Aberdeen

Aberdeen (Scottish Gaelic: Obar Dheathain, Scots: Aiberdeen) is the third-largest city in Scotland, United Kingdom, with a population of almost 200,000 (2018). It is a harbour city on Scotland's north-east coast, approximately 120 miles (190 km) north of Edinburgh and 400 miles (650 km) north of London, where the Rivers Dee and Don meet the North Sea. It is an important sea port, regional centre, and the hub of the North Sea oil industry.

Although remote by UK standards, this is no backwater; Aberdeen is a prosperous and cosmopolitan city (partly due to North Sea oil) and is characterised by its grand and ornate architecture. Most buildings are constructed out of granite quarried in and around the city, and as a result, Aberdeen is often referred to as The Granite City. It is also known for its many outstanding parks, gardens and floral displays throughout the city, and for its long, sandy beach. Aberdeen boasts the title of Oil Capital of Europe and has been voted in several polls as the happiest place in Britain, with a 2006 poll citing access to large areas of greenery and community spirit. It has won the Britain in Bloom competition 10 times.

Aberdeen does not attract as many tourists as other Scottish destinations such as Edinburgh or St Andrews, and can feel more authentic. It is a great place to stop for a couple of days on a tour of Scotland, and especially good as a base for exploring the wider region to take advantage of the castles, golf, whisky distilleries, scenery, mountains (including skiing and snowboarding), coast and other attractions in Aberdeenshire and Royal Deeside. Alternatively, Aberdeen's remoteness yet comforts and cosmopolitan nature makes it an interesting destination for a short city break if you really want to get away from the stress.

Understand
Aberdeen is set in fertile lowlands and is the natural regional centre, becoming a city in 1179 when two villages grew into each other. Old Aberdeen is north, by the mouth of the River Don, and home to the University since 1495. New Aberdeen developed from 1136 two miles south near the mouth of the River Dee: this has a much better harbour and became the city centre. It was bashed about in conflicts until 1745, but then followed a long spell of peace and prosperity. Aberdeen was rebuilt in its signature grey granite along the broad axis of Union Street east-west, which intersects the historic coast road then at Castlegate turns north along King Street. So grand and confident were these buildings, they bankrupted the city in 1817, probably a civic first. Aberdeen recovered through its traditional industries based on farming, fishing, knitware and paper, but by the late 20th century these were in decline. The city was out on a limb, a long way from markets, materials and labour... and then they struck oil.

In the 1960s the North Sea was shown to have commercially exciting reserves of gas to the south and oil to the north, and the quirks of international frontiers awarded Britain the lion's share. This transformed UK politics and the economy, nowhere more so than in Aberdeen. The oilfields lay many miles offshore, but in a relatively shallow sea, and technology advanced to exploit them. Oil was brought ashore at Sullom Voe in Shetland and at Grangemouth on the Firth of Forth. It never came through Aberdeen: the city's role was as a support base for the oil platforms, and centre of industrial innovation as the quest for new fields moved into deeper darker waters. The skies were busy with the chatter of helicopters ferrying workers to and from the rigs. The city was a boom town and property prices soared.

"It's Scotland's Oil!" became a rallying cry, OPEC quotas drove up the oil price and until 2014 it looked as if oil could fuel the vehicle of Scottish independence. But a referendum voted against it, and the price later collapsed. The price, and Aberdeen's fortunes, have been up and down since, illustrating the risks around a single cash crop. Moreover, sentiment turned against oil as a carbon-based fuel from a dwindling non-renewable source. The industry remains a big player here, but the city needs to diversify.

