Enjoy a leisurely walk through Kirkwall, a Scottish town with a Viking heritage and strong Norwegian influences. As you meander along the narrow flagstone streets, you can’t help but be taken by the beautiful historical buildings, especially along the waterfront. The highlight may well be the Romanesque-style St Magnus Cathedral, a red-and-yellow sandstone icon that dominates the skyline. Although founded in 1137, it wasn’t completed until 300 years later. While browsing the interior, you might climb the spiral stone staircases to the tower, which affords the ultimate view of Kirkwall. Nearby, you will find the ruins of the Bishop’s Palace, which was constructed around the same time as the cathedral, and the Earl’s Palace, an early 17th-century residence built by the infamously decadent and tyrannical Earl of Orkney, who was eventually executed for treason. Free time follows at the Tankerness House gardens, a tranquil oasis with an adjoining museum.