Things to See and Do in Aberdeen

First published in partnership with VisitScotland

Aberdeen isn’t always at the top of the list when people plan a trip to Scotland, and that’s what makes it such a good one to discover. The Granite City has a lively art scene, a superb art gallery, centuries of history, big green parks, handsome architecture and its own long sandy beach, along with plenty of independent cafés and shops dotted around the streets. Here are some ideas to help you make the most of it.

Aberdeen Railway Station is at Union Square on Guild Street, right in the centre and a good place to start exploring on foot.

The main bus station is also at Union Square on Guild Street, and buses run from here to most places in and around the city.

Aberdeen International Airport is at Dyce, about a 15 minute drive from the city. The Jet 727 bus runs between the airport and the bus station at Union Square, and there are taxis and hire cars at the airport too.

Johnston Gardens is one of the smallest parks in the city but a firm favourite with locals, and plenty of Aberdonians admit they didn’t know it existed. You’ll find it on Viewfield Road, beside The Gordon Highlanders Museum.

It’s a welcome sight at any time of year: a charming pocket of streams, waterfalls, ponds and rockeries with a bright blue rustic bridge at its centre, which makes a lovely picture against the flowers and greenery. Ducks and moorhens live on the pond, and if you’re lucky you might spot a heron too.

Recommendation: Before you head to the park, pick up a coffee and something to eat from Figment Coffee, a speciality coffee roaster on Countesswells Road, and make a picnic of it.

Situated in Old Aberdeen, to the north of the city centre, St Machar’s Cathedral is an important historical and political landmark in the city. Named after St Machar, a Celtic Saint and disciple of St Columba, a place of worship was established on the very site in around 580 AD. It wasn’t officially recognised as a cathedral until sometime in the 1130s and it wasn’t until 1165 that a Norman-style cathedral was constructed. The building then underwent extensive restoration in the 13th century, but it wasn’t until 1530 that works were finally complete. Since then, St Machar’s has lost and regained its cathedral status (in name only) and seen its central tower collapse and be rebuilt.

Recommendation: The cathedral is open to visitors every day, so if you can, take a look inside. You won’t be disappointed.

The Brig o’ Balgownie is thought to be the oldest bridge in Scotland and was the main crossing of the Don on the road north from Aberdeen, until the Bridge of Don was built beside it in 1831. It spans a deep pool known as the Black Neuk, and its gothic arch makes a lovely picture against the trees around it.

Recommendation: This is a good starting point for a longer walk along the river to Donmouth Nature Reserve, past Cottown of Balgownie, where there’s a row of pretty cottages built in the early 1600s. Keep your eyes peeled for seals bobbing their heads in the River Don, and even deer among the trees.

Seaton Park is one of the largest green spaces in Aberdeen and a great place to spend an afternoon, especially on a sunny day. With 27 hectares to explore, you can easily find a quiet spot to kick back and take in the walled gardens and wildflowers. The towers of St Machar’s Cathedral form the backdrop to the ‘Cathedral walk’, and the park is also home to Mr Therm, a former steam engine that once moved coal from Aberdeen harbour and is now a much-loved play sculpture.

Built in the early 1600s by Sir Robert Keith of Benholm and so previously known as Benholm’s Lodgings, some still refer to the tower by this name, but it’s now been called Wallace Tower for more than a century. But the name isn’t the only thing to have changed. While visitors will now head to the south-west entrance of Seaton Park to see Wallace Tower, it’s only been in that spot since the 1960s. Before then, the tower sat neatly in Netherkirkgate in the city centre. However, due to a desire for a store expansion by Marks and Spencer, the retail giant demolished Wallace Tower, stone by stone, relocated and rebuilt it in its current location.

Donmouth Nature Reserve is within walking distance of the Brig o’ Balgownie, and if you’re coming by car there’s parking a short walk from the beach.

Designated a Local Nature Reserve in 1992, this is where the River Don, which starts its journey in the Grampians, meets the sea, and over time the river has shaped the beach you see today. Look out for seals on the sand spit and for waders and terns along the shore.

There are good level paths, so it works well with buggies and wheelchairs.