Aberdeen is a year-round destination, provided you've got enough weather-proof clothing. Its winters are mild compared to other cities at about 56-57 North such as Riga, Gothenburg, Juneau or Novosibirsk, but by British standards it's cool. It's sheltered from the prevailing southwesterly airstream, so it has many sunny days when the granite buildings sparkle; the parks and gardens are glorious in early summer. Mid-summer days are 18 hours long and the nights no more than twilight. In still conditions a fog bank or haar forms over the cold North Sea, and the evening breeze brings it onshore to cloak the city, until the daytime offshore breeze pushes it out again. Northeasterly winds bring the worst of the dreich, a word worth practising before you arrive, and the midwinter sun often fails to get out of bed for its allotted shift of 8:30AM-3:30PM. Between the louring low grey clouds, drizzle and churning grey sea, you can pretty much lose the entire grey city.

Even then, you'll still know where you are because of the unique dialect known as "Doric". This is even more marked in the countryside, so see Aberdeenshire for the gen on Doric, which to date defies machine translation.

Vistor information

 * Visit Scotland guide to Aberdeen & Aberdeenshire

Read

 * Sunset Song is the classic novel of this region in the last days of horse-drawn farming, and the onslaught of the First World War. Written by Lewis Grassic Gibbon (James Leslie Mitchell 1901-35) and published in 1932, it's been voted Scotland's favourite novel. It may also be the most "given up on" novel, problems being the artificial diction used to render Mearns country speech, and the "Cold Comfort Farm" heaping up of misfortunes; but it's worth persevering or a second go.
 * Cloud Howe (1933) is the second of Gibbon's "Scots Quair" trilogy and Grey Granite (1934) the third, as the heroine rebuilds her life and moves to the city. They're not as well regarded but all have been adapted for TV. And then young Gibbon upped and died, with so much creative output yet before him.
 * Logan McRae is the fictional Detective Sergeant who probes the city streets in the thrillers by Stuart MacBride (b 1969). These include Cold Granite (2005), Dying Light (2006), Blind Eye (2009), Shatter the Bones (2011), Close to the Bone (2013) and The Missing and the Dead (2015).
 * Stonemouth (2012, televised 2015) is a novel by Iain Banks (1954-2013), following a man returning to a small seaport (loosely based on Stonehaven) having fled after a sex scandal.
 * Silver: An Aberdeen Anthology (2009) is a collection of poems old and new, edited by Alan Spence and Hazel Hutchison.
 * Architecture: look for Aberdeen: The Illustrated Architectural Guide by W. A. Brogden (4th edition, 2012) and The Granite Mile: The Story of Aberdeen's Union Street (2010) by Diane Morgan, among others.
 * Find them in Waterstone's bookstore (Union Street/Trinity Shopping Centre) or WH Smith (in St Nicholas Centre) "local interest" sections. Central Library on Rosemount Viaduct has a local section just inside the doorway.

By plane
There are direct international flights to Aberdeen from Amsterdam, Bergen, Burgas, Copenhagen, Dublin, Esbjerg, Gdansk, Geneva, Groningen, Haugesund, Paris CDG, Riga, Oslo, and Stavanger, plus seasonal flights to the Mediterranean.

There's a good range of UK flights, as Aberdeen is far to reach by rail. These include London Heathrow (with BA), London Gatwick and Luton (with easyJet), Belfast, Birmingham, Bristol, Cardiff, Durham, Humberside, Kirkwall on Orkney, Leeds, Manchester, Norwich, Newcastle, Southampton, Stornoway on Lewis, Sumburgh on Shetland, and Wick.

Aberdeen is also a hub for transfers to the weird sounding destinations of Apache, Hurricane, Ineos, and Nexen. These are the names of oil and gas rigs out in the North Sea, served by helicopter from here.

is at Dyce, 7 miles (11 km) northwest from the city centre. There are car rental desks here but their stock is limited, best book in advance.

Between airport and city centre, take the bus. The Jet 727 is a big blue Stagecoach bus, running every 10-30 min to the main bus station in Union Square, next to the railway station. It runs daily between 4AM and midnight, taking 30 min. In early 2019, a single ticket costs £3.40 and a return (good for 28 days) costs £5. Bus 747 / 757 runs south from the airport direct to Stonehaven and Montrose, and north to Ellon with some buses continuing to Peterhead.

