Aberdeen was founded before they started recording history in Britain. Technically, it was founded before America was even discovered. If that sounds like your kind of place then listen in… Here is your five minute guide to Aberdeen, as described by an actual Scot.
There is an old song, supposedly written by an English composer named Mary Webb, that goes:
“The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen
Mean Home Sweet Home to me.
The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen
Are what I long to see.
I’ve been a wand’rer all of my life
And many a sight I’ve seen,
God speed the day when I’m on my way
To my home in Aberdeen.”
And the goose bumps that it calls up and down the arms of Scots everywhere perfectly encapsulates the haunting beauty of Aberdeen.
Aberdeen at a Glance
Situated on The Rived Dee Aberdeen is best known as an Oil Industry hub, but it has plenty to offer the visitor as you will see when you read on.
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Scotland’s third most populated city lies far in the wilds of the North East, settled on the Banffshire Coast in a district all of its own. Aberdeenshire is Highland territory. It is the home of the clans Gordon and MacDuff. It is a place that lowlanders would simply not dare to tread, in times gone past.
Nowadays, we need all the tourists we can get! So come and visit Aberdeen, and let’s talk about the best things to see and do while you are there!
So let’s pretend we only had a single day in Aberdeen. What are the five main attractions you should squeeze in?
The Aberdeen Maritime Museum
This is the highest rated Aberdeen museum on trip advisor, but, while it’s fascinating, we would actually suggest tourists try to take in the Tollbooth Museum if they want to learn more about our culture. While the maritime museum has brilliant information about North Sea industry, the Tollbooth is a former 17th century gaol… yep, you read that correctly, it’s so old it still uses the former version of the word ‘jail’.
The Bullers of Buchan
OK, so technically these are outside of the city and located in Cruden Bay. That being said, our reason for putting them on the list is twofold: one – this is a spectacular collapsed sea cave that forms a geological marvel along the Scottish coastline and you might never get another chance in your life to view such a thing… and two – you won’t be able to see the actual Northern Lights from Aberdeen because of all the light pollution. You might get to see them if you hike out here in the autumn and winter months. Just saying.
Union Square
Union Square is also home to Aberdeen’s biggest shopping complex.
Editorial credit: The Dark Knight / Shutterstock.com
This is one for the shopping lovers. Union Square is huge and jam-packed with all the retail goodness you might expect to find in one of the furthest cities from the UK capital. They have all the biggest brand names, a Krispy Kreme, and a cinema, as well as all the excuses you need to shop till you drop. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the Square too, so go nuts.
The Footdee (the Fittie)
At the foot of the River, you will find a preserved fishing village that we lovingly call ‘the Fittie’. It is full of quaint little cottages, looks like your average charming village, and has a bit of a connection to the Highland Clearances. When the tenants of Scottish farms were turfed out to make way for sheep fields they fled to the coasts. Many of them ended up in villages just like this one. It is at once a beautiful and a haunting reminder of a past best forgotten.
Aberdeen Beach
Aberdeen Beach – where else can you see golden sand, blue skies and an Oil Tanker in the distance.
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It might sound like crazy talk, but for about three days every June, two days every July, and one day in every August – Aberdeen beachfront is bathed in sunshine. Recent years have seen it cleaned up, protected, and doing great by comparison to how it looked ten years ago. Locals are still a little hesitant to swim in the freezing-cold-all-year-round North Sea; but it is still a great place to catch some rays. Just don’t expect any ice cream stands… it’s still Scotland, after all.
Where to Eat, Drink, and Party in Aberdeen?
The Ashvale is a favourite for bigger groups or family food. They do massive portions and the fish comes from the harbour. More importantly, the owners do a lot of community work that rewards everyone. You should eat there.
Asides from the Ashvale, fine dining can be found at the Conservatory Restaurant, inside the Marcliffe Hotel. It’s actually the place you go to avoid locals since none of us can afford to eat there, but we hear tell that it is stunning.
You will find the best bar, with the best cocktails in the city, on Belmont Street. It’s called ‘The Tippling House’ and it is in a cellar. Perfect for romance, for client courting, for drinking your woes away. If you want to finish the night in style head over to Cheerz. Everyone who is anyone will be there and it has a cool underground setting, too.
Other Notable Attractions
There are too many great parts of Aberdeen to accurately cover in our five minute guide… but let’s try for a few more, anyway.
Free things to do in Aberdeen:
- Wander around Hazelhead Park and enjoy the sculptures hidden around the place.
- Picnic at Duthie Park, in the rain.
- Visit the Brig O’Balgownie, outside of the city but one of Scotland’s oldest bridges… it’s probably older than America, too.
- The University of Aberdeen has some pretty amazing architecture. You can wander around the grounds but don’t get caught in a lecture hall.
King’s College building part of Aberdeen University spectacular when lit up at night.
Editorial credit: James Jones Jr / Shutterstock.com
What to do in Aberdeen if you don’t mind spending a little:
Dolphins are frequently spotted in the Bay.
Image: DesiDrewPhotography/Shutterstock.com
- You can spot dolphins along the coast but it is much easier to book a dolphin spotting tour at the harbour.
- Books and Beans are pretty cheap. They serve coffee and trade in old books. It smells like heaven in there.
- It’s technically free to walk around Old Aberdeen Town and enjoy the amazing architecture, but if you want to eat or drink there expect to spend some dough. It’s pretty much the city tourist trap. You have been warned.
Got Five Minutes More?
If you have another five minutes free and you happen to be visiting Scotland for longer than an afternoon – then you should definitely check out our site. Catch all the best bits from our local tour guides and don’t spend a single second of your Scottish holiday wasting time!
