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For other places with the same name, see Aberdeen (disambiguation) 1 . Aberdeen 1 is the third-largest city in Scotland 2 , United Kingdom 3 , with a population of over 220,000. It is a harbour city located on Scotland’s north-east coast, approximately 120 miles (190km) north of Edinburgh and 400 miles (650km) 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, as well as its long, sandy beach. Aberdeen also 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 4 or St Andrews 5 , 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 6 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 edit Aberdeen is a city of 220,000 people – smaller than Glasgow 7 and Edinburgh 8 , but larger than other Scottish cities.
By UK and even Scottish standards it is remote and often the subject of “far away” jokes (the nearest city is much smaller Dundee 9 70 miles south). Despite this, Aberdeen is surprisingly easy to reach and is a modern and prosperous city.
British visitors are often surprised to find a such a vibrant city so far north. Partly due to oil wealth and its status as the only large regional centre, it has the facilities of a much larger city.
Together, all this gives Aberdeen an air of self-sufficiency found in few places in Britain today.
Aberdeen is one of the most prosperous places in Scotland, due primarily to the North Sea oil industry, and has low unemployment (just over 2% in February 2012), leading to a low crime rate compared to other UK cities. Immigration due to the oil industry and the universities gives the city a cosmopolitan air that often surprises visitors, and when out and about in the city languages are heard from all over the world. Orientation edit Aberdeen has a seemingly-random mediaeval layout common for cities in Britain.
The city-centre is divided by the mile-long Union Street which runs north-east/south-west (named after the 1800 “union” between Great Britain and Ireland).
At the north-east end is the main square – the Castlegate – while leading off Union Street are important roads such as (east to west) Broad Street, Shiprow, Market Street, St. Nicholas Square, and Union Terrace.
The Tourist Information Centre is located on Union Street, at the corner with the Shiprow. Running parallel to Union Street are Guild Street (where the railway and bus stations are located) and Upperkirkgate, which leads into Schoolhill.
East of the Castlegate, roads lead to the beach and the sea, while at the other end of Union Street, roads lead to the West End (where many millionnaires live).
Unusually, the harbour is in the city centre and is rapidly reached from the Shiprow, Market Street, Guild Street and Marischal Street. The River Dee does not flow through the city centre but a little to the south. The River Don flows through the north of the city, about two miles (3.2km) north of the city centre.
Background edit While the location has been inhabited for over 8000 years, a city did not develop until the middle-ages.
The modern city was formed by two settlements which grew together – Old Aberdeen close to the mouth of the River Don (home to the University since 1495), and New Aberdeen, about two miles south where a stream, the Denburn, met the River Dee (the Denburn is long built-over by a road and railway but its route is crossed by bridge on Union Street). Much of the city’s prosperity came from the sea and its harbour – until the mid-20th century fishing and mercantile trading were mainstays of the economy, along with granite quarrying and carving, local agriculture and manufacturing (e.g.
paper and cloth). Then, these industries declined while Aberdeen’s location made it perfect as the main base for North Sea oil.
Today, most people work for one of the many oil-related companies or know someone who does, and these jobs are well-paid.
Many work offshore on the North Sea platforms and commute for shifts of two weeks or so by helicopter , which are conspicuous in the city’s skies. However, a section of the population did not benefit from North Sea oil and still experiences poverty and deprivation. Aberdeen also has one of the oldest universities in Europe (founded 1495) and its two universities today have a total of 30,000 students.
During the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, growing prosperity led to grand civil engineering projects, including Union Street (much of which is actually bridge) and the construction of many large and ornate buildings.
Grand architecture is one of the city’s distinctive features, particularly Neoclassical, Gothic Revival and Scottish Baronial styles. The mediaeval buildings had been made of wood, and following several disastrous fires, the city’s leaders resolved to rebuild only in stone.
The local stone they had, quarried in the city and throughout Aberdeenshire, was granite . Nearly all pre-1960s buildings are made of this and sparkle in the sun, giving the city’s other name, “The Granite City” .