Dyce has a railway station, but it's wrong side of the runway from the terminal, a 45-min walk with no public transport. You could take a taxi there: you'd only do this to pick up a northbound train without going into city centre. The Aberdeen to Inverness trains stop at Dyce, Inverurie, Insch, Huntly, Keith, Forres and Nairn.

A taxi to town will cost about £20.

By train

 * Wikivoyage has a guide to Rail travel in Great Britain.

Aberdeen has trains hourly from Edinburgh and Glasgow Queen Street, both taking 2 hr 30 min, via Dundee. From England it's usually quicker to change in Edinburgh, but there are a few direct daytime trains from London King's Cross (via Peterborough, York and Newcastle) taking 7 hours. Likewise from the Midlands, with two or three trains winding all the way from Penzance via Exeter, Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Trains also run from Inverness to Aberdeen every couple of hours, taking about 2 hours.

The Dundee-Aberdeen railway was closed for 12 weeks following a landslide and serious rail accident near Stonehaven on 12 Aug 2020, but it re-opened in November.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper runs Su-F from London Euston, departing around 9:30PM to arrive by 7:40AM. (Other portions run to Inverness and Fort William; they divide or join at Edinburgh.) The southbound train leaves around 9:30PM to reach Euston towards 8AM. No trains on Saturday night. New rolling stock was introduced on all the sleeper routes in 2019. Compartments have two berths and are sold like hotel rooms: you pay extra for single occupancy, and you won't be sharing with a stranger. Tickets can be booked at any UK mainline railway station or online: a single sleeper fare is around £200 for one or £250 for two people (as of June 2022). You can also just use the sitting saloon, single £75. If you have an existing ticket for a daytime train you need to buy a sleeper supplement. Pricing is dynamic: weekends cost more, if indeed there are berths available. Booking is open 12 months ahead: you need to print out your e-ticket to present on boarding.

is in the city centre on Guild Street, one block from Union Street, very close to the bus station and ferry terminal. There's a Travel Centre (M-F 6:30AM-9:30PM, Sa 6:30AM-7PM, Su 9AM-21

9:30PM), a left-luggage facility (M-Sa 7:30AM-9:30PM, Su 9AM-9PM), ticket machines, ATMs, a WH Smith store selling books, magazines and snacks, a café and toilets. Lots more convenience stores and quick eats in the adjoining Union Square retail complex.

By bus
Buses from London Victoria take about 13 hours; they pick up at intermediate points, for example, Manchester, but routes vary. Megabus has two direct buses per day and three with a change (two of them overnight). National Express has one daytime and one overnight direct bus, daily.

Buses from Edinburgh take 3 hours, all via Dundee, but bypassing Perth. Megabus G92 runs four times M-Sa, thrice on Sunday. Scottish Citylink also have some half-a-dozen buses, so it's an hourly service.

Buses from Glasgow likewise take 3 hours. Megabus G9 has six buses daily, mostly bypassing Perth and Dundee. Scottish Citylink run almost hourly and do serve Perth and Dundee.

From Inverness take Stagecoach Bus 10. On Saturday only this runs hourly direct to Aberdeen, taking four hours. Other days it only runs to Inverurie, to connect with Bus 37 to Aberdeen. There are 3 connecting services M-F and one on Sunday.

Stagecoach buses fan out from Aberdeen all across the county, see "Get in" details for individual towns. is on Guild St, Union Square, next to the railway station. So you can use all the facilities there, e.g. the left-luggage office.

By car


From 30 May 2024, the city centre will be a Low Emission Zone. There will be a £60 penalty charge for driving into the city centre in a non-compliant car or van. Cars built after 2015 generally are compliant, but check online. The zone covers an area of a few blocks around Union Street.

The main road to Aberdeen from the south is A90, running from Edinburgh via the new Queen's Crossing (replacing the Forth Road Bridge), across Fife to bypass Perth and Dundee, inland to Forfar then Stonehaven, then turn onto A92 for the last stretch into Aberdeen. It's dual carriageway as far as Dundee, variable thereafter, with lower speed limits and many speed cameras on the Dundee section. Reckon 3 hours from Edinburgh and 3 hr 30 min from Glasgow.

