Kirkwall, Orkneys
Ancient echoes of Christian, Nordic and Celtic history resonate here in the capital of the Orkneys, whose 70 little islands off the Scottish north coast were conquered by 9th century Norsemen before being returned after non-payment of a loan!
Kirkwall's St. Magnus Cathedral has been drawing worshippers for 800 years - but even this time scale is eclipsed by the 5,000 year-old enigma of Skara Brae's Neolithic settlement.