As technology improved, granite could be worked more cheaply, allowing later buildings to have ever more ornately-carved stonework such as at Marischal College (pronounced like “Marshall”).
Granite began to be exported by sea, particularly to London 10 where many buildings are constructed of Aberdeen or Aberdeenshire granite (e.g. the fountains at Trafalgar Square). However, highly-carved granite was still expensive and demonstrated the owner’s success and status, with side and rear walls left in cheaper, unworked stone as in Bath 11 .
Many of these buildings (particularly in the city centre) are now in need of restoration and have an air of faded grandeur.
Buildings are no longer constructed in granite but it is still used extensively as a facing material and granite chippings are heavily used in the concrete of modern buildings (which makes Aberdeen concrete also sparkle in the sunlight). After the discovery of North Sea oil in the 1960s, the city grew from an elegant but declining backwater dependent on fishing, to a thriving centre of the energy industry.
Today, in addition to the growing population, large numbers commute to Aberdeen from exurbs and outlying towns, with heavy traffic at rush hour. Despite this, some areas of the city retain the feel of a village.
Perhaps the best examples of this are the line of suburbs stretching towards Royal Deeside, including Cults and Peterculter.
Read edit Lewis Grassic Gibbon’s trio of novels tell the story of a young woman, Chris Guthrie, growing up and living in the north-east of Scotland. The first, Sunset Song (1932) tells her story of growing up in a rural area just south of Aberdeen, at a time of change in society and the rural way of life. Sunset Song is regarded as one of the most important Scottish novels of the 20th century and many Aberdonians have studied it in school.
The other works of the trilogy are Cloud Howe (1933) and Grey Granite (1934), which feature her life continuing in a north-east city that may or may not be Aberdeen.
Numerous crime novels by Scottish author Stuart MacBride are set in Aberdeen. His best-selling thrillers featuring Detective Sergeant Logan McRae portray a fictional darker side of the city and its environs, but make frequent reference to real-life city locations.
These include Cold Granite (2005), Dying Light (2006), Blind Eye (2009) and Shatter the Bones (2011). These novels often feature prominently in bookstore displays in the city.
Climate edit Climate Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Daily highs ( C) 12 6 7 9 11 13 16 18 18 16 12 9 7 Nightly lows ( C) 13 0 0 2 3 5 8 10 10 8 6 2 1 Precipitation (mm) 14 75 54 61 59 55 56 59 62 73 84 84 79 See the 5 day forecast for Aberdeen at BBC Weather 15 Despite the northerly latitude (the same as Riga 16 , Gothenburg 17 , Juneau 18 , Alaska and slightly further than Moscow 19 ), because of its coastal location Aberdeen’s climate is relatively mild although a few degrees colder than much of the rest of Britain.
Contrary to expectations, sunny days are frequent and it does not rain often but when it does it tends to be heavy. Aberdeen weather is highly changeable , with a sunny day possibly changing rapidly to cloudy or even rain (and vice versa). At other times, weather may remain constant for days and the changes are often unpredictable so dress in layers .
It gets surprisingly warm in the sun (especially if the wind is light) so be prepared to remove layers as well.
An umbrella isn’t usually helpful because rain is often accompanied by strong winds which will turn your umbrella into an impromptu sail or else just turn it inside-out. All year round, a sea mist called the Haar not infrequently appears during the evening or night but usually dissipates in the morning.
Air pollution is low compared to the rest of the UK. In summer, days are long: at midsummer (21st June) dawn is around 3am and dusk around 11pm, while nautical twilight lasts the entire night.
There are many sunny days and while often warm, the temperature rarely exceeds 25C (77F).
There are also cooler summer days. These sunny yet cool days increase in Spring and Autumn. Conversely, winter days are short with sunrise in late-December not till after 8.30am and sunset around 3.30pm.
Days are equally often sunny and cloudy, but strong, biting winds off the North Sea are common and it can feel bitterly cold even in the sun.
Snow is not frequent and there is lying snow only a couple of weeks in most years, but if you’ll be in Aberdeen for any significant time in winter, take your snow boots or be prepared to buy some. When to go edit The best time is during the summer months.