In Feb 2019 the A90 was re-routed away from Aberdeen, with the opening of the "Aberdeen Western Peripheral Road" to relieve the congested A92. Expect glitches in road signage and Satnav directions for a few months yet.

Another route from the south is to take A93 north from Perth over Glenshee to Braemar, Balmoral and the Dee valley. It's scenic in summer but often difficult in winter, when the Glenshee section may be closed by snow.

From the north-west, take A96 via the airport at Dyce. Reckon up to four hours from Inverness, as it's single-carriageway and serves commuter villages that are short on public transport, so traffic is heavy at rush hour.

By boat
Aberdeen Harbour is right in the city centre, just about the first thing you see on leaving the bus station. The ferry terminal is off Market Street, next to the Union St car park entrance.

NorthLink car ferries sail overnight, year-round, to Lerwick in the Shetland Islands. Three or four nights a week they depart at 5PM and also call at Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands on the way; the other nights they depart at 7PM and sail non-stop to Lerwick. (They never call at tiny midway Fair Isle, which is reached via Shetland.) For practicalities of using these ferries, see Shetland Islands and Kirkwall.

Cruise ships often call at the harbour in summer. Check operators' websites to see if a point-to-point journey to Aberdeen is feasible.

On foot
Walking is an excellent way to get around Aberdeen, particularly around central areas, as the city centre is relatively compact. Walking is also by far the best way to appreciate the grand architecture of the city. However, the city is not that small (e.g. Union Street is one mile long) so for journeys outside of the city centre, wheeled transport may be useful.

Aberdeen has a mediaeval layout like many cities in the UK, so for the first-time visitor, a map is helpful. There are quite a few of these on signs around the city centre, mainly in points of interest (e.g. the Castlegate). However, it is very useful to have a map of the city to carry with you. You can buy maps from the Tourist Information Centre on the corner of Union Street and Shiprow, or from city bookstores.

By bus
Most city buses are operated by First Aberdeen. Pay on entry by cash (no change given), contactless bank card or mTicket. In 2021 the single fare by cash is adult £1.70, child £1.25; a day ticket is adult £4.40, child £2.60. These don't include night buses, or the Park & Ride which is £3.60.

The mTicket (for day tickets or longer) doesn't save much, but avoids fumbling for the right change. You buy online or at Paypoint outlets, and display it on your phone.

Useful routes are Buses 1 and 2 from Robert Gordon University in the south, through Union Square transport hub, then north up King St to Bridge of Don, Old Aberdeen and the University of Aberdeen.

Stagecoach run the buses to other towns across Aberdeenshire, see "Get in" options for each town. These are sometimes better for edge-of-city transport.

By taxi
Taxis wait at the railway station, Back Wynd (off central Union Street), Chapel St (west end of Union St), Hadden Street (off Market Street) and at the airport. They're saloons or people-carriers of any colour, not London-style black cabs. Taxis and drivers must be registered with the City Council and carry an official registration plate, which is usually on the back.

The main taxi companies are Aberdeen Taxis +44 1224 200200 and Rainbow City +44 1224 878787. Uber does not operate here.

Fares are regulated: in Jan 2022 it's £2.40 for the first 950 yards then 20p for every 180.5 yards, so reckon £3.40 for the first mile and £2 per subsequent mile.

Good luck finding one when the pubs are closing: at night taxis won't pick up waifs and strays flagging them in the street. So either queue at a rank or phone, and be prepared for a long wait either way.

By bicycle
This is fraught in city centre traffic, where walking is first choice, but more helpful further out. Aberdeen City Council publishes a map of local cycle routes, which is also available in public libraries and at council offices. See below for the Deeside Way cycling and walking route to Banchory and Ballater.

Bike hire is available from Macdui or BeCycle.

