Aberdeen
The city of Aberdeen sits on the north east coast of Scotland. Aberdeen is famous for its sparkling, granite buildings and monuments, the central beach, dolphins and the warming tones of 'Doric', the local Scots dialect you'll hear in the streets.
Things to do in Aberdeen
11 Hidden gems in Aberdeen
Explore the secret spots & attractions of Aberdeen from stunning historic architecture to dolphin spotting by the harbour.
10 things to see & do in Aberdeen for free
Discover amazing things to see & do in Aberdeen for free. Including museums, gardens, family friendly attractions, and more!
12 Guid Doric phrases & their meanings
Learn how to speak like a local with these Doric words and their meanings.
Scotland Loves Local Aberdeen gift card
Sample all that the city has to offer using the Scotland Loves Local Aberdeen Gift Card.
Culture & Arts in Aberdeen
Visit Aberdeen to celebrate ancient traditions and spark new ones at a vibrant year-round calendar of festivals and events.
Inspiration for Aberdeen breaks
Places to stay
We’ve got hundreds of hotels, self-catering options and holiday apartments for your city break.
Tours, routes and trails
Explore the history of Aberdeen and surrounding Aberdeenshire, or find a walking tour to take in the landscapes. Choose to travel by public transport and get a discount at some nearby attractions.
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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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.
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.
ScotRail provides an express rail service direct to Aberdeen from many major cities.
Aberdeen can also be reached overnight from London on the Caledonian Sleeper.
Driving
Aberdeen is about 2.5 hours’ drive from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness.
There are many car hire companies operatiing in Aberdeen.
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.
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.
Getting around Aberdeen
Cycling
You can easily hire bikes at various locations across Aberdeen and 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.
Bus and coach
First Group 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 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.
Taxi
There are several taxi companies operating in Aberdeenshire.
Vehicle hire
There are several car hire companies operating in Aberdeen.
What's on in Aberdeen
Events
Find out what's on in Aberdeen with local events and festivals including theatre, music, food and drink and family-friendly events.
Places to eat in Aberdeen
Find ideas on where to try Scottish food & drink in Aberdeen.
Food & drink ideas
There's a great selection of places to eat in Aberdeen city.
Explore further
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Discover great days trips from Aberdeen easily accessible by public transport. Including Stonehaven, Breamar, Elgin, Arbroath and more!
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Things to do in and around Moray Speyside itinerary
Discover wonderful things to do in Moray Speyside.
A tip from your local expert
Aberdeen Art Gallery houses an extensive collection of nationally significant works by artists, designers and makers. The collection stretches over 700 years and is regarded as one of the UK's finest!
Ryan
VisitScotland
Find experiences
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