Dundee

Dundee is an industrial city and port, historically part of Angus county in North East Scotland. It stands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which here broadens out into the North Sea, and in 2021 had a population of 148,000. Dundee's prime visitor attractions are the polar sailing ship RRS Discovery, the Verdant Works jute mill, and the V&A design museum. It's also a good base for nearby major golf tournaments, and for exploring Deeside and the Eastern Highlands.

Understand
Dundee used to be a grubby, rough industrial town famous for its three J's: jute, jam and journalism. Jute (see "Verdant" below) still marks the landscape: the mills have closed but many still stand as offices and apartments. Jam was made from fruit grown nearby. Journalism refers to the D C Thomson publishing empire, whose renown was less for their journalism than for their stable of comics and cartoon strips. These include the Sunday Post with "Oor Wullie" and "The Broons", the Dandy with "Desperate Dan" and the Beano with "Dennis the Menace". Of course that wasn't all the city had to offer: delicacies such as Dundee Cake, studded with sultanas and almonds, was probably what your Great Aunt Morag enjoyed for Sunday tea along with some Dundee Marmalade to top it off (if you're Scottish). And then there was the bridge that famously and tragically fell down. And Dundee's great cultural icon was William McGonagall (see info box), surely the world's worst poet.

But the industrial grubbiness is gradually disappearing, enabling the city to shine in its attractive natural setting. There are major visitor attractions already and more appearing. There's a student buzz from the universities, and a friendly feel to the place. It's definitely worth a day or two to visit.

Dundee has its own dialect: the vocabulary is much the same as Lowland Scots (see Scotland) but pronunciation is distinctive. "T" is often dropped in a glottal stop, but the signature sound is the short "eh" (phonetic: ɛ) replacing ay, ae, e, i, ie, uy, y and more. So a pie is a "peh"; "eh" can mean I, yes, what? or hmmm... Dundonians can conduct entire conversations by just saying "eh".

Visitor information

 * Dundee Visitor Information
 * Dundee City Council

By plane
Edinburgh Airport is usually the most convenient. From there, take Xplore Dundee's Edinburgh Airport Xpress Service from directly outside the terminal all the way non-stop to just across from the train station in Dundee. Alternatively, take Stagecoach Bus Jet 747 to Inverkeithing in Fife to catch the hourly train to Dundee, or to Halbeath for the hourly Stagecoach Bus X54. Otherwise take the tram or bus from the airport to Edinburgh Haymarket, or Gateway for trains or buses to Dundee.

is 2 miles west of city centre on A85 - with light baggage you could walk it in 30 min. You can fly to Dundee from London City (LCY) or Belfast City (BHD) with Loganair year-round. You can fly from London twice daily Monday to Friday, and there is one service on a Sunday, flights take around 1 hr 45 min. The Belfast flights operate once per weekday and Sunday lunchtime with flights taking just over one hour. These air routes are flown using ATR-42 turboprop aircraft, with 48 seats.

By train
Dundee has Scotrail trains hourly or better from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, all taking 80 min. Three direct daytime LNER trains run from London King's Cross (6 hr) via York and Newcastle, but it's usually more convenient to change in Edinburgh. From the Midlands and Southwest, take the CrossCountry train, winding all the way from Penzance via Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield and York.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper to Aberdeen runs Su-F from London Euston, departing after 9PM and ejecting you onto a chilly Dundee platform at 6AM. The southbound train picks up around 11PM to reach Euston towards 8AM. You might prefer to take the Lowland Sleeper from Euston towards midnight and change to a day train in Edinburgh. Going back, you need to leave Dundee around 10PM to join the southbound sleeper at 11:30PM from Edinburgh.

There's also a station halt at the west edge of town at Invergowrie, which might be more convenient for Ninewells Hospital area.

Four miles east of town is the seaside town of Broughty Ferry, with an hourly train (towards Arbroath) taking 7 min.

The slow trains to Arbroath also stop at Monifieth and Carnoustie.

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 within the A991 Inner Ring Road.

From Edinburgh and the south follow M90 / A90 north, about 55 miles (90 km) or just over an hour's drive. A slow scenic route is to branch off onto A92 towards Kirkcaldy then wind along the Fife coast and through St Andrews.

