Take a tour of St Magnus Cathedral and unlock the secrets of one of Orkney's most beautiful buildings.

St Magnus Cathedral is one of Orkney's most iconic locations, and one of its most popular too. But did you know that you can get a behind-the-scenes look at different parts of the building?

Guided tours of the upper levels give visitors a chance to walk up the narrow, spiral, stone staircases of this stunning sandstone cathedral. You will see galleries and collections of artefacts, the clock mechanism, the huge bells and the base of the spire, before getting the chance to take in a bird’s eye view of Kirkwall too.

These tours must be pre-booked by phoning 01856 874 894. Participants must be 12 years or over, and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. The tour costs £15 and lasts around 75 minutes. View the full timetable below.

Ground level tours showcase more accessible areas of the cathedral in the company of a custodian, and graveyard tours showcase some of the stories of Orkney folk in the cathedral kirkyard over the last 800 years, including Arctic explorer John Rae. The graveyard tours are available between April and September.

Both these tours cost £10 and there is no need to book. View the full timetable below.

Special theme tours have been introduced for 2025, with a different topic covered once a month between April and September. The tours start at 2pm from the south transept in the cathedral and cost £15 per person, with no booking necessary. Please see below for upcoming tours:

  • May 7th: The Norwegian Connection – from Vikings to Norse to Orcadians
  • June 4th: Conservation work in the cathedral – with the Cathedral Mason
  • July 2nd: Stories in Light and Colour – the stained glass windows
  • August 6th: The Legacy of War from the Middle Ages to Modern Times
  • September 17th: The Art of St Magnus Cathedral

Self-guided graffiti tours are also available, with a leaflet guiding visitors around the cathedral's graffiti trail, from 12th-century stone masons’ marks, to the names of WWII sailors on ships in Scapa Flow. Bringing a torch is recommended.

St Magnus Cathedral tours, April - September 2025

Monday:

  • 2pm: Graveyard tour

Tuesday:

  • 10am: Ground Level tour
  • 11am: Upper Levels tour
  • 2pm: Upper Levels tour
  • (3.45pm: Upper Levels tour – July and August only)

Wednesday:

  • 10am: Ground Level tour

Thursday:

  • 10am: Ground Level tour
  • 11am: Upper Levels tour
  • 2pm: Upper Levels tour
  • (3.45pm: Upper Levels tour – July and August only)

Friday:

  • 2pm: Graveyard tour

Saturday:

No tours

Sunday:

  • 2pm: Upper Levels tour
  • 3.45pm: Upper Levels tour

Visit the cathedral tours website for more information.

, Visit Orkney, Culture & Heritage, History, Culture & Events, Kirkwall & St Ola