For years now, Ann Cleaves has crafted clever murder mysteries set in Shetland, brought to wider fame by the BBC adaptation. Yet few who read the books or watch the show ever make the journey north.
Those who do discover something far richer than a moody TV backdrop: a cluster of islands alive with seabirds and age-old sagas. This is the truth of Shetland, where the drama comes not from crime, but from nature itself.
The islands sit roughly halfway between mainland Scotland and Norway, a position that has shaped everything from their dialect to their folklore. Centuries of Norse rule left deep cultural imprints still visible in place names and traditions.
The landscapes feel equally dramatic: treeless hills roll toward sheer sea cliffs, Atlantic swells crash against remote headlands and summer light lingers long past midnight.
In Lerwick, the islands’ compact capital, fishing boats and ferries dominate the harbor while independent stores champion local knitwear, crafts and produce.
Shetland is a destination best explored slowly, with time to appreciate its raw beauty, Norse heritage and the remarkable resilience of those who call these islands home.
Lerwick On Foot
Lerwick offers the most familiar glimpse for fans of the TV series. Part of the town’s waterfront, a narrow street lined with stone houses that seem to rise straight from the harbor, appears frequently on screen.
In real life, Commercial Street and the adjoining lanes feel far less brooding than they do on television.
Early in the morning, delivery vans edge past locals walking dogs, and shopkeepers set out displays of Fair Isle knitwear, smoked fish and handmade crafts. By afternoon, the shoreline hums with life as fishing boats return and visitors wander between cafés and galleries.
Don’t miss the Lodberries, the most photographed houses in Shetland and a familiar sight to viewers of the TV series. Perched directly on the water with sea walls in place of a garden, one particular 18th-century trading building looks almost as if it has grown out of the harbor itself.
On screen, it serves as Detective Jimmy Perez’s home. In reality, it is a private residence, though visitors often pause to admire its slate roof, weathered stonework and the waves that lap just inches from the front door. The building hints at Lerwick’s past as a bustling port for merchants and fishermen and shows how intimately the town’s history is tied to the sea.
In an ironic twist, the Perez on-screen home is known for its history as a landing point for black market goods by traders hoping to avoid customs fees.
A short stroll away, the Shetland Museum & Archives provides one of the best introductions to the islands’ identity. Its exhibitions trace everything from Viking settlement and fishing traditions to the famous 20th-century herring boom.
Shetland Beyond Lerwick
Venture beyond the town and the scenery changes quickly. Within minutes, the streets give way to open moorland, sheltered inlets and winding coastal roads that hint at just how varied the archipelago is.
Venture beyond the town and the scenery shifts into something far wilder. Jarlshof is unmissable: a remarkably preserved archaeological site where Neolithic houses, Viking longhouses and medieval farmsteads sit side by side. Few places in Europe offer such a clear view of human history layered in the landscape. To visit, you’ll need to book tickets in advance.
Further north, St Ninian’s Isle rewards a short walk with one of Shetland’s most striking sights.
It’s a natural sand tombolo linking the mainland to a grassy island framed by turquoise water on a calm day and Atlantic breakers on a rough one. It is a reminder of how the elements continually sculpt these islands.
For wildlife lovers, Sumburgh Head is the best introduction. In summer, puffins nest on the cliffs alongside guillemots and kittiwakes, while offshore you might spot porpoises or even the odd orca passing through. The cliffs here feel close enough to touch, and the views stretch endlessly across the sea.
Those with more time can continue north to the sea stacks of Eshaness, shaped by ancient volcanic activity and some of Britain’s fiercest waves. It is as remote and dramatic as Shetland gets, off the pages and the screen, at least.