From Glasgow follow M80 then M9 / A9 to Perth, and then swing east onto A90. It's 75 miles (120 km), about a 90-min drive.

From Aberdeen follow A90 south: it's 67 miles (105 km) and will take about 80 min.

A90 skirts the north of Dundee, where it's called Kingsway. The speed limit of 40/50 mph is vigilantly enforced.

By bus
Scottish Citylink buses run hourly from Glasgow Buchanan station (1 hr 40 min) and Aberdeen Union Square (1 hr 20 min), and every two hours from Edinburgh St Andrews Square (90 min): beware slower buses that meander through the small towns. Megabus competes on those city routes, and also runs direct from Manchester (6 hr). National Express coaches take 11-12 hr from London Victoria and continue to Aberdeen.

Ember Electric Bus glides quietly from Edinburgh every 90 min daytime, plus two night buses, for a single fare in 2022 of £7.50. It takes 1 hr 45 min via Haymarket, the zoo, Ingliston P&R (for trams), Edinburgh Airport, Rosyth P&R, Kinross P&R, Bridge of Earn and Perth Broxden P&R.

Ember buses also run from Glasgow Buchanan Station every two hours daytime, with two night runs, single fare £8.50. They take two hours via Cumbernauld, Stirling Castleview P&R, Dunblane and Perth Broxden P&R.

is on Seagate. There are no left-luggage facilities, but lots of cafes & fast-food nearby.

Get around
The main sights are all within walking distance. The local bus you're most likely to use is Stagecoach Bus 73, which runs every 10 min between Ninewells Hospital, Dundee High Street and bus station, Broughty Ferry, Monifieth, Carnoustie and Arbroath.

Cycle Hub for bike rentals is by the V&A, 100 yards from the railway station.

By taxi you'll pay about £6 for a journey within the city centre and £15 to Broughty Ferry.

See

 * The Beach is a little triangle of fine sand on the promenade between V&A and the Cycle Hub, with plenty of seating. The nearest natural beach is at Broughty Ferry.
 * The Beach is a little triangle of fine sand on the promenade between V&A and the Cycle Hub, with plenty of seating. The nearest natural beach is at Broughty Ferry.
 * The Beach is a little triangle of fine sand on the promenade between V&A and the Cycle Hub, with plenty of seating. The nearest natural beach is at Broughty Ferry.
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * Tay Bridges:  There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
 * is the small town 4 miles east of Dundee which was the historic crossing point over the Tay. It has a small castle built in 1496 now housing a local history museum (Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 12:30-4PM, admission free).
 * Broughty Ferry to the east merges into Monifieth where many Pictish stones have been found, which are in the National Museum in Edinburgh. You'll need a car or bike to reach Ardestie and Carlungie Earth Houses, two Iron Age souterrains off A92. They're free to enter Apr-Oct.
 * Tealing Earth House is a Pictish souterrain from 100 AD. Next to it is a 16th century dovecot, and the village has a 17th century church. Tealing is on A90 six miles north of the city.

Do

 * Duck Slattery's Showbar: Dundee’s biggest party venue! Which includes a night of non stop singing and dancing on benches, massaoke, disco bingo and more! With live music and dancing it's not one to miss!
 * Club Tropicana & Venga Dundee: This nightclub is one of Scotland's biggest clubbing venues with 2 levels, 4 rooms and 6 bars! Offering a variety of packages for Hen Do’s, Stag Do’s and Birthdays as well as Work Night’s Out this 1980s and 1990s club has all the throwback floor-filler classics and hits to keep you dancing till 3AM!
 * Aura Dundee: Aura Nightclub is Dundee’s largest nightclub with an amazing sound system, resident DJ, VIP area, student nights and online booking available!
 * Walk up, a 572-ft extinct volcano, for views over the city and Tay.
 * Places of worship: Dundee has over 30 churches, 3 mosques, a Sikh temple and a Buddhist group. See section above for the two cathedrals.
 * Duck Slattery's Showbar: Dundee’s biggest party venue! Which includes a night of non stop singing and dancing on benches, massaoke, disco bingo and more! With live music and dancing it's not one to miss!
 * Club Tropicana & Venga Dundee: This nightclub is one of Scotland's biggest clubbing venues with 2 levels, 4 rooms and 6 bars! Offering a variety of packages for Hen Do’s, Stag Do’s and Birthdays as well as Work Night’s Out this 1980s and 1990s club has all the throwback floor-filler classics and hits to keep you dancing till 3AM!
 * Aura Dundee: Aura Nightclub is Dundee’s largest nightclub with an amazing sound system, resident DJ, VIP area, student nights and online booking available!
 * Walk up, a 572-ft extinct volcano, for views over the city and Tay.
 * Places of worship: Dundee has over 30 churches, 3 mosques, a Sikh temple and a Buddhist group. See section above for the two cathedrals.
 * Places of worship: Dundee has over 30 churches, 3 mosques, a Sikh temple and a Buddhist group. See section above for the two cathedrals.

