Included Lerwick & the Up Helly Aa Experience
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Port
Lerwick, Shetland Islands, United Kingdom
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Activity Level
Moderate Activity
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Excursion Type
Information Not Currently Available
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Wheelchair Accessible
No
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Starting At (prices in USD)
Information Not Currently Available
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Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
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Duration
Approximately 4 Hours
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Meals Included
Meals not included
Take a step back in time into the lives and history of the people of Lerwick. This walking tour will take you through the colorful and cosmopolitan history of Lerwick. You will be transported through the centuries with lively tales of Lerwick's growth, merchant trading, fishing and Vikings!
Starting from Victoria Pier, in the heart of the Old Town you will see the Old Tolbooth from 1770 (recently restored and now used as the RNLI station). From the small boat harbour, enjoy views of the famous Lodberries; these were houses and warehouses sitting on their own piers so that goods could be loaded and unloaded directly from the boats and would have lined the shore in the 18th Century when Lerwick was the premier herring town in Northern Europe. Continue your walk along the main "Commercial Street" passing the Market Cross – where the Up Helly Aa "Declaration" is displayed during the January celebration. Enjoy views across Bressay Sound from Fort Charlotte, an artillery fort built in the 17th Century for protection from the Dutch, before visiting the beautiful Town Hall. Next, visit the Up Helly Aa Exhibition, where you can see
a replica Viking galley (longship), and colorful exhibitions based around the famous fire festival. This unique and spectacular festival is held every last Tuesday of January, when the darkened streets of Lerwick provide a background for a long torch lit procession through the town, ending by the burning of a replica galley. Visitors can see relics, photographs, and costumes from festivals over the years.Continue to the fascinating Shetland Museum and enjoy plenty of time to visit at leisure and to learn more about Shetland’s heritage and culture. This award-winning museum has over 3,000 artefacts on two floors, a wealth of easily accessible archive material, a temporary exhibition area, Boat Hall and Sheds. The exhibits are beautifully displayed and very well interpreted.
Stroll along the Esplanade on return to Victoria Pier and your awaiting ship.
Please note: Wherever Included Experience tours are offered, guests are allowed to participate in only one included experience per call unless otherwise specified in the tour description.