Aberdeen

📌 City in Aberdeen City council area
★★★

Welcome to Aberdeen – the Granite City capital of the North East. Famous for its oil and energy industry, Scotland’s third largest settlement might not sound like a promising tourist destination. But strike it off the list at your peril. Even if the city centre isn’t conventionally attractive, there’s a wide variety of indoor and outdoor sights to explore here, many within walking distance of each other – see the full list below. The main shopping district historically clustered around wide Union Street, nearby which are several excellent museums. Many businesses have, however, relocated to the newer Union Square shopping complex adjoining the railway station. Next to this is the bustling harbour adjoining the mouth of the River Dee, with ferries to the Northern Isles and regular dolphin sightings. Rubbing up against the harbour’s administrative buildings is the tiny fishing village of Footdee, squeezed onto a neck of land next to the northern breakwater. Last but not least is the jewel in Aberdeen’s crown: a wonderful sandy beach curling north from here. As for all the granite architecture: sunshine reflects off the grey buildings to complete the city’s other name: “the silver city with the golden sands”. This is one of the sunniest parts of the country, so blue skies are more common than one might assume; just wrap up warm if the wind’s coming off the North Sea.

🌍 Location

📌 The city centre, around the junction of Union Street & Market Street, is at:

🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NJ 942062

🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.146913,-2.097482

🚶 The city centre is compact, with a longer hike to the beach. After that you’ll be on the buses.

✈️🚢🚆🚌 Aberdeen has good rail and coach links with the rest of Scotland, its own airport, and ferries to the Northern Isles. There’s a good local bus network.

🚗 City centre parking has a charge, but there are free spots further out if you’re prepared to walk.

📝 Aberdeen – 1 day itinerary

>> Available to download from the Itineraries page

<1 mi away

>> Aberdeen Art Gallery ★★★★

>> Aberdeen Beach ★★★

>> Aberdeen Maritime Museum ★★★

>> Provost Skene’s House ★★★

>> The Tolbooth Museum (Aberdeen) ★★

<3 mi away

>> Duthie Park ★★★ (1 mi ↓)

>> Footdee ★★ (1 mi →)

>> King’s College (Aberdeen) (not yet featured) (1 mi ↑)

>> Cruickshank Botanic Garden (not yet featured) (2 mi ↑)

>> Girdle Ness ★★ (2 mi →)

>> Johnston Gardens ★★★ (2 mi ←)

>> St Machar’s Cathedral ★★★ (2 mi ↑)

>> Seaton Park ★★★ (2 mi ↑)

>> The Gordon Highlanders Museum (not yet featured) (2 mi ←)

>> Walk: Kincorth Hill – Granite City back garden ★★ (2 mi ↓)

>> Zoology Museum (Aberdeen) ★★ (2 mi ↑)

💬 Our full Aberdeen City council area list also includes places further from the city centre.