Football
The city has two professional soccer teams, with stadiums almost adjacent:

Golf

 * See St Andrews for the Royal & Ancient: best known is the Old Course, but they run half a dozen others, and there are several more clubs and courses that are not part of R&A.
 * See Perth and Kinross for Gleneagles.
 * is north edge of Dundee. There are also clubs at Downfield to the northwest, and Ballumbie Castle north.
 * is north edge of Dundee. There are also clubs at Downfield to the northwest, and Ballumbie Castle north.

Other

 * Rugby: Dundee HSFP play rugby union in National League One, the amateur second tier in Scotland. Their home ground is Mayfield, on Arbroath Rd a mile east of town centre.
 * Skiing: see Braemar for Glenshee, an hour's drive north on A93. See also Aviemore.

Events

 * Fingask Follies are a cabaret in April / May based at Fingask Castle 10 miles west of Dundee, see Perth (Scotland) for dates.
 * Westfest is a music festival and community fair held on Magdalen Green. The next is probably Su 2 June 2024, tbc.
 * Solas is a midsummer music festival at Errol Park 8 miles west of the city in June.
 * Dundee Food Festival on 6 and 7 July 2024 in various city centre locations. This event is a partially replacement for Dundee Flower and Food Festival which didn't happen in 2023.
 * Festival of the Future is about collaboration between science, arts and culture in October in the Botanic Gardens.

Learn

 * Dundee University
 * University Of Abertay
 * Dundee & Angus College

Work

 * The City Jobcentre is in the Wellgate Centre, open M Tu Th F 8:30AM-5PM, W 10AM-5PM.
 * Adecco is a recruitment agency on Commercial St, open M-F 8AM-5:30PM. You can search their job offers online.

Buy
The Overgate and the Wellgate are Dundee's two main shopping malls which sit at either end of the city centre. Each has various national and international brands such as H&M, Gap, Superdry and Next in the Overgate, and New Look in the Wellgate.
 * In addition to this, there are substantial branches of High street stores along the Murraygate and city centre area.
 * Dundee also has the usual large-scale out of town retail parks that are common in Scotland's bigger towns and cities.
 * Farmers Market is in City Square, 10:00-16:00 on the third Saturday of each month.
 * Dundee also has the usual large-scale out of town retail parks that are common in Scotland's bigger towns and cities.
 * Farmers Market is in City Square, 10:00-16:00 on the third Saturday of each month.

Eat
There is a flourishing café culture in Dundee city centre. Lots of fast-food, takeaways, cafés and restaurants.

For self-catering, there are lots of supermarkets. Tesco predominates, with four branches: in the city centre, one next to the railway station (24 hr), one in South Road near Sterling Mills and another on Kingsway. ASDA have a big store on East Kingsway (24 hr) and a smaller one on Gilburn Road. Morrisons are on the Forfar Road, north of A90 Kingsway.

Drink
Pubs are dwindling, as in other cities, but there's no shortage. The main concentration is along Hawkhill, Perth Road or West End of the city, with another strip along Nethergate. The student unions of Dundee and Abertay Universities are great for a cheap night out. The following were all in business in early 2020, and see also "Eat" listings.

