Region
Shetland Islands
Go for 3–4 nights with a car; base in Lerwick and day-trip Mainland, Yell and Unst. Without a car, pick one island and accept thin buses.
Key facts · United Kingdom
- Best months
- Jul–Aug
- Currency
- Pound sterling (GBP, £)
- Language
- English
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- GMT, BST from late March to late October
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
- United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
- United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.
Shetland is 100 miles north of mainland Scotland, closer to Norway than Edinburgh, and it is not a place you pass through: you fly or take an overnight ferry, then drive. The islands are low, treeless and cut by long voes, with over 100 islands and about 11 inhabited. A car turns Lerwick into a workable base for Jarlshof, Eshaness, Yell and Unst; without one you are tied to the bus timetable, which is built around residents' commutes, not day-trippers. Three nights is the minimum that justifies the crossing; four to five lets you add a second island or a boat trip.
Sleep
Which bed, for how many nights, and what to do from it
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- LerwickPlanned
Main town, museum, bus hub, ferry terminal at Holmsgarth; the only place with a real choice of beds and food.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Day trip
- SumburghPlanned
Airport, Jarlshof and Old Scatness at the south tip; 25 miles and about an hour by bus from Lerwick.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- ScallowayPlanned
Former capital, castle, 15–20 minutes from Lerwick by bus or car.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- UnstPlanned
Most northerly inhabited island; two ferries via Yell, doable as a long day by car.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- BressayPlanned
Short unbookable ferry from Lerwick; Noss cliffs by boat or on foot.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- YellPlanned
Ferry link between Mainland and Unst; good otter coastline.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- Fair IslePlanned
Plane from Tingwall or boat; residents and essential visitors get priority.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- WallsPlanned
West Mainland base for Stanydale Temple and the west coast.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- HillswickPlanned
Gateway to the Eshaness cliffs on Northmavine.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
- BraePlanned
North Mainland village near Sullom Voe; fuel and food stop.
Page planned: listed so the region plan is complete.
Night sequences
- 3 nights
- Lerwick 3; one day south to Sumburgh and Jarlshof, one day north to Eshaness or Scalloway
- 4 nights
- Lerwick 4; add a full day to Yell and Unst by car
- 5 nights
- Lerwick 3 + 2 nights on Unst or west Mainland for a slower pace
- Wind and rain can cancel inter-island ferries for days; build slack into the end of a trip.
- In summer it barely gets dark, so you cannot stargaze or see the Northern Lights; save those for November to March.
- Fuel stations are few outside Lerwick; fill up before heading north or west.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sumburgh and Jarlshof | Lerwick | 60 min | check | Bus 6/6E runs about every 90 minutes; the last bus back is early evening, so check the timetable before you go. |
| Scalloway | Lerwick | 20 min | check | Hourly buses; castle and harbour, half a day. |
| Unst via Yell | Lerwick | 150 min | check | Two ferries and a long drive; only realistic with a car and a full day. |
| Bressay | Lerwick | 10 min | check | Short ferry, no booking; pair with a Noss boat trip. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding between islands; you carry everything on and off the ferries yourself.
When and how
Months, arrival and passes
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom (country-wide) | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lerwick and MainlandShetland, 60°N | cold | cold | cold | cool | cool | ok | best | best | ok | cool | cool | cold |
- Lerwick and Mainland
- Lerwick averages about 2–6 °C in winter and 10–15 °C in summer, with rain in every month; June and July bring nearly 20 hours of daylight and a brief 'simmer dim' rather than true darkness.Lerwick averages about 36–43 °F in winter and 50–59 °F in summer, with rain in every month; June and July bring nearly 20 hours of daylight and a brief 'simmer dim' rather than true darkness.
Summer is the only reliable window for boat trips and cliff birds, but it is also midge-free and busy with cruise calls; May and June are the sweet spot.
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aberdeen | Lerwick | NorthLink ferry, overnight | ~12 h 30 | Sails every night; four nights non-stop, three nights via Kirkwall. 2025 mid-season fares were about £36 per adult and £144 per car each way; cabins extra. Book early in summer. |
| Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Inverness or Kirkwall | Sumburgh (LSI) | Loganair flight | 1 h 10–1 h 40 | Flights may stop en route to pick up passengers; 20 kg checked baggage included. Occasional London flights and a seasonal Bergen service. |
| Sumburgh Airport | Lerwick | Bus 6 or 6E | ~60 min | Runs about every 90 minutes; the fare was £2.90 in 2025. A taxi is about £70 as of 2026. |
Regional passes
NorthLink ferry
buyThe default way in with a car; foot passengers can also fly. Reserve a cabin or reclining seat for the overnight crossing.
Inter-island ferries (Shetland Islands Council)
buyPay per crossing; short routes like Lerwick–Bressay cannot be booked and rarely need to be.
Inter-island flights (Airtask)
checkTingwall to Fair Isle and Foula only; no online booking, as residents and essential visitors get priority.
Eat and move on
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Seafood and fish and chips | Lerwick | The harbour and town centre have the widest choice; book ahead on cruise-ship days. |
| Lamb and mutton | Across Shetland | Local crofting produce; look for it on pub and hotel menus. |
| Home bakes and afternoon tea | Lerwick and village cafes | Useful fuel stop on a driving day; opening hours are short outside town. |
Go next
Scotland
plannedFerry to Aberdeen or flight to Edinburgh, Glasgow or Inverness
The mainland gateway; most trips combine Shetland with Orkney or a Highland loop.
United Kingdom
Fly or sail south, then rail
Plan the rest of the country from here.
Orkney
plannedNorthLink ferry via Kirkwall, or Loganair via Kirkwall
Planned. Three ferry nights a week call at Kirkwall.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Sources
- officialShetland Islands Council — ferries
- officialNorthLink Ferries
- officialSumburgh Airport (HIAL)
- officialZetTrans — bus and ferry timetables
- officialVisitScotland — Shetland
- officialShetland Visitor Information
- secondaryWikivoyage: Shetland Islands, revision 5316909 (CC BY-SA 4.0)