is the Shetland Accordion and Fiddle Festival. For details of both events, contact the Folk Festival office, 5 Burns Lane, Lerwick, Tel. 694757. To find out what's going on, buy a copy of the Shetland Times on Fri, or check out their website, www.shetland-times.co.uk Also check the tourist board's Events phoneline, Tel. 694200. Sport

Clickimin Centre, Lochside, Tel. 741000. Sports and fitness centre open daily 0800-2300.

You can also join local guided walks given by Douglas Sinclair who shows you the history and hidden nooks and crannies of the town -  http://www.douglassinclair.co.uk/  and use the contact form on the contact page to get in touch

Castles Nearby

Castle Holm, Shetland

Castle Holm stands on an islet in Loch Strom in Shetland connected to the surrounding land by a causeway which can only be crossed at low tide. Only low walls remain.

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Nearby Ancient Monuments

Broch of Clickimin

Large well-preserved Broch or tower close to the centre of Lerwick

Lerwick Hotels & Accommodation

Shetland's best accommodation is outside Lerwick , whose hotels are mostly geared towards the oil industry. During the peak months of Jul and Aug and the Folk Festival in Apr, it's a good idea to book in advance.

The most luxurious hotel in town is the B Kveldsro House Hotel, Greenfield Pl, Tel. 692195, Kveldsro House Hotel Pronounced 'kel-ro', it overlooks the harbour and has an upmarket (and expensive) restaurant as well as cheaper bar food. Directly opposite the ferry terminal is the modern B Shetland Hotel, Tel. 695515; and 10 mins from the centre is the B Lerwick Hotel, 15 South Rd, Tel. 692166,  which has a reputation for fine cuisine. In the centre is the Grand Hotel , Commercial St, Tel. 692826, which features Shetland's only nightclub; and by the harbour is the rather faded B-C Queen's Hotel, Commercial St, Tel. 692826.

There are several pleasant guest houses and B&Bs, including Fort Charlotte Guest House, 1 Charlotte St, Tel. 695956; The Old Manse, 9 Commercial St, Tel. 696301;  Alder Lodge Guest House, 6 Clairmont Pl, Tel. 695705, Carradel Guest House, 36 King Harald St, Tel. 692251; and next door, Solheim Guest House, Tel. 695275. Lerwick's clean, well-run SYHA hostel is at Islesburgh House, King Harald St, Tel. 692114, open Apr-Sep. There's camping at Clickimin Caravan & Camp Site, Tel. 741000, near Clickimin Leisure Centre and loch on the western edge of town.

Hotels near Lerwick

Rocklea Villa sleeps 8

It is situated on the west side of the Shetland mainland in the picturesque village of Walls.

Shoreside Holiday Cottage Sleeps 4

Shoreside holiday cottage is a detached Croft House situated in a seafront location just a few feet from the waters edge. Built around 1863 on Shetlands, using local stone and wood from a grounded German cargo ship, this cottage has a fascinating story to tell. Sleeps 4

• Sleeps: 4-5

South House sleeps 6

South House is a homely, quirky  cosy Shetland Croft house which sits on the southern shores of Ronas Voe, about 50 yards from a beach and ruins of a historic fishing station.

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VisitScotland is closing all of its tourist information centres

The tourist board is instead transitioning to a ‘digital first’ approach

First, the digital age killed the high-street. Then it came for our pubs, clubs, and cinemas. Now, it’s robbing us of tourist visitor centres in Scotland.

VisitScotland has announced that it plans to phase out all its remaining physical tourist information centres, known as iCentres. This follows the organisation already downsizing its number of iCentres from 65 to 25 between 2017 and 2019.

The tourism board says no changes will be made until September, but from then gradual plans will be put in motion with the goal of having all the iCentres shut by 2026.

Visit Scotland said the move reflects a change in the ways people get their information, after a 42 percent decline in visitorship to the iCentres since the pre-Covid era. The board says that more and more people are doing the bulk of their research before they travel, and therefore minimising the usefulness of having in-person information points.

Lord Thurso, the chair of VisitScotland, said: ‘Prioritising a digital-first model of information provision allows us to reach potential visitors at those early planning stages when we can shape their future travel decisions.’

‘In order to continue building demand and growing the value of tourism and events, it is vitally important that we target channels we know visitors use to influence them to visit Scotland.’

But not everyone supports the move. It has been criticised by some, including MP John Lamont, for lacking accessibility for those who are not digitally fluent. Lamont lamented: ‘While online tourism is growing, it is not available to all and these centres from Lerwick to Dumfries ensure vital information can be accessed by those tourists, particularly the elderly.’

RIP to Scotland's tourist iCentres. You’ll be sorely missed by Americans trying to decipher directions given to them by locals in an accent they can’t understand. 

Keeping up with the Scotsmen 

We at Time Out like to keep an eye on the best stories from across the UK, which includes our friends north of the border. Did you see that Glasgow might become the first city in Britain to offer free public transport? Or that Edinburgh is officially the most sustainable city in the country ? We’ve also got Time Out guides to both Glasgow and Edinburgh , as well as Aberdeen , Inverness , and the Highlands . 

Did you see that   one of the UK’s most legendary nightclubs is closing for good ?

Plus:  Where was Netflix’s ‘Baby Reindeer’ filmed? All the filming locations from the hit drama .

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• Annie McNamee Contributor, Time Out London and UK

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Top Things to Do in Lerwick, Mainland

Places to visit in lerwick, explore popular experiences, ways to tour lerwick.

Full-Day Private City Tour in Lerwick

Half Day Private Tour with Puffins, Ponies and Past Shetland

Ponies Express Private Tour to Scalloway

4 Hours Rugged Northern Exposure Private Guided Tour from Lerwick

The Shetland Pony Experience - Private Tour

Private Tour from Lerwick West Side Explorer

Tours & sightseeing.

Top Attractions in Lerwick

Other Top Attractions around Lerwick

Private & Custom Tours

Shore excursions, what travellers are saying.

• Shetland Museum and Archives
• Croft House Museum
• Clickimin Broch
• Lerwick VisitScotland iCentre
• Seabirds and Seals Noss Boat Tours
• Shetland Seabird Tours - The Noss Boat

• Accommodation
• Plan your trip

Wherever you choose to stay in Shetland, one thing is always guaranteed: a warm welcome.

There are lots of wonderful places to stay in Shetland, whether you’re looking to base yourself in Lerwick, elsewhere on the mainland or are looking for an island escape.

From hotels, guest houses, B&Bs and self-catering properties to hostels, camping böds and campsites, we’ve got something to suit almost every taste and budget.

We’ve put together this handy list of websites where you can browse your options…

• Stay.Shetland.org - online accommodation search for Shetland
• Shetland Accommodation Guide – online version of Shetland accommodation listing magazine
• Visit Scotland
• Booking.com
• Tripadvisor

For more on camping and camping böds, please see our Caravan and camping page.

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