Perched on the edge of Scotland’s eastern North Sea coast, Aberdeen is a city that has ridden an oil boom and remained one of the most historic in the British Isles. Once a town that proudly claimed it had more universities than the whole of England, Aberdeen is steeped in history with a number of centuries-old churches, colleges and all manner of other interesting buildings.
With its large number of parks and gardens, Aberdeen can rightly claim to be one of the greenest cities in the British Isles. The city is home to 45 parks, planting a combined total of 16 million roses, crocuses and daffodils that has led to the city receiving numerous national prizes for its horticultural exploits.
In Old Aberdeen, St Machar’s Cathedral is an example of a work-in-progress lasting centuries after it was first started in the 12th century. Aberdeen’s architecture is well-known for incorporating granite, with the finest example being Marischal College, the second largest granite structure in the world and a building of the University of Aberdeen dating back more than 400 years. The best area to head to for a night in the city is Belmont street, which is home to a number of night clubs. Bars are dotted throughout the city. For a taste of the area’s famous whisky, a trail of distillers begins just north of Aberdeen, taking in a number of venues in the surrounding area, including Glenfiddich.
Highlights
Marischal Museum: the foremost museum in the city with close to 100,000 pieces including art and archaeological artifacts from Scotland and the rest of Europe.
Hazlewood Park: one of Aberdeen’s most famous green spaces with two golf courses and the second largest covered gardens in Europe, the David Welch Winter Gardens.
Aberdeen Beach: a long stretch of soft sand on the North Sea coast that is best saved for the summer.
Kirk of St Nicholas: historic church dating back to at least the 12th century.
Malt Whisky Trail: 30 miles north of Aberdeen, the trail takes in eight single malt distillers, including Glenfiddich and Glen Livet.