A short walk from Donmouth you’ll find yourself in the streets of Old Aberdeen. Its quiet cobbled streets are lined with buildings from the city’s earliest days, among them St Machar’s Cathedral, King’s College and the Old Town House.

Some of the city’s most celebrated scientists, philosophers, writers and inventors lived, studied and taught here, and you can still sense it as you walk through the narrow medieval streets.

Recommendation: There are plenty of places to pick up a coffee for your walk around Old Aberdeen, such as Kilau on the High Street, Grub and Foodstory’s café at the university. It’s also nice to take a seat on one of the benches around the campus and watch the world go by.

At the very end of Aberdeen beach, towards the harbour, is Footdee, known locally as “Fittie”, a fishing village designed by John Smith. Step into it and you feel as if you’ve gone back in time. The little cottages and sheds sit close together in rows, full of personality and decorated with potted plants, gnomes, figurines, ropes, nets and buoys and plenty of handmade signs, and you’ll spot something new every time you visit. The cottages all face inwards in squares with their backs to the sea, to shelter them and the people inside from the North Sea storms.

Recommendation: Walk the full length of the beach promenade and look out for wild swimmers, surfers and the boats coming into the harbour. For something to eat, The Pier café sits right on the esplanade, Foodstory has a beach hut on the beachfront, and The Silver Darling is a restaurant on the upper floor of the old Customs House at Pocra Quay.

Further along the coast is Torry Battery, a ruin looking out to sea, built in 1860 to defend the port, the harbour and the city. These days it’s the place to be in Aberdeen if you fancy your chances of seeing dolphins. The car park sits up on the hill, so it’s a good spot to park up with a cone of chips and your binoculars and look for bottlenose dolphins. If you’d rather get closer to the action, walk down towards the South Breakwater lighthouse, and look out for the signs to some lovely coastal walks.

Recommendation: Stop at Greyhope Bay, the glass-fronted, off-grid centre beside Torry Battery. Its café has some of the best views in the city for dolphin watching, and it brings the community and schools together to learn about the marine life on Aberdeen’s doorstep. Check its opening days before you go.

Marischal College is an iconic building on Broad Street, at the end of Schoolhill, and it dominates the skyline. The college was founded in 1593, making it the city’s second university at the time. The building you see was begun in the 1830s and completed in 1906, and it combines Archibald Simpson’s austere style, built in Rubislaw granite, with Marshall Mackenzie’s perpendicular gothic, built in Kemnay granite. It’s the second largest granite building in the world, after the Escorial in Spain, and today it’s the headquarters of Aberdeen City Council.

Recommendation: For the university’s museums, exhibitions and events, see the university’s museums website.

Across the road from Marischal College, in Marischal Square, stands ‘Poised’, a leopard by the Scottish sculptor Andy Scott, who also made the Kelpies at Falkirk. The leopard is a symbol of the North East, with two of them on the city’s coat of arms, and this 5 metre sculpture on top of a 10 metre steel column, watching everyone who walks beneath, makes a striking impression.

Recommendation: Pick up an ice cream at Mackie’s 19.2, a few steps from the sculpture in Marischal Square.

Aberdeen Art Gallery is on Schoolhill in the city centre, and it’s free to visit. Originally built in 1884 to a Neoclassical design, it’s home to one of the finest art collections in the United Kingdom.

It closed in 2015 for a £34.6 million transformation and reopened in 2019 with the number of galleries increased from 11 to 19.

The galleries are bright and airy, with work by artists, designers and makers. Highlights include works by Tracey Emin, Barbara Hepworth, Samuel Peploe and Joan Eardley, and the exhibitions change through the year.

There’s a café and shop on the ground floor and a terrace up on the roof, with views over Schoolhill and Belmont Street.

The street art created over the years for the Nuart festival is an exciting way to explore the city on foot. Following the trail, you’ll discover work by artists from all over the world and find corners of the city that often go overlooked. For locals it’s a great way to see familiar streets in a whole new way.

