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Third most populous city of Scotland
Photo: Flickr user: Bernt Rostad, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Aberdeen (Scottish Gaelic: Obar Dheathain, Scots: Aiberdeen) is the third-largest city in Scotland, United Kingdom, with a population of almost 200,000 (2018). It is a harbour city on Scotland's north-east coast, approximately 120 miles (190 km) north of Edinburgh and 400 miles (650 km) north of London, where the Rivers Dee and Don meet the North Sea. It is an important sea port, regional centre, and the hub of the North Sea oil industry.
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A small city-centre park and sunken garden on one side of Union Terrace. A small river, the Denburn, used to flow here but is now covered by the railway. The gardens are a haven of tranquility and greenery in the city-centre. In summer look out for the floral coat of arms, and in warm weather citizens sunbathe and picnic on the lawns. All year round, the gardens give a good view of the surrounding architecture. From 2010 the park was threatened with grandiose redevelopment plans, but in 2012 the council scrapped this idea. A more modest plan was undertaken for £28.3 million and the park was closed from 2019 -2022.
Large indoor gardens in a variety of glasshouse habitats (wheelchair-friendly), with tropical, arid, ferns and Japanese gardens. You can enter via Polmuir Road or Riverside Drive just after the railway bridge.
Small, bosky park in a residential area, full of floral displays, water features and rockeries. Toilets are in the car park.
Large 180-hectare park on land granted to the city by King Robert the Bruce in 1319. Gardens include the Queen Mother Rose Garden, and the North Sea Memorial Garden to remember the 167 people killed on the Piper Alpha oil rig in 1988. There's a small petting zoo Pets Corner (charging £3), two golf courses, a hedge maze and cafe. Dogs welcome.
This museum, rated 5-star by the Scottish Tourist Board, tells the story of Aberdeen's relationship with the sea, from fishing to trade to North Sea oil. It offers an extraordinary insight into the mechanics and technology of ships and oil rigs, Aberdeen's rich maritime history and the lives of some of the people who have worked offshore in the North Sea for the past 500 years. The newest part of the complex is a blue, glass-fronted building on the cobbled Shiprow. Inside is a spiral walkway, rising upwards around an eye-catching model of an oil rig. Connected to this structure are the much older buildings which take visitors through a series of castle-style corridors and staircases to reach the numerous room sets, historical artefacts and scale models. If your time in Aberdeen is limited, go and see this. There is so much to see, and even the buildings themselves are worth a look. There is also a restaurant that is slightly expensive, but the food is pretty good. There are excellent views of the harbour from the top floor.
The Aberdeen Art Gallery is set in a Victorian building with an exquisite marble and granite main hall. On the ground floor are housed modern works including pieces by Tracy Emin and Gilbert & George, with many others. Upstairs hang more traditional paintings and sculpture. These include Impressionist pieces and workandy the Scottish Colourists. There are frequent temporary exhibitions (see website) and also display of antique silverware and decorative pieces. Columns in the main hall display the many different colours of local granite used to build the city. There is a good gift shop too. For those who like art, an afternoon could easily be spent here, but at least a quick browse is well worth it for anyone.
The Gordon Highlanders were formed in 1881 from an infantry division of 1794, and amalgamated into the Highlanders in 1994, now a battalion within the Royal Regiment of Scotland. They were thus involved in two centuries of wars and campaigns, and 13 of its men were awarded the Victoria Cross. Exhibits include a Nazi flag from Hitler's staff car and mock-up First World War trenches. It's housed in the home of the Victorian artist Sir George Reid, and has a large garden.
Guestrow (walk under passageway at St. Nicholas House on Broad Street and it's in the little plaza there). Scottish towns and cities have a "provost" instead of a mayor and this house used to belong to Provost George Skene. The large, picturesque house dates from 1545 (it's the oldest house left in the city).
The tolbooth was the main municipal building or Town Hall, for council meetings, courthouse and jail. This 17th-century example had jail cells in centuries past, and played a key role in the city's history, including the Jacobite rebellions. The museum has fascinating displays on crime and punishment, and on the history of the city. Limited access for visitors with mobility difficulties.
