📌 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 you might think; just wrap up warm if the wind’s coming off the North Sea.
Castlegate 
Union Street 
Marischal College, now the council HQ 
Kirk of St Nicholas 
Denburn Road 
Union Terrace Gardens 
His Majesty’s Theatre 
Union Square 
Aberdeen Harbour 
Beach Ballroom 
Old Town House, Old Aberdeen 
Aberdeen skyline from the north 
Seagulls – part of any visit to the city! 
City fireworks display 
Aberdeen Art Gallery 
Aberdeen Maritime Museum 
Provost Skene’s House 
The Tolbooth Museum 
Duthie Park 
Footdee 
King’s College 
Girdle Ness 
Johnston Gardens 
St Machar’s Cathedral 
Seaton Park 
Kincorth Hill walk
🌍 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
Explore nearby
<1 mi away
>> Aberdeen Art Gallery ★★★
>> Aberdeen Beach ★★★
>> Aberdeen Maritime Museum ★★★
>> Provost Skene’s House (not yet featured)
<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.
