Skara Brae Tours and Tickets
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Skara Brae
Winds can be strong at the waterfront site, so wrap up.
The visitor center and parts of the excavation site are wheelchair accessible.
Find a cafe and toilets at the visitor center.
You must book a time slot but you can stay as long as you want.
People Also Ask
There are plenty of ways to experience Skara Brae. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:
In high season (April–October), Skara Brae tickets include entry to Skaill House. General admission, purchased in advance online, is £14 (ages 16–64); seniors (65-plus) pay £11; and children (ages 7–15) pay £8.50. At other times, tickets cover only Skara Brae and cost £10 for general admission, £8 for seniors, and £6 for children when bought online.
Yes, Skara Brae is absolutely worth visiting: It's one of four major Stone Age Orkney sites that share a UNESCO World Heritage designation. Around 5,000 years old—older than the Giza Pyramids or Stonehenge—it's the most intact Stone Age village in western Europe, and a must for history buffs visiting the islands. The replica Neolithic house and the artifacts in the visitor center make it easy to imagine what life was like here, but visiting with a guide can add even more depth and expand your Orkney itinerary.
Per one customer who booked the Orkney Travel Highlights Tour - 5-6 Hours, "If you are stopping through Orkney with a cruise ship port, this is the tour to take! We were picked up at the port and arrived ahead of the crowds to explore the Standing Stones of [Stenness]. Our guide personally escorted us through Skara Brae as well as the Unstan Chambered Cairn. He was able to fit in as many highlight stops while accommodating a morning tasting/tour of Highland Park Distillery ... Throughout the day, he took pictures of the group and provided us with a history of the area."
Skara Brae is famous for being one of the best-preserved Neolithic sites in Europe. This Stone Age settlement in the Orkney Islands of Scotland is known for its well-preserved prehistoric houses, which are around 5,000 years old—that’s older than both England’s Stonehenge and Egypt’s Giza Pyramids.
Skara Brae is archaeologically significant due to its age (it’s around 5,000 years old) and impressive condition. Its structures are very well-preserved—including the furniture in the village houses—and provide unparalleled insights into Neolithic society and daily life.
Yes, Skara Brae is part of the “Heart of Neolithic Orkney” UNESCO World Heritage Site, a designation that encompasses several Neolithic monuments on the island. The group also includes the large chambered tomb of Maeshowe and two ceremonial stone circles (the Stones of Stenness and the Ring of Brodgar), as well as a number of excavated sites.
No, visitors cannot enter the Skara Brae houses—this is in order to preserve the integrity of the ancient site. However, visitors can easily see into the houses from outside and explore the interior of a replica house. There is also a visitor center that is home to touch-screen presentations and artifacts discovered during archaeological excavations.
The best time to visit Skara Brae—and the Orkney Islands in general—is during the spring and summer when the weather is typically mild and long daylight hours allow more time to explore. If visiting during the summer holidays, try to arrive early in the morning to beat the crowds.
To get to Skara Brae from Edinburgh, you can fly to Kirkwall and then drive or take a bus to the site. Alternatively, travel to Aberdeen or Scrabster by bus, train, or private vehicle, then take the ferry to Kirkwall or Stromness. There is a bus stop by the Skara Brae Visitor Centre.
There are tons of fun things to do when you're done visiting Skara Brae. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in the Scottish Highlands:
View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in the Scottish Highlands.