This University-run museum on the King's College campus has rotating exhibitions. The building, a 1727 townhouse, is closed for redevelopment.
Striking modern building by St Machar Park west side of the campus. It's accessible to the public, with a ground floor gallery for exhibitions.
This museum is on the ground floor of the university's Zoology Dept. It has a big collection of specimens, from protozoa to the great whales. Exhibits include taxidermy, skeletons, skins, fluid-preserved specimens and models.
4.5 hectare (11-acre) garden including an arboretum.
3-screen cinema showing arthouse, foreign and selected mainstream films. Went into administration on 6 October 2022, and a charity has been formed to save it; they have redevelopment plans and are fundraising in 2026. Occasional events are held in the cinema whilst it is closed.
Satrosphere
Interactive science discovery centre in the former city tram depot.
Tours include harbour trips, spotting sea-life (dolphins, basking sharks, porpoises, puffins), and a ride out to the offshore wind farm.
34 hectares of lowland heath.
"The Dons" play soccer in the Premiership, Scotland's top tier. Their home ground of Pittodrie is an all-seater stadium, capacity 20,000. It's a mile north of the centre, walk up Park Rd or take any bus up King St.
"The Toonsers" play in League One, the third tier. Their home ground is Balmoral Stadium (capacity 2600) in Cove Bay two miles south of city centre.
Artificial ski slopes with an Alpine run, a Dendex run and a nursery slope. Tuition and kit hire plus public sessions.
Large ice rink, public skating session times vary. Aberdeen Lynx ice hockey team play here Sept-March in the Scottish National League, the UK second tier.
Lawn bowls.
It hosts a wide range of plays, musicals and panto. It also has a good restaurant.
Opened as the Assembly Rooms in 1822, this is an elegant setting for classical and popular music, stand-up comedy and other performances.
550-capacity performing arts venue, with pop, jazz, blues, rock, comedy, dance and panto.
Castlegate Centre
Community-oriented venue hosting a variety of events.
The Event Complex
Exhibition and events venue which opened in 2019, replacing the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre. The biennial Offshore Europe exhibition, held in early September of odd-numbered years, is the biggest event.
Founded in 1903, with the 18-hole Haughton course, later adding the 9-hole Blairs course.
Founded in 1780, and nowadays with two courses. The Balgownie is the championship links course, 6918 yards par 70. It staged the Walker Cup in 2011 and the Scottish Open in 2014. The Silverburn is a par-3 18-hole course.
This University of Aberdeen centre has a wide range of public facilities including gyms, group exercise and sports hall, plus an Aquatics Centre with 50-m pool and diving facilities.
Has similar facilities to the Sports Village and a 25-m pool and climbing wall.
One of the oldest universities in the UK, founded in 1495. It's research-focused with some 9700 undergrads, 5700 postgrads and 1650 teaching staff. The main campus and admin are at Kings College in Old Aberdeen.
RGU
RGU became a university in 1992; it was founded in 1750 by the Aberdeen merchant Robert Gordon. It has 9800 undergrads, 6000 postgrads and 660 academic staff. In 2010 it awarded an honorary degree to Donald Trump but revoked this in 2015, maybe the reason we've heard little of him since.
The largest further education college in Scotland, with 21,000 students. The main facility is on Gallowgate, with others in the city and in Fraserburgh.
A second-hand book shop with lunch menu.
Friendly cafe with indoor and small outdoor dining areas.
Its customers rate it a hidden gem, great scores for food and service.
Bright friendly place for coffee and lunch, dog-friendly.
Proper sit-down traditional fish restaurant, worth coming the extra distance from city centre.
Pleasant restaurant serving inexpensive Pakistani cuisine.
Popular central Italian coming up to its centenary.
This long-running Thai restaurant gets great reviews.
Great Chinese food with nice decor and bar.
Vietnamese diner.
Contemporary Indian.
This cosy bistro does good seafood.
This cellar place is primarily a cocktail bar but has expanded the food side during the covid restrictions.