City centre pubs:
 * Tickety Boo's, Seagate at Commercial Street.
 * Klozet, Seagate is the main gay bar.
 * Trades House Bar, Union Street.
 * The Old Bank Bar, Union Street.
 * The Westport Bar, North Lindsay Street.

Pubs along Hawkhill, Perth Road, and West End:
 * The Nether Inn, Nethergate. Cheap Student 'Scream' pub.
 * Phoenix, Nethergate at Perth Road. Traditional pub
 * Jute Cafe Bar, Perth Road. Trendy bar attached to Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre
 * Braes, Perth Road. Modern bar, middle-aged clientele at weekends.
 * Speedwell Bar, Perth Road. Locally renowned traditional pub

Nightclubs are all in the city centre:


 * Fat Sams, South Ward Road
 * Underground, South Tay Street.

Local breweries include 71 Brewing and St Andrews Brewing Co. There's a gin distillery at Verdant Spirits.

Sleep
Central choices include: There's a string of hotels along the A90 at the edge of the city, including:
 * Sleeperz is right above the railway station, B&B double £60.
 * Student accommodation is mostly empty in summer. Try contacting the local Universities (via websites under "Learn") to see if they have anything to offer. Other flats and apartments may also be available: Dundee empties out in summer unless there's a major golf tournament nearby.
 * Taypark House is a Victorian Gothic mansion a couple of miles west of town centre.
 * Student accommodation is mostly empty in summer. Try contacting the local Universities (via websites under "Learn") to see if they have anything to offer. Other flats and apartments may also be available: Dundee empties out in summer unless there's a major golf tournament nearby.
 * Taypark House is a Victorian Gothic mansion a couple of miles west of town centre.
 * Student accommodation is mostly empty in summer. Try contacting the local Universities (via websites under "Learn") to see if they have anything to offer. Other flats and apartments may also be available: Dundee empties out in summer unless there's a major golf tournament nearby.
 * Taypark House is a Victorian Gothic mansion a couple of miles west of town centre.
 * Student accommodation is mostly empty in summer. Try contacting the local Universities (via websites under "Learn") to see if they have anything to offer. Other flats and apartments may also be available: Dundee empties out in summer unless there's a major golf tournament nearby.
 * Taypark House is a Victorian Gothic mansion a couple of miles west of town centre.
 * Student accommodation is mostly empty in summer. Try contacting the local Universities (via websites under "Learn") to see if they have anything to offer. Other flats and apartments may also be available: Dundee empties out in summer unless there's a major golf tournament nearby.
 * Taypark House is a Victorian Gothic mansion a couple of miles west of town centre.

Further out in the countryside:

Connect
As of Aug 2021, Dundee and its surrounds have 4G from all UK carriers, and city centre has 5G from Vodafone.

Stay safe
The local police is Police Scotland and the main office is in the town centre at the end of West Bell St beside Dundee's Sheriff Court. In the UK, '999' is the number to call the emergency services, and 101 for less urgent calls to the police. The pan-European emergency number 112 also works.

Dundee has an extensive CCTV system, covering most of the city and the entire city centre. This is owned by Dundee City Council and run by Tayside Police and has helped reduce crime significantly.

Dundee, like any other major city, has its anti-social problems, mainly drugs. The area round the rear of the Wellgate centre (Hilltown) and Stobswell have a bad reputation and care should be exercised on The Law at night. Overall the city has a good reputation.

Dundee has a dual carriageway going through it, the Kingsway, which almost splits the city in half. Be aware of speeding cars, as in any other busy city, as accidents are common.

Go next

 * South across the Tay is St Andrews, an ancient university town by the sea. It's the home of the Royal and Ancient, the ruling body of golf, and is the former ecclesiastical capital of Scotland. Frequent buses take 30 min. With your own car, continue south to the charming fishing villages of East Fife, such as Anstruther, and to Falkland Palace.
 * A short bus or train ride brings you to Perth  and Stirling.
 * Visit the nearby glens: Glenshee, Glenisla and the Tay Valley. North on A9 through Dunkeld and Blair Atholl leads to Aviemore, the Spey Valley and Inverness.
 * North along the coast is Aberdeen and Deeside, and eventually Inverness. So the coast route and the Tay Valley route together make a natural circuit of the east and central Highlands.