York: one day or two? Edinburgh: two days or three? Orkney: is one day enough?

I think one full day (therefore two nights) are sufficient for seeing the highlights of York, Edinburgh, and Orkney. (Don't forget to visit Skara Brae there.) Assuming you have a car, I would add the extra day to York. Drive out into the countryside and visit one or two of Yorkshire's magnificent ruined abbeys. OR you could swing over to the coast and visit Whitby, then head up through Northumberland and the Borders, overnighting somewhere enroute between York and Edinburgh.

I love Orkney. We stayed three nights and wished we had at least one more. Two nights is a good start, especially if you fly in in the morning and fly out in the afternoon/evening. Rent a car to make the most of your time. You might even have time to see the Tomb of the Eagles.

You don't say what month you are going. If you are going in summer, the sun will be up very late and the Ring of Brodgar and the Stones of Stenness don't have an admission gate - you can just arrive and walk around whenever you like. That will add a lot of time for sightseeing for a busy sightseer such as yourself.

I didn't fall in love with Edinburgh like I thought I would (even after two visits), so two nights would suit me, but I'm sure most people would advise you to stay as long as your itinerary would allow.

You will love York, we actually enjoyed it in away better than London. It is what you think of gardens and old England. We stayed at the most Lovely B&B for two nights and was a great relaxing couple of days. They also have free guides that meet people two times a day from their historical society. I know you are on a tight schedule but anytime in York is worth it. And a wonderful Abby. We did not see Westminster in London because the Queen has events, so that made up for seeing an Abby on the trip.

There are one day trips to Orkney, but I think it needs at least two if not three or four. It is a long way north and it always seems too bad to spend more time traveling two and from a place than you spend in the place. ;(

Scarra Brae, Maes Howe, the Ring of Brogdar, the Ness of Brogdar, the Stones of Stenness, The Earl's Palace, the Kirkwall Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace, the Eagles Tomb, the Italian Chapel, Highland Park Distillery, the jewelry and craft trail (phenomenal tapestry gallery), the Churchill Barriers, Balfour Castle and it cool walled garden, walks on Hoy, visit to Stromness, the lovely village of St. Margaret's Hope.... All right the last one is my grandfather's birthplace so maybe I am biased. If you whiz from site to site you will probably see the highlights, but Orkney is ver special and if you are going in summer you will have more light, but the sites still close at normal times.

Pam

You don't say what month you are going.

We will be in Scotland for 8 days in mid-July. I'm expecting long days, and midges.

Assuming you have a car...

We will have a car.

It is a long way north and it always seems too bad to spend more time traveling two and from a place than you spend in the place.

Both certainly true. But we will be in the north before we head to Orkney (I expect we will arrive shortly after noon, so we will have part of a day upon arrival, the next day, and then will fly back from Orkney to London the following day. I think a day and a half, plus two nights, is probably all we can squeeze in this trip. Since we're Americans, our vacations are much shorter that those of citizens from civilized countries.

To have one full day of sightseeing in a place, you need 2 hotel nights.

I'd highly recommend spending another day in York. In my opinion, it's the loveliest city in England. Besides the Minster, you might spend some time in the Yorkshire Museum and the adjacent gardens which include the ruins of St Mary's Abbey, or take a look at medieval life at Barley Hall or the Merchant Adventurer's Hall. There are several other very worthwhile museums to visit. I have spent days wandering down all the small lanes in the city center--don't miss the Shambles or Stonegate, and if you have time, take a walk on the city walls at dusk for great views of the Minster.

For York, I would have 0 days. The place is a colossal bore. OK, there's the minster, who only real virtue is that it is very very big. The rest of York is just another town. Betty's is the most overrated tourist trap of its type I've every seen.