Days are long (reaching 18 hours at the summer solstice) and most days are warm and sunny. The granite sparkles in the sun and is at its most impressive against the (surprisingly frequent) blue skies which last late into the evening.
Most of the festivals occur in summer and it’s also the best time to visit attractions in the surrounding region.
Alternatively, late spring and early autumn are also good times to visit. Autumn in Aberdeen can be pretty, particularly in the many parks and green spaces, but be prepared for cooler weather and possibly chilly winds. In odd-numbered years (e.g.
2013) avoid early September, when the giant Offshore Europe oil convention takes place and every hotel room in the region is booked up months in advance, with hotels charging extortionate rates.
Unless you’re interested in skiing or snowboarding in the mountains, winter months are best avoided. These tend to be dark, cold and windy, while the grey granite can appear depressing on the many overcast days and there is less happening of interest to visitors.
Scottish English is the everyday language. Unlike the highlands and islands, Scottish Gaelic (pronounced “gallic” not “gae-lic”) is not widely spoken and is rarely heard.
You will also hear other languages spoken on the street by many Aberdonians who have come from other places, with Polish, Russian, Mandarin and numerous other European languages heard often.
However, the local dialect is called Doric , now spoken primarily by middle-aged and older people and those from lower social classes. Doric can be more confusing at first than other Scottish dialects. This includes for native English speakers – while Scots accents are frequently heard on TV and radio around the UK and other places, Aberdeen accents are not.
With time you quickly pick up what people mean, which is often clear from the context anyway.
In fact, most people speak in in a standard Scots accent similar to that elsewhere which is easy for most visitors to understand. However, you are likely to hear Doric spoken by some while out and about, particularly if you travel by taxi or bus.
Few young people speak it today, or may speak it only with close family or other Aberdonians and switch to standard Scots English when around others. Here are a few commonly used words and phrases: “Fit like?” – A greeting, essentially, “Hello, how are you?”. “Nae bad, yersel?” – “Not bad, yourself?”. “Fit?” – “What?”. “Fa?” – “Who?”. “Far?” – “Where?”. “Fan?” – “When?”. “Aye” – “Yes” (as used throughout Scotland). “Na'” – “No” (usually, an n sound followed by a vowel constitutes “no”. “Wee” – “Little”, though this famous Doric word has become common throughout Scotland and in other areas worldwide. “Dinnae ken/Da ken” – “Don’t know”. “Hay min” – “Excuse me good sir?” “far aboot ye fae?” where are you from? “ben a/eh hoose” – “Through the house/in the other room” “gie” – “give” “tea” – can be used to mean an evening meal, i.e.
supper, as well as the beverage.
If you politely suggest you don’t understand, almost all Doric speakers will be able to switch to more standard English to converse with you, particularly if you are from outside the UK. Although Aberdeen is remote by UK standards, do not be put off as with modern air and rail transport links it is remarkably easy and fast to get to. Journeys by bus or car to the city can be long so many travellers coming from outside Scotland arrive by plane (a flight of an hour or so from London) or by train.
By plane edit Aberdeen International Airport ( IATA 20 : ABZ ) 2 is at Dyce, 7 miles (11km) from the city centre.
Airlines fly to/from European cities as well as UK destinations. It is operated by BAA (the same company which runs London Heathrow, Stansted and Glasgow Airports) but operations are smoother than at Heathrow.
Many Aberdonians rely heavily on the airport when travelling outside Scotland and it is also one of the world’s largest heliports, serving the offshore rigs in the North Sea. Helicopters are everywhere at the airport (and in the skies over Aberdeen) and can be seen from the terminal building windows.
Getting to/from the Airport edit To travel between the airport and city centre, the bus is the quickest and most convenient option.
The 727 bus route (branded “JET”) operates distinctive blue buses which run every 20 minutes on weekdays during the day and every 30 minutes at evenings and weekends. These buses arrive and depart from the bus station at Union Square on Guild Street and also call at Broad Street. In march 2013, a single ticket costs 2.70, a day return 3.40 and a period return (good for 28 days) costs 4.00.
