If you’re looking for a city break destination that offers wonderful shopping facilities and cultural attractions, head to Aberdeen. Not only will you find retail opportunities and artistic landmarks in abundance, but you’ll also be able to stay in high-quality traditional Scottish accommodation that ensures you have a relaxing and peaceful break.
Getting to Aberdeen
The city is served by Aberdeen Airport which makes it very accessible from all over the UK and Europe.
Where to Stay
Whether you’re looking for castles, a large holiday home, or a budget hotel, there are lots of accommodation options. Once you have found somewhere to stay in Aberdeenshire you’ll be well-placed to take in all that this vibrant destination has to offer.
Top Things to Do in Aberdeen
Shopping
If you fancy updating your wardrobe during the course of a weekend getaway, make Union Street – also known as the Granite Mile – your first port of call. This is the gateway to more than 800 shops, restaurants and bars – so there’s plenty of opportunity for you to splash some cash. You’ll find lots of independent boutiques in the area, but if you want to shop at well-known high street stores head to the Trinty Centre, which contains popular brands such as Debenhams and HMV.
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Art and culture lovers can visit the Aberdeen Art Gallery. This is the largest public gallery in northern Scotland and focuses on works from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries, with Francis Bacon and Claude Monet just two of the artists whose pieces you’ll be able to see.
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
The city has had a long-running relationship with the sea and visiting the Aberdeen Maritime Museum – close to the harbour – will provide you with an insight into this. Examining the development of the local shipping and fishing industries, the museum is the only one in the UK to focus on the North Sea gas and oil sector, so here you’ll discover artefacts that you just won’t find anywhere else.
Architecture
Aberdeen is famous for its vast number of granite buildings – indeed, it has the nickname of the Granite City – and at almost every turn you will come across structures made from the material. Among the most stunning examples are the Town House in Union Street – which features ornate turrets – and Marischal College, which is the second-biggest granite structure in the world.
Duthie Park and Winter Garden
If the bustle of the city gets a little much for you, take a breather by visiting the Duthie Park and Winter Garden. One of the largest indoor gardens in Europe, this tranquil attraction contains thousands of exotic flora, including some 600 species of cacti, making it the ideal spot to relax and unwind.
Outdoor Activities in and Around Aberdeen
Aberdeen in Eastern Scotland is one of the UK’s prime destinations for lovers of the outdoors. It’s a great place to visit all year round with cycling, walking, fishing, beaches and much more to take in during the summer to balance out the great opportunities for snow sports in the winter.
Winter Activities
Two of Scotland’s five ski areas are found in the Aberdeen area catering to downhill and cross-country skiers and snowboarders of all abilities. Glenshee is the UK’s top ski centre with 2,000 acres spanning three valleys and four mountains. They have a total of 40 kilometres of trails. The Lecht Ski Centre is smaller and more focused at beginners and families. It’s located in the CAirngorm Mountains, making it a great destination in winter or summer.
Cross-country skiers should head further north to the Nordic and Outdoor Centre for an all-weather experience on either snow or dry slopes. Or stick to the city and head to the Aberdeen Snowports Centre for dry slope boarding skiing, and tubing.
Summer Activities
Scotland is the birthplace of golf and well-known the world over for its amazing courses. The Aberdeen area is well known for its rich golfing history and world class courses can be found all around this region – over 50! Some courses of note include Hazlehead No. 1 (designed by Dr Alistair MacKenzie), the Royal Aberdeen (the sixth oldest course in the world), Fraserburgh (the seventh oldest) and the Braemer Golf Club which is the highest 18-hole course in Britain.
With the weather in Scotland being blustery at the best of times, heading to the beach might not be what comes to mind when you take a trip to the north of Scotland. But surfing here is one of the UK’s best kept secrets, thanks to a good shore wind and 2 kilometres of beach. Kite surfers will also find the winds to be friendly.
If waves aren’t your thing then head to the sheltered water areas for some great kayaking and canoeing opportunities. Experienced kayakers can find some white water and people who’d rather take it easy have plenty of calm waters to chose from in this area. Exploring any of the rivers Dee, Don, Deveron, Esk, Ythan or Spey in a canoe will make for a great day out. The Rivers Dee and Spey also have some intense white water rafting opportunities.
Aberdeen’s rivers are home to some of the best salmon and trout fishing in the world and the area’s rugged coastline offers up some fantastic sea fishing as well. The River Dee is considered the best spring salmon fishing river in the world and the River Don is thought to be one of the finest brown trout rivers in Europe.
Plan a Trip to Aberdeen
As you can see, Aberdeen makes a great destination any time of the year. If you’re looking to visit Scotland and get back to nature but stay close to a city, Aberdeen is an excellent choice.