Lerwick, United Kingdom

Very much the focus of Shetland's commercial life, LERWICK is home to about 6600 people, just less than a third of the islands' population. All year, its sheltered harbour at the heart of the town is busy with ferries, fishing boats, oil-rig supply vessels and in summer, the quaysides come alive with local pleasure craft, visiting yachts and cruise liners. Behind the old harbour is the compact town centre, made up of one long main street, Commercial Street; from here, narrow lanes, known as "closses", rise westwards to the late-Victorian new town.