There isn't a bike-share scheme. Bike lockers at the Park & Rides are for a year's hire, so they're designed for regular commuters not brief visitors.

See

 * Granite architecture is the defining feature of the city, though much is showing its age. See Read above for more on city architecture. Highlights are:
 * Union Street has a mile-long stretch: but look up, the street frontage in many places is modern. Town House (city hall) is a confident Victorian example. Each building has its own style and scale, it's not like, say, Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne with a unified style.
 * Marischal College on Broad Street has been nicely cleaned up. It was acclaimed by Betjeman as "tower on tower, forests of pinnacles, a group of palatial buildings rivalled only by the Houses of Parliament at Westminster".
 * Castlegate has the baronial Salvation Army Citadel.
 * Rosemount Viaduct has the elegant cluster of His Majesty's Theatre, St Mark's Church and the Central Library.


 * stretches for two miles from Footdee by the harbour and mouth of the Dee to Donmouth near Old Aberdeen. It's sandy and popular for surfing and windsurfing; you'll need a wet suit as the North Sea is cold (not that you'd guess from those iconic 1920s railway publicity posters). It's flanked by an Esplanade, good for walking or running. The south Footdee end has a funfair, ice rink, and leisure centre, plus city facilities such as restaurants and a cinema. The quieter north end is flanked by King Links golf course and ends at the Donmouth wildlife reserve.
 * (pronounced "Fitty") is a well-preserved fishing village laid out in 1809, in a pleasing unity of style. The name is a conflation of "St Fittick", "Foot of Dee" (ie the estuary) and "Fish Town".
 * is the headland south of the Dee estuary. Torry Battery guarding the harbour entrance was built in medieval times. In 1860 it was re-fortified against no-one in particular, and got to fire its guns just once, in 1941, against two friendly approaching vessels that failed to identify themselves. The Ness ends with the 1833 Stevenson Lighthouse, which has a range of 25 miles and was automated in 1991. Nigg Golf Club plays on the Ness, see below.
 * Duthie Park is a pleasant green space on the north bank of the Dee. Its highlight is the Winter Gardens.
 * Duthie Park is a pleasant green space on the north bank of the Dee. Its highlight is the Winter Gardens.

Old Aberdeen

 * is the most attractive part of the city, home to the University of Aberdeen's King's College Campus, but it's a misnomer. It was chartered as a burgh in 1489, later than the medieval city centre, but called "Aulton", the town by the pool, which morphed into "old town". Get here on Bus 1 or 2 from Union St or Bus 20 from Broad St. The core of it is along High Street.
 * Powis Gates are a pair of minaret-cum-chesspiece-cum-candlesticks, erected in 1834 as the entrance to a genteel estate, and now the gateway to university Halls of Residence.
 * King's College Chapel was consecrated in 1509: its Crown Tower is a symbol of the city and of the university. It has a well-preserved medieval interior.
 * Sir Duncan Rice Library is the striking modern building by St Machar Park west side of the campus. It's accessible to the public, with a ground floor gallery for exhibitions. Open M-F 8AM-10PM, Sa 9AM-10PM, Su 11AM-10PM.
 * Cruikshank Botanic Garden is east side of the museum and open daily 09:00-16:30.
 * is on The Chanonry, the northern continuation of High St. It's mostly from 1530, and was built larger but partly collapsed. It's Church of Scotland and a "High Kirk", not actually a cathedral, as the C of S doesn't have bishops.
 * Cathedral Walk north of St Machar's crosses the park to the student village in a loop of the river.
 * is on The Chanonry, the northern continuation of High St. It's mostly from 1530, and was built larger but partly collapsed. It's Church of Scotland and a "High Kirk", not actually a cathedral, as the C of S doesn't have bishops.
 * Cathedral Walk north of St Machar's crosses the park to the student village in a loop of the river.

