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.

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 guided tours timetable, October - March

Thursdays:

• 11am: Upper Levels tour
• 2pm: Upper Levels tour

Saturdays:

• 11am: Upper Levels tour
• 2pm: Upper Levels tour

Visit the cathedral tours website for more information.

How to book

Upper Levels tours cost £15.60 per person (from 1 May 2026) and must be booked in advance, either with the custodians in the cathedral or on (+44)1856 874 894. The tour takes approximately 75 minutes, and participants must be minimum 12 years old.

Special theme tours are also available, covering a different topic each month. The tours cost £15.60 per person (from 1 May 2026), with no booking necessary. Please see below for the 2026/27 schedule:

Saturday October 10th, 10am: The Saints of the Cathedral

Saturday November 14th, 10am: The Natural World in the Cathedral

Saturday December 19th, 10am: How to Read a Church

Saturday January 9th, 10am: The Cathedral and the British Empire

Saturday February 6th, 10am: The Cathedral in Literature

Saturday March 6th, 10am: A Site of Pilgrimage