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Aberdeen

Aberdeen is northeast Scotland's powerhouse, fuelled by the North Sea petroleum industry. Oil money made the city as expensive as London, with prices charged to match the depth of oil-wealthy pockets, though regular downturns in the industry see prices fall. Fortunately, most cultural attractions, such as the Maritime Museum and Aberdeen Art Gallery, are free.

Known throughout Scotland as the granite city, much of the town was built using silvery-grey granite hewn from the now-abandoned Rubislaw Quarry, at one time the biggest artificial hole in the ground in Europe. On a sunny day the granite lends an attractive glitter to the city, but when low, grey rain clouds scud in off the North Sea it can be hard to tell where the buildings stop and the sky begins.

Royal Deeside is easily accessible to the west, Dunnottar Castle to the south, sandy beaches to the north and whisky country northwest.

Explore Aberdeen

A
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
Overlooking the nautical bustle of Aberdeen harbour is the Maritime Museum, centred on a three-storey replica of a North Sea oil-production platform,…
G
Gordon Highlanders Museum
This excellent museum records the history of one of the British Army's most famous fighting units, described by Winston Churchill as 'the finest regiment…
M
Marischal College
Marischal College, founded in 1593 by the 5th Earl Marischal, merged with King's College (founded 1495) in 1860 to create the modern University of…
A
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Behind the grand facade of Aberdeen Art Gallery (closed for a major redevelopment until early 2019) is a cool, marble-lined space exhibiting the work of…
P
Provost Skene's House
This late-medieval turreted town house was occupied in the 17th century by the provost (Scottish equivalent of a mayor) Sir George Skene. It was also…
S
St Machar's Cathedral
The 15th-century St Machar's, with its massive twin towers, is a rare example of a fortified cathedral. According to legend, St Machar was ordered to…
S
St Nicholas Church
On the northern side of Union St, 300m west of Castlegate, is St Nicholas Church, the so-called 'Mither Kirk' (Mother Church) of Aberdeen. The granite…
K
King’s College Chapel
It was here that Bishop Elphinstone established King's College, Aberdeen's first university (and Scotland's third), in 1495. The 16th-century college…
O
Old Town House
At the north end of High St, the Old Town House now hosts a visitor centre with information and exhibits on the history of Old Aberdeen. It also houses…

A
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
Overlooking the nautical bustle of Aberdeen harbour is the Maritime Museum, centred on a three-storey replica of a North Sea oil-production platform,…
G
Gordon Highlanders Museum
This excellent museum records the history of one of the British Army's most famous fighting units, described by Winston Churchill as 'the finest regiment…
M
Marischal College
Marischal College, founded in 1593 by the 5th Earl Marischal, merged with King's College (founded 1495) in 1860 to create the modern University of…
A
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Behind the grand facade of Aberdeen Art Gallery (closed for a major redevelopment until early 2019) is a cool, marble-lined space exhibiting the work of…
P
Provost Skene's House
This late-medieval turreted town house was occupied in the 17th century by the provost (Scottish equivalent of a mayor) Sir George Skene. It was also…
S
St Machar's Cathedral
The 15th-century St Machar's, with its massive twin towers, is a rare example of a fortified cathedral. According to legend, St Machar was ordered to…
S
St Nicholas Church
On the northern side of Union St, 300m west of Castlegate, is St Nicholas Church, the so-called 'Mither Kirk' (Mother Church) of Aberdeen. The granite…
K
King’s College Chapel
It was here that Bishop Elphinstone established King's College, Aberdeen's first university (and Scotland's third), in 1495. The 16th-century college…
O
Old Town House
At the north end of High St, the Old Town House now hosts a visitor centre with information and exhibits on the history of Old Aberdeen. It also houses…

Top attractions

These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Aberdeen.

See
Aberdeen Maritime Museum
Overlooking the nautical bustle of Aberdeen harbour is the Maritime Museum, centred on a three-storey replica of a North Sea oil-production platform,…
See
Gordon Highlanders Museum
This excellent museum records the history of one of the British Army's most famous fighting units, described by Winston Churchill as 'the finest regiment…
See
Marischal College
Marischal College, founded in 1593 by the 5th Earl Marischal, merged with King's College (founded 1495) in 1860 to create the modern University of…
See
Aberdeen Art Gallery
Behind the grand facade of Aberdeen Art Gallery (closed for a major redevelopment until early 2019) is a cool, marble-lined space exhibiting the work of…
See
Provost Skene's House
This late-medieval turreted town house was occupied in the 17th century by the provost (Scottish equivalent of a mayor) Sir George Skene. It was also…
See
St Machar's Cathedral
The 15th-century St Machar's, with its massive twin towers, is a rare example of a fortified cathedral. According to legend, St Machar was ordered to…
See
St Nicholas Church
On the northern side of Union St, 300m west of Castlegate, is St Nicholas Church, the so-called 'Mither Kirk' (Mother Church) of Aberdeen. The granite…
See
King’s College Chapel
It was here that Bishop Elphinstone established King's College, Aberdeen's first university (and Scotland's third), in 1495. The 16th-century college…
See
Old Town House
At the north end of High St, the Old Town House now hosts a visitor centre with information and exhibits on the history of Old Aberdeen. It also houses…

Guidebooks

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