Do

 * What's on? For local events listen to Northsound 1 on 96.9, 97.6 & 103 FM, Northsound 2 on 1035 AM, and Original 106 on 106.8 & 106.3 FM. Or read the Press & Journal, which also publishes Evening Express.
 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along an old railway trackbed. The first section is along the north bank of the Dee, starting from the Polmuir Rd entrance to Duthie Park. It heads pretty much straight through Peterculter, Coalford and Dalmaik to Drumoak near Drum Castle, 10.6 miles. See Banchory for the next section west.
 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along an old railway trackbed. The first section is along the north bank of the Dee, starting from the Polmuir Rd entrance to Duthie Park. It heads pretty much straight through Peterculter, Coalford and Dalmaik to Drumoak near Drum Castle, 10.6 miles. See Banchory for the next section west.
 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along an old railway trackbed. The first section is along the north bank of the Dee, starting from the Polmuir Rd entrance to Duthie Park. It heads pretty much straight through Peterculter, Coalford and Dalmaik to Drumoak near Drum Castle, 10.6 miles. See Banchory for the next section west.
 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along an old railway trackbed. The first section is along the north bank of the Dee, starting from the Polmuir Rd entrance to Duthie Park. It heads pretty much straight through Peterculter, Coalford and Dalmaik to Drumoak near Drum Castle, 10.6 miles. See Banchory for the next section west.
 * Deeside Way is a walking and cycling path from Aberdeen to Ballater along an old railway trackbed. The first section is along the north bank of the Dee, starting from the Polmuir Rd entrance to Duthie Park. It heads pretty much straight through Peterculter, Coalford and Dalmaik to Drumoak near Drum Castle, 10.6 miles. See Banchory for the next section west.

Events

 * Spectra is a long weekend of indoor and outdoor illumination artworks. The next is probably 7-10 Feb 2025, tbc.
 * Aberdeen Jazz Festival has live jazz at several city venues. It's held in March, with the next probably on 13-23 March 2025, tbc.
 * May Festival is organised by the University of Aberdeen and staged at various venues. It covers science, music, literature, film, Gaelic, sport, food and nutrition, and is suitable for all ages. It's in late May but unlikely to run in 2024.
 * Nuart Aberdeen in June is about street art in all its guises. Several dozen murals are commissioned each year, which are painted on walls around the city centre. The murals from previous years can still be seen on walls at any time - pick up a map locally. The next is 6-9 June 2024.
 * Light the Blue is art by people aged 5-25. It's next held 8-16 June 2024.
 * Aberdeen Highland Games are held in June in Hazelhead Park, with the next on Su 16 June 2024.
 * Offshore Europe is a big biennial conference and trade fair for the offshore oil and gas industries, although given the span of technologies involved, there might be something for you. It's held at P&J Live in Bucksburn in September in odd-numbered years, and its main relevance for travellers is that city accommodation is choc-a-bloc when it's on.

Sports

 * Football:
 * Cove Rangers are the city's other soccer team. They play in League One, the third tier. Their home ground is Balmoral Stadium (capacity 2600) in Cove Bay two miles south of city centre.
 * Rugby: Gordonians play in National League 2, Scotland's third tier for amateurs. They play at Countesswells Road, west edge of the town.
 * Cricket: Scotland sometimes play internationals at Mannofield Park, on Morningside Rd off A93 west towards Banchory.
 * Scottish Super 10 is a T10 tournament, with six men's and two women's franchise teams. The inaugural tournament is hosted by Aberdeen 16-31 Aug 2024.
 * Cricket: Scotland sometimes play internationals at Mannofield Park, on Morningside Rd off A93 west towards Banchory.
 * Scottish Super 10 is a T10 tournament, with six men's and two women's franchise teams. The inaugural tournament is hosted by Aberdeen 16-31 Aug 2024.
 * Scottish Super 10 is a T10 tournament, with six men's and two women's franchise teams. The inaugural tournament is hosted by Aberdeen 16-31 Aug 2024.

Performing arts

 * Aberdeen Performing Arts list events and act as Box Office for several city venues.