Brought to you by the team behind Stavanger’s internationally renowned Nuart Festival and developed in collaboration with Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen City Council, Nuart Aberdeen has been providing a platform for local, national and international artists to showcase their work through a series of site-specific murals, installations, interventions, and temporary exhibitions since 2017.

Recommendation: Use the Nuart digital map, which covers every mural since 2017, to find your way round and learn about the artists as you go.

Once part of the Woodside House estate, Persley Walled Garden is in the north-west of Aberdeen, between the city centre and the airport. Aberdeen City Council bought these Victorian gardens in 1997 and restored them with the Scottish Trades Union Congress to mark Workers Memorial Day, and the following year a granite obelisk was put up as a memorial to those who have lost their lives at work. It sits beside the River Don, close to Persley Bridge, and though it’s small it leaves a lasting impression, with its neat lawns, herbaceous borders, climbing plants and bright bedding.

The Gordon Highlanders Museum on Viewfield Road tells the story of one of Scotland’s most famous regiments, and has its own café for a break between galleries.

The regiment’s ranks were filled by farmers and fishermen, ghillies and labourers, aristocrats and university students, each with a story to tell.

These stories are brought to life by exploring its Nationally Significant Collection. Retrace the remarkable history of these famous fighting men of the North East, guided by the museum’s knowledgeable staff and volunteers.

‘The Ferryhill’ is a family-run hotel, bar and restaurant on Bon Accord Street, not far from the Duthie Park and Riverside Drive. It’s set in its own gardens and has comfortable, stylish bedrooms, and the garden terrace is a great place to catch up with friends and family over a drink and some hearty pub food.

The Chester is a chic hotel in the West End of the city on Queen’s Road, with luxurious finishing touches such as rainfall showers, Egyptian cotton sheets and designer toiletries. With a choice of bedrooms and suites and its own bar, it’s a lovely place to treat yourself.

Up the coast at Newburgh, about 15 miles north of the city, Tahuna Bothies are three high-spec, cosy self-catering bothies, each sleeping up to four, so they suit a couple on a romantic getaway as well as friends or family. Huge floor-to-ceiling windows frame the sunrise over the sea, and in the evening you can watch the sun go down with a glass of wine in your private outdoor dining area.

In the Marischal Square district, Residence Inn offers a home from home in its stylish suites, each with a living area, workspace, bedroom and a fully equipped kitchen, so it’s an easy base for a longer stay.

Parx Café is a basement café on Rubislaw Terrace looking out over Rubislaw Park, so you won’t have to go far to find a spot on the grass with your takeaway coffee and lunch. Look out for the breakfast burritos, the filled rolls and the cakes.

Figment, on Countesswells Road, is a speciality coffee shop for anyone who can’t start the day without a good cup of coffee. You can buy beans to brew at home, from places as far apart as Peru, Rwanda and Madagascar.

Foodstory brings people together over food, art and music.

From morning to evening, they serve food for all dietary requirements and coffee, and hold regular events.

The food is mostly plant-based, made from plenty of vegetables, with soups, hot pots, dips, salads and cakes made in their own kitchen, and they like to use local eggs, chutneys and jams.

As well as the café on Thistle Street, Foodstory has a café at the university in Old Aberdeen and a beach hut on the beachfront.

The Tippling House makes hand-crafted cocktails, and has boutique spirits and Scottish ales too. This late-night bar below Belmont Street, close to the Art Gallery and His Majesty’s Theatre, welcomes you with its dimly lit, cosy atmosphere. Get together with friends in one of the booths for a long overdue catch-up while you work your way through the cocktail menu.

Bandit Bakery, an artisan bakery on Rose Street in the city centre, has something of a fan following, so get there early to beat the queues and take home some superior sourdough.

Gourmet Cheese Co, a cheesemonger on Rosemount Place, has cheeses to suit every palate, and it does coffee and toasties too.

Rosemount Market on Rosemount Place has a big refillery, so bring your own jars and bottles, alongside groceries and produce, much of it from local makers.

Juniper is an independent shop on Belmont Street selling jewellery, gifts and homeware, and it has been part of the street since 1971.

Some of the best places in the city to eat and drink outside:

The Dutch Mill

The Ivy Lodge

The Park Cafe

Kilau