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Marischal College

  1. Home
  2. Places to go
  3. Scotland's Cities
  4. Aberdeen

Aberdeen

The city of Aberdeen sits on the north east coast of Scotland. Aberdeen is famous for its sparkling granite buildings and monuments, a beautiful beach where you can spot dolphins, and the warming tones of 'Doric', the local Scots dialect you'll hear in the streets.

Great things to do in Aberdeen

Aberdeen is full of surprises, from innovative art galleries and museums to local distilleries. Whether you’re drawn to coastal walks, lively festivals, or looking for a hidden gem, Aberdeen promises something for everyone.

Things to see & do in Aberdeen

Find out what museums, galleries and other attractions you can visit in Aberdeen.

Free attractions and days out in Scotland

Holiday fun doesn’t have to cost a penny. Check out these free attractions and days out.

Culture & Arts in Aberdeen

Visit Aberdeen to celebrate ancient traditions and spark new ones at a vibrant year-round calendar of festivals and events.

Northern Nights

Discover some of the best spots in Aberdeenshire for seeing the Northern Lights and Milky Way.

Scotland Loves Local Aberdeen gift card

Sample all that the city has to offer using the Scotland Loves Local Aberdeen Gift Card.

Top days out ideas

History beckons in Aberdeen with a host of historic attractions and buildings to explore. Book a tour of the city and see things from a different perspective - or relax with an adventure activity or round of golf.

Footdee or 'Fittie'

Explore this charming former fishing village on the Aberdeen coastline.

Old Aberdeen

Step back into the 14th century to discover the academic history of Aberdeen.

Spotting wildlife in Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire creates the perfect spot for catching a glimpse of wildlife in its natural habitat.

Oldmeldrum

This market town is found 17 miles north west of Aberdeen and is known as the ‘Granary of Aberdeen’ for its production of high quality barley.

Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire golf

Explore golf courses in Aberdeenshire.

Aberdeen Maritime Museum

Aberdeen Maritime Museum tells the story of the city's long relationship with the sea.

Provost Skene’s House

Provost Skene’s House celebrates the pioneering people of Aberdeen and the North-East of Scotland who have helped transform the world.

Inspiring routes, trails & itineraries

Explore the history of Aberdeen and surrounding Aberdeenshire, and find a walking tour to take in the landscapes. Choose to travel by public transport and get a discount at some nearby attractions.

University of Aberdeen

© VisitAberdeenshire

Follow a route

Aberdeen city centre is best explored on foot. Check out our ideas for walking tours, or venture into nearby Royal Deeside for an interesting Victorian heritage trail.

  • Tours in Aberdeen
  • Aberdeen by public transport with Good Journey
  • Walking tours in Aberdeen
  • North East 250
Find more ideas

See what's on in Aberdeen

Find out what's on in Aberdeen with local events and festivals including theatre, music, food and drink and family-friendly events. 

The Braemar Gathering

© VisitScotland / Kenny Lam

Aberdeen Highland Games, 21 June 2026 – An event perfect for the whole family, witness traditional Highland games events, including heavyweights, tug of war, Highland dance, pipe band contests, solo piping and much more.

The Braemar Gathering, 5 September 2026 – Be a part of the most popular and well-known Highland games in the world which has been hosted in the royal setting of Braemar since 1832. 

Thrive Ballater, 18 – 20 September 2026 – Join in Scotland's premier mountain biking festival in the glorious surroundings of Ballater with family fun including The Clan Stunt Show, a funfair, a climbing wall, soft play, archery, and wood carving.

Aberdeen Comedy Festival, 19 September – 4 October 2026 – Get ready for hilarity with this comedy festival returning with an even bigger line-up and more comedians across three weekends this autumn.

SPECTRA  Scotland's Festival of Light, February 2027 – Marvel at beautifully crafted light installations and artworks across the city, alongside storytelling themed displays and opportunities for everyone to get involved.

Granite Noir, February 2027 – Dive into Aberdeen's Crime Writing Festival which celebrates crime fiction on page and on screen, most of which were inspired by Aberdeen's dramatic backdrop and scenery.