 * Breakneck Comedy Club is on King St 100 yards north of Mercat Cross.
 * Breakneck Comedy Club is on King St 100 yards north of Mercat Cross.
 * Breakneck Comedy Club is on King St 100 yards north of Mercat Cross.
 * Breakneck Comedy Club is on King St 100 yards north of Mercat Cross.
 * Breakneck Comedy Club is on King St 100 yards north of Mercat Cross.

Golf

 * Nigg Bay GC is in Walker Park south of the Dee estuary.
 * Kings Links is on the coast a mile north of the centre.
 * Auchenmill GC is on A96 towards the airport.
 * Hazelhead GC is off B9119 west edge of the city.
 * Auchenmill GC is on A96 towards the airport.
 * Hazelhead GC is off B9119 west edge of the city.

Fitness

 * For casual running, try the Esplanade along the beach, or Duthie Park (entrances on Polmuir Road and Riverside Drive), or Hazlehead Park in the western part of the city.
 * Other private gyms in the city are DW Fitness, David Lloyd, and Bannatyne's.
 * Council-run services (Sport Aberdeen include leisure centres, swimming pools and an ice-skating arena. One of the most popular is
 * Council-run services (Sport Aberdeen include leisure centres, swimming pools and an ice-skating arena. One of the most popular is
 * Council-run services (Sport Aberdeen include leisure centres, swimming pools and an ice-skating arena. One of the most popular is
 * Council-run services (Sport Aberdeen include leisure centres, swimming pools and an ice-skating arena. One of the most popular is

Buy


Union Street is the traditional shopping strip, but like High streets across Britain it's become hollowed out. The big stores have moved into the malls, while the independents have moved back a block or so, or folded.

Malls in city centre are Bon Accord Centre (entrances on Upperkirkgate and George Street), St Nicholas Centre (entrances on Upperkirkgate and St Nicholas Square), Trinity Centre (entrances on Union Street and Guild Street), The Academy (entrance on Schoolhill) and Union Square on Guild Street.

Independents: look for them on Rosemount Viaduct, Holburn Street, Rose Street, Chapel Street, Belmont Street, Upperkirkgate and The Green, with Rosemount Place further north.

Money: the major banks are found on Union St and Union Square, with half-a-dozen ATMs. Bank hours are typically M-F 9:30AM-4:30PM, with some open Saturday morning.

Markets: Castlegate has a general outdoor market Friday mornings. The Farmers Market is on Belmont St last Saturday of the month 9AM-5PM.

Supermarkets

 * Co-op Food at 204 Union Street is a small supermarket open daily 6AM-11PM. They have five others further out.
 * Marks & Spencer are in Union Square (M-Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 9AM-6PM), and St Nicholas Square (M-Sa 8:30AM-7PM, Su 9AM-6PM) with another by the Royal Infirmary.
 * Morrisons at 215 King Street are open M-Sa 7AM-11PM; Su 8AM-10PM.
 * Asda is in the Beach Retail Park behind the funfair, open daily 8AM-8PM. Their store at Garthdee Road by the Bridge of Dee roundabout is open till midnight.
 * Sainsbury's Local and Tesco Express are mini-supermarkets or convenience stores in city centre.

Eat

 * The Aberdeen buttery or rowie is a cross between a pancake and a croissant. They have a flaky yet heavy texture and are very salty. They're served plain or with butter or jam to make a tea-time or mid-afternoon snack. They're seldom found in cafes or restaurants, you buy them in bakeries or supermarkets to eat at home or on the go.

Budget

 * Union Square upstairs has the usual chains including Ask, Yo! Sushi, Wagamama, Nando's and TGI Fridays.

Mid-range

 * Saigon and Namaste Delhi are in the same block as Nazma.
 * Saigon and Namaste Delhi are in the same block as Nazma.
 * Saigon and Namaste Delhi are in the same block as Nazma.
 * Saigon and Namaste Delhi are in the same block as Nazma.
 * Saigon and Namaste Delhi are in the same block as Nazma.
 * Saigon and Namaste Delhi are in the same block as Nazma.