Dyce has a railway station but it is the wrong side of the runway from the terminal and inconvenient to get between station and airport terminal, although there is a bus link.
Unless you are going to another destination on the railway line, the 727 bus is the best choice. Info and timetables are available at the bus company’s website: 3 Getting to/from the airport by taxi is also popular (there can be large queues at the airport if a flight was busy).
Taxi is a good option if not coming from the city centre or if you have a lot of luggage. Allow approximately 20 for a one-way trip between the airport and city centre.
If you need to arrive at the airport early in the morning, do not count on finding a taxi in the street; book your taxi with the taxi company the night before.
Hire cars are also available from major international companies at the airport. Destinations edit Major hub destinations (several times a day) include London-Heathrow (with British Airways), Paris-CDG (with Air France), Amsterdam (with KLM) and Frankfurt (with Lufthansa). There are also international flights to Dublin (with Aer Lingus), Copenhagen (with SAS), Bergen, Groningen, Stavanger, Oslo and Baku 21 in Azerbaijan (another oil city).
UK destinations include London City, London Gatwick, London-Luton, Birmingham, Norwich, Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Bristol, East Midlands, Exeter and Southampton, as well as Wick (in the far north of Scotland), Orkney and Shetland.
Other routes cater to the oil industry, including Scatsta on Shetland. Occasional longer distance holiday and charter flights also operate on a seasonal basis.
By train edit Aberdeen Railway Station is located in the city centre on Guild Street, one block from Union Street. It is part of the Union Square development, which also includes the Bus Station.
Aberdeen is the busiest railway station north of Glasgow and Edinburgh, with inter-city, regional and sleeper train services provided to and from all parts of Great Britain.
The section from Montrose and Stonehaven to Aberdeen is one of the most scenic in Britain, as spectacular cliffs soar below into the North Sea. This view is especially impressive at sunrise. When arriving by train, do not throw your ticket away as subway-style ticket barriers are used.
If you are travelling with luggage, board the train early at your departure station as luggage racks fill up very quickly, especially on inter-city services.
A useful left-luggage facility can be accessed from the plaza outside. Ticket machines on the concourse and in the travel centre allow you to collect any tickets purchased on the internet (you need the payment card plus the confirmation number, but can use any train company’s machine as they are all part of the same system).
See Rail travel in the United Kingdom 22 . Train companies serving Aberdeen are: East Coast 4 is a state-owned company which provides inter-city trains 3x a day to/from London 23 (King’s Cross) via major east-coast cities such as Edinburgh 24 (via the iconic Forth Bridge), Newcastle 25 , York 26 and others.
InterCity 125 trains are used which travel at 125mph (200km/h) south of Edinburgh, reaching London in just over 7 hours.
CrossCountry , 5 provides a few inter-city services a day via eastern Scotland to the English north-west, midlands, west and south-west of England, including Carlisle 27 , Manchester 28 , Birmingham 29 and Bristol 30 . Some services stretch to Penzance 31 in Cornwall in South-West England – the UK’s longest train journey. Voyager trains are used which travel at up to 125mph (200km/h).
ScotRail 6 is currently run by global transportation company FirstGroup which was founded and has its HQ in Aberdeen (by the bus depot on King Street).
ScotRail trains run frequently between Aberdeen and all Scottish cities as well as many intermediate destinations, including Glasgow 32 , Edinburgh 33 (via the Forth Bridge), Dundee 34 and Inverness 35 . Services also reach north-west into Aberdeenshire and Moray and these are popular with commuters.
Inter-city services typically use Turbostar trains travelling at up to 100mph (160km/h), reaching Edinburgh in about 2-and-a-half hours and Glasgow and Inverness in three hours. Local services often use Express Sprinter trains which can reach 90mph.
ScotRail also operates the Caledonian Sleeper overnight train to/from London 36 (Euston), which leaves every night except Saturdays at around 20.30.
Twin-berth cabins are provided (with bunk beds), which you often have to share with a same-sex stranger if travelling alone. The cabins are cramped but a great deal of luggage can be carried (although not in your cabin). A lounge car with bar also sells snacks.