Map of Aberdeen

Check Featured Places for ideas on what to see and do from dolphin spotting to amazing architecture. Or find accommodation, events and food & drink to help plan your trip.

Explore Aberdeen

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How to travel to and around Aberdeen

Getting to Aberdeen

Bus and coach

There are many frequent and affordable bus services that travel from various main cities to Aberdeen daily.

  • Megabus to Aberdeen
  • Scottish Citylink to Aberdeen
  • Flixbus to Aberdeen

Train

Aberdeen’s railway station, right in the heart of the city, has frequent fast and reliable services to and from major cities.

LNER trains run along the east coast from cities such as Edinburgh, York, Newcastle and London.

Book with LNER

Scotrail provides an express rail service direct to Aberdeen from many major cities.

Check Scotrail timetables

Aberdeen can also be reached overnight from London on the Caledonian Sleeper.

Travel overnight on the Caledonian Sleeper

Driving

Aberdeen is about 2.5 hours’ drive from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.

Plan your trip with Traveline

There are many car hire companies operating in Aberdeen.

Hire a car from Aberdeen airport

Flying

Fly into Aberdeen International Airport which is about 6 miles from the city centre. 

The region is well connected globally with daily flights to all major airports including London Heathrow, Paris and Amsterdam. The international airport also has many direct routes to most UK cities as well as many key European destinations.

Or fly to one of Scotland's airports and journey up to Aberdeen by bus, or train.

  • Find out more on bus travel from the airport
  • Book a taxi to and from the airport

Ferry

Ferries travel regularly from Orkney and Shetland.

Aberdeen Ferry Terminal is located at Jamieson's Quay across from Union Square and the Aberdeen Railway Station.

Find ferry timetables for NorthLink Ferries

Getting around Aberdeen

Cycling

You can easily hire bikes at various locations across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire:

  • Skyline Cycles
  • Velohub
  • ebike Aberdeenshire

Walking

Aberdeen is easily explored on foot with most key attractions within walking distance of each other. Attractions beyond the city centre can be reached cost effectively by public transport and again explored further by foot.

Find walks in and around Aberdeen

Bus and coach

First Bus operate regular buses across the city of Aberdeen while Stagecoach Bluebird's buses link the towns and villages in Aberdeenshire.

GrassHOPPER passes let you hop on and off within a certain zone. Find out more on GrassHOPPER zones and ticket prices, and how to use them.

Tours

Want to relax and let someone else drive?

Book a tour and hear from a knowledgeable local tour guide as they highlight points of interest, stop off at the best hidden gems and visit the iconic landmarks you’ve heard all about.

Search for tours in Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

Taxi

There are several taxi companies operating in Aberdeenshire. 

Find taxi details and book a journey

The Sandman Hotel

Places to stay in Aberdeen

We’ve got hundreds of hotels, self-catering options and holiday apartments for your city break.

  • Hotels in Aberdeen
  • B&Bs and guesthouses in Aberdeen
  • Self-catering in Aberdeen
  • Accommodation in Aberdeen

Foodstory Café, Aberdeen

Places to eat in Aberdeen

There's a great selection of places to eat in Aberdeen city, from cosy coffee spots to fine dining in the city. 

  • Learn more about food & drink in Aberdeen
  • Guide to the Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire

Aberdeen beach

Find information on accessible trips

Whether you’re travelling with kids, need a mobility scooter or you’re a wheelchair user, Aberdeen has lots of accessible options. 

  • Euan's Guide Aberdeen
  • AccessAble Guide - Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire
Find out more

Explore nearby

Aberdeen is surrounded by the rolling countryside of Aberdeenshire. Here you’ll find castles, whisky distilleries, a National Park, varied coastline and much more. Further afield you can take a day trip to Moray Speyside.

Cairngorms National Park

The Cairngorms National Park has more mountains, forests, rivers, lochs, wildlife, friendly villages and distilleries than you can possibly imagine.

8 Unbeatable things to do in Moray Speyside

Find great things to do in Moray Speyside. Including towns to explore, towers to climb, castles to discover, and more!

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