Drink

 * Oh, Samson was a mighty man, he fad on fish 'n chips
 * and walkit doon the Gallowgate, picking up the nips
 * - most Bible scholars place this episode in Glasgow, but it could be anywhere with a low opinion of Edinburgh

As elsewhere, smoking is illegal indoors in pubs. It may be permitted outdoors in the beer garden.

Belmont Street is the drinking strip north side of Union St, near the bus and railway stations. Watch out for drunken belligerent fellows like Samson, staggering towards his last bus for Gaza after a drouthy evening getting eyeless.
 * Siberia Vodka Bar at 9 Belmont Street has rooms, see Sleep.
 * Revolución de Cuba is a separate tapas place across the street in Academy Shopping Centre.
 * Revolución de Cuba is a separate tapas place across the street in Academy Shopping Centre.
 * Revolución de Cuba is a separate tapas place across the street in Academy Shopping Centre.
 * Revolución de Cuba is a separate tapas place across the street in Academy Shopping Centre.
 * Revolución de Cuba is a separate tapas place across the street in Academy Shopping Centre.

Old city centre is a little further east, where Union St meets Castle St. Two blocks south are The Quays. West where Union St gets over the 200 numbers has another strip, along with Langstane Place a block south.

Distilleries: The big-name whisky distilleries are some miles northwest towards the Grampians and Spey Valley.
 * City of Aberdeen Distillery makes gin and offers tours. It's on Palmerston Rd (east side of railway) one block south of Union Square.
 * House of Elrick distils gin in Newmachar north of the airport.

Mid-range

 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.
 * Atholl Hotel on Kings Gate is a Victorian Gothic affair a mile west of Union Square.

Airport

 * Travelodge is at the junction of A96 and A947 south of the airport. They also have two in city centre.
 * Travelodge is at the junction of A96 and A947 south of the airport. They also have two in city centre.
 * Travelodge is at the junction of A96 and A947 south of the airport. They also have two in city centre.

Stay safe
Aberdeen is broadly safe, but you need to use your street sense. There is the usual motley crowd of drunks, beggars, rough sleepers and sex workers. Aggressive drunks are the main hassle, especially at weekends: the centre is heavily policed but trouble can flare in a moment. Some drunks are capable of assaulting lampposts that they reckon have looked at them amiss, so English football colours are a red rag to a bull. Above all don't be drunk or drugged yourself.

Areas to avoid, especially after dark, are Tillydrone (north of Bedford Road and east of St Machar Drive) and Torry (the south bank of River Dee).

Connect
As of Oct 2021, city centre has 5G from all UK carriers. This doesn't extend very far out but all the burbs and the airport have 4G. Wifi is widely available in public places.



Post offices
The main city post office is at the west end of Union Street close to the junction with Holburn Street. There's another in the basement of WH Smith in the St Nicholas Centre. There is a smaller post office in the back of RS McColl on the Castlegate. Post offices are usually open M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-12:30PM.

Golden post boxes honour local winners of gold medals at the 2012 London Olympics: on Castlegate for rower Katherine Grainger, on Golden Square for Paralympic cyclist Neil Fachie, and in the nearby town of Westhill for canoeist Tim Baillie.

Places of worship
There are some 140 active churches in Aberdeen, two mosques, one synagogue and one Buddhist temple.

The three cathedrals are St Machar's in Old Aberdeen (Presbyterian, so ecclesiastically it's not a cathedral), St Mary's on Huntly Street (Roman Catholic) and St Andrew's on King Street (Episcopalian).

Go next
See Aberdeenshire for the full range of castles, scenery, whisky distilleries, golf resorts, and what you will. Some within a day trip are:


 * Stonehaven, a picturesque fishing port 15 miles south, with Dunottar Castle.
 * Banchory for Crathes Castle and Ballater for Balmoral.
 * Cairngorms National Park starts 30 miles west of the city, and its Aberdeenshire side lends itself to day-trips, whereas the Spey Valley side needs a longer stay, e.g. in Aviemore.