Bright cheerful reliable Italian.
Great little bistro hidden away just south of Union St.
Slick friendly place for Turkish cuisine.
Seafood restaurant on Footdee quay (see above) with great views.
Authentic Thai restaurant and takeaway
Café with a focus on healthy food and vegan options.
A small late-licence venue with live bands.
An old church converted into a pub
Belhaven pub, cosy place with stylish decor.
Part of the Revolution cocktail chain. Decent food.
Irish-themed chain pub with a nightclub upstairs, good grub.
Belhaven pub behind a granite portico, suggesting that the former school specialised in Latin, Greek and physical chastisement. Good selection of food, TV sport, beer garden and dog friendly.
Also a Belhaven pub, in a former coaching inn. Friendly place with good pub grub.
Lively pub, the food is okay.
Long, long bar, almost as long as HRH Charlie's tenure of the post of Prince of Wales. It's a Belhaven pub where you need to bring an appetite for their hearty trad food. It's hidden away in a block north side of Union St, surrounded by banks that haven't yet been converted to pubs but are presumably looking anxiously over their shoulders.
This is in a converted bank at the city's old crossroads. The historical name tells you it's a JD Wetherspoon. Simpson (1790-1847) was the architect most responsible for the granite cityscape. Reliable chain pub for real ale and food.
A tiki dive bar and Grassroots music venue. Great range of world beers, real ale and cider, authentic absinthe, rum, and outlandish tiki cocktails served in pint jars.
Bar serving craft beers and lagers from the Fierce brewery.
No longer a restaurant, it has a small plain interior, little seating so you stand at the bar, but a huge selection of whiskies.
Cocktail bar in the elegantly converted Langstane Kirk.
Popular cocktail bar.
Glam cocktail bar next to Jam Jar.
This nightclub gets very mixed reviews.
Alcohol-free bar
Inexpensive place in the Belmont St pub quarter, with notable vodka bar.
Clean reliable chain offering. Parking by voucher in NCP is £10 / night.
Chain hotel half a mile north of centre. Boxy brutalist exterior but comfy and well-run. Parking £6 / night.
Large budget chain hotel looking over Union Street. Travelodge also have branches on the A96 at Bucksburn, and at Dyce near the airport.
Central Victorian hotel close to the stations. Comfy enough but some rooms tired. With Molly's Bistro and Irish bar.
Large modern hotel with business facilities, clean and central.
formerly Thistle Caledonian
Reliable mid-range hotel, part of Accor chain, two blocks north of station. Some street noise.
Traditional hotel in the former offices of the Great North of Scotland Railway. Cleaning erratic.
formerly Jury's Inn
Clean well-run chain hotel, couldn't be more central.
Stylish 19th-century estate next to Robert Gordon University campus. Often used for wedding receptions.
Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
formerly Mercure
Victorian mansion with Baronial cod-castellations on southwest edge of city. With spa and fine dining.
Chic hotel in the Queens Cross area with good dining.
Comfy modern hotel north edge of city.
Modern accommodation next to The Event Complex, with spa, restaurant, bar and event facilities.
By train
Aberdeen has trains hourly from Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street, both taking 2 hr 30 min, via Dundee.
By bus
Buses from London Victoria take about 13 hours; they pick up at intermediate points, for example, Manchester, but routes vary.
By road
The city centre is a Low Emission Zone. There's a £60 penalty for driving into the city centre in a non-compliant vehicle. Cars built after 2015 generally are compliant, but check online.
By boat
Aberdeen Harbour is right in the city centre, just about the first thing you see on leaving the bus station. The ferry terminal is off Market Street, next to the Union St car park entrance.
By bus
Most city buses are operated by First Aberdeen. Pay on entry by cash (no change given), contactless bank card or mTicket.60.60.
By taxi
Taxis wait at the railway station, Back Wynd (off central Union Street), Chapel St (west end of Union St), Hadden Street (off Market Street) and at the airport.
By bicycle
This is fraught in city centre traffic, where walking is first choice, but more helpful further out.
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