Kirkwall is the main town and capital of the Orkney Islands, which are situated off the north coast of Scotland. Its most striking building is St. Magnus Cathedral. It is also a town that is steeped in Viking history, and is situated on Mainland Orkney (the largest of the Orkney Islands), and has a population of under 9,000 people.There is a diverse selection of self catering holiday cottages in Kirkwall, and there are also self catering apartments available. The structure of the holiday cottages range from homes built in the traditional Orkney style - of stone, to wooden constructions. Spectacular and beautiful views of the sea and hills are another enticing factor, when considering the holiday rental option. Attractive features of the town are its large number of 17th and 18th Century buildings. Two major tourist attractions are Grain Earth House and Rennibister Earth House, which are prehistoric structures, and were dwellings for Iron Age people. The town also possesses the most northerly Carnegie library in the world. A good time to arrange a holiday in the town is when the annual Ba Game takes place over the Christmas period. The Ba Game is a chaotic, primitive version of football between two teams, and with a combined total of around 200 players. The town has its own airport, buses and a ferry service to the other Orkney Islands. For a self catering holiday in a peaceful location, Kirkwall is ideal.