The real Shetland Islands locations behind the BBC crime drama, from Perez's Lerwick house to the Eshaness cliffs, plus Glasgow studio work.
Shetland is mainly filmed on location in the Shetland Islands of Scotland, with exteriors concentrated in Lerwick and surrounding areas such as Levenwick and Eshaness. Interiors and some additional scenes are shot in Glasgow and other mainland Scotland locations. The lodberries on Commercial Street in Lerwick serve as the exterior of DI Perez's house.
The BBC crime drama Shetland has run for 10 series and 56 episodes as of 2025, and unlike many shows it does most of its landscape work in the place it depicts. Lerwick's harbourside streets, the cliffs of Eshaness and villages like Levenwick all appear on screen much as visitors find them today.
Series 10 was filmed in April 2025 across the Shetland Isles and mainland Scotland. This guide covers every major filming location, what was shot at each, and how to see them, plus the one bookable private tour that ties the sites together.
| Location | Where | What was filmed | Access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lodberries (Perez's house) | Lerwick | Exterior of DI Jimmy Perez's house | Outside only |
| Commercial Street | Lerwick | Street scenes, town center | Free to see |
| Lerwick Harbour and Lifeboat Pier | Lerwick | Harbour and pier scenes | Free to see |
| Levenwick | Levenwick | Fictional hamlet of Lunniswick | Free to see |
| Eshaness cliffs | Eshaness | Dramatic cliff and landscape scenes | Free to see |
| Sumburgh Head | Sumburgh | Lighthouse and cliffs; portrayed as hotel | Free to see |
| Banna Minn Beach (West Burra) | Burra | Beach discovery scenes | Free to see |
| Wester Quarff | Wester Quarff | Village and valley scenes | Free to see |
| Lerwick Sheriff Court (Police station exterior) | Lerwick | Police station exterior | Outside only |
9 locations. The map loads when it scrolls into view.
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Shetland, Lerwick Outside only
Filmed here: Exterior of DI Jimmy Perez's house
The waterfront lodberries on Commercial Street form the exterior of DI Jimmy Perez's house, one of the most photographed spots for fans. It appears from series 1 through 8 and remains a private residence, so viewing is exterior only from public areas. The house sits right on the water, and its stone gable end is instantly recognisable from the opening scenes of many episodes.
Shetland, Lerwick Free to see
Filmed here: Street scenes, town center
Lerwick's main shopping street has appeared in every single series of the show, serving as the town centre for street scenes and everyday life in the islands. It is fully public, so visitors can simply walk it, browsing shops and cafes that double as filming backdrops. Because it features throughout all ten series, no visit to Shetland's filming locations is complete without a stroll along it.
Shetland, Lerwick Free to see
Filmed here: Harbour and pier scenes
The public harbour and lifeboat pier area provided the setting for harbour and pier scenes through series 10 and earlier. The lifeboat pier hosted filming for the most recent series, made in April 2025. As a working public port, access is unrestricted, and visitors can watch ferries and fishing boats in the same waters shown on screen.
Shetland, Levenwick Free to see
Filmed here: Fictional hamlet of Lunniswick
This small village, 17 miles south of Lerwick, was transformed into the fictional hamlet of Lunniswick for series 10, even though North Roe inspired the setting on the page. The village is fully accessible to the public. Visitors will recognise the crofts and coastal setting from the newest episodes, and the drive south from Lerwick passes through some of the island's most scenic terrain.
Shetland, Eshaness Free to see
Filmed here: Dramatic cliff and landscape scenes
The volcanic cliffs at Eshaness supplied the dramatic cliff and landscape scenes used across various series. Public access is straightforward, and the site is popular for scenic photography in its own right, with striking rock formations plunging to the sea. Fans of the show's sweeping establishing shots will find the reality lives up to what appears on screen.
Shetland, Sumburgh Free to see
Filmed here: Lighthouse and cliffs; portrayed as hotel
The lighthouse and cliffs at Sumburgh Head appeared in series 2, where the lighthouse was portrayed as a hotel. Today the site is a public nature reserve with seabird watching, making it one of the few locations that pairs a filming connection with a genuine wildlife experience. It sits at the southern tip of Mainland, Shetland's largest island.
Shetland, Burra Free to see
Filmed here: Beach discovery scenes
This tombolo beach on West Burra was the setting for beach discovery scenes in series 5. A beautiful spit of sand and shingle linking two landmasses, it is accessible by track and open to the public. The beach is a short drive from Lerwick and combines well with other southern locations on a day itinerary.
Shetland, Wester Quarff Free to see
Filmed here: Village and valley scenes
The small village of Wester Quarff, south of Lerwick, provided village and valley scenes across various series. Its glacial valley backdrop gives the area the rugged character the production returns to repeatedly. The village is public and easy to reach by road, making it a natural stop when touring locations between Lerwick and the southern sights.
Shetland, Lerwick Outside only
Filmed here: Police station exterior
The court building on Lerwick's waterfront doubles as the exterior of the police station and has done so in every series. Only the exterior can be viewed, from public ground outside. It sits moments from Commercial Street and the lodberries, so fans can cover Perez's house, the harbour and the station on a single short walk through town.
Shetland is set in the Shetland Islands, and the exteriors are primarily filmed there, which gives the show its unusual authenticity. Interiors and some stand-in scenes are handled in Glasgow and mainland Scotland, where most indoor work takes place. The production has stated that major exteriors require Shetland itself because of its unique landscape, something no mainland location can replicate.
Interior scenes are filmed at various Glasgow studios and soundstages. These facilities are not open to the public, so there is nothing for travellers to visit on the mainland production side. All fan-accessible locations sit in the Shetland Islands themselves.
One bookable experience covers the TV locations directly. It runs as a private full day tour and carries a 5 rating from 4 reviews, though pricing is available at the time of booking.
Shetland TV Locations Private Full Day Tour
A private, full day guided visit to the show's filming sites, suited to fans who want the locations without planning self-drive routes across the islands.
Exteriors are mainly filmed on location in the Shetland Islands, concentrated in Lerwick and areas like Levenwick and Eshaness. Interiors and some additional scenes are shot in Glasgow and other mainland Scotland locations.
The lodberries on Commercial Street in Lerwick stand in for the exterior of DI Perez's house. It is a private residence, so viewing is exterior only from public areas.
Mostly, yes. Major exteriors are shot on the islands because of the unique landscape, while most interior scenes are filmed in Glasgow studios.
In series 10, the fictional hamlet of Lunniswick was filmed in Levenwick, a village 17 miles south of Lerwick, although North Roe inspired the setting in the story.
The series has run for 10 series with 56 episodes as of 2025, having begun in 2013.
Series 10 was filmed in April 2025 across the Shetland Isles and mainland Scotland, including recent filming at the lifeboat pier in Lerwick.
Shetland is one of the few dramas where the filming locations genuinely match the setting, and most are free to visit on foot or by road. Lerwick alone covers the lodberries, Commercial Street, the harbour and the police station exterior, while Levenwick, Eshaness and Sumburgh Head reward a day of exploring further afield. Fans who prefer guidance can book the private full day tour and let someone else handle the island roads.
Before You Go
The tours travellers book most for Shetland.