Alternatively, you can reserve a seat.
Having only a seat is very much less comfortable on the 12-hour journey but cheaper than a bed, although “bargain berths” can be available through the website when booking in advance. Station Facilities edit There is a Travel Centre with ticket office and information (e.g.
timetables), although it is not open in the late evening. There are also automatic ticket machines in the concourse.
Tickets purchased in advance (e.g.
on the internet) can be collected from any of these machines. The first-class lounge is inside the Travel Centre. Luggage trolleys are provided without charge and a left-luggage facility is available from the front plaza.
A waiting room is on the main concourse, as is a WH Smith store selling books, magazines and snacks.
There is also a caf . There are toilet facilities (30p charge applies), in addition to those in Union Square (free to all).
Many other shopping and eating facilities are located in the Union Square complex which can be accessed directly through the concourse and is integrated with the station. These include the drugstore Boots, Costa Coffee, Starbucks, Marks & Spencer Simply Food and many other shops and restaurants.
Facilities at Union Square open late into the evening and also include ATM machines , through-access to the city’s bus station, and a hotel.
Parking, Taxis and Buses edit Medium-term parking is available in the adjoining College Street Car Park (access only from College Street) and a small number of free spaces inside the station which offer parking for 20 minutes only. Taxis are available from a stand within the station concourse, and are popular with travellers carrying luggage. Regional and national bus services (including buses to Aberdeen Airport) depart from Aberdeen Bus Station, which is located on the other side of the adjoining Union Square complex.
It is possible to walk directly from the concourse, through Union Square and to the bus station without entering the open air.
This option is useful in winter and periods of bad weather. By bus/coach edit Aberdeen Bus Station is at Union Square, on Guild Street.
Route 727 buses to/from the airport operate from here. Regional buses operated by Stagecoach Bluebird also arrive and depart for towns and villages all over Aberdeenshire, including stops in Royal Deeside.
Inter-city services operated by Scottish CityLink and Megabus (at low fares) connect to major destinations but not as many as by train and are significantly slower and less comfortable.
However, they are usually cheaper than train travel. If travelling to/from Glasgow (3.5 hours away), the CityLink Gold luxury service provides a very comfortable journey seven times each day. However, there is no direct bus/coach service to/from Edinburgh and a change must be made at Dundee bus station or Perth park-and-ride (these locations can be unpleasant at night).
Day and overnight coach services (one of each per day) are also available to/from London 37 (operated by National Express) and calling at intermediate destinations.
These take 12 hours from London Victoria Coach Station and are by far the least comfortable way to arrive from the south of the UK, but fares are economical. Bus station users can make use of all facilities at Union Square and the railway station, such as the left-luggage facility (see above).
By sea edit Aberdeen Harbour is located in the city centre, and can be plainly seen from many streets including Market Street, Guild Street and the Shiprow. Car ferries to and from the Northern Isles are operated by NorthLink 7 and these two vessels (the Hjaltland and Hrossey ) arrive from Lerwick 38 , Shetland and Kirkwall 39 , Orkney at the ferry terminal at Aberdeen Harbour.
They sail overnight from the Northern Isles and from Aberdeen, departing at 5pm or 7pm and arriving late at night (if sailing from Aberdeen to Kirkwall) or the following morning (if sailing to Lerwick or Aberdeen).
Kirkwall is served only three or four nights a week while Lerwick and Aberdeen are served daily. The terminal is just off Market Street, opposite the car entrance to Union Square. Foot passengers are also conveyed.
By car edit There are several main roads into the city.
Aberdeen is indicated on direction signs on all these roads, and when you reach the boundary of the city, direction signs also direct you to the city centre. The speed limit on the following roads is either 60mph (100km/h) if there is a single-carriageway or country road, or 70mph (110km/h) if a dual-carriageway.
However, there are lower limits in places along certain parts of the route. Other smaller routes also lead into the city but are usually slower, less direct, or require driving through suburban streets to reach the city-centre.
If you have a satellite navigation system, all routes will be included as part of the UK.
If you do not want to take your own car, it is easily possible to rent a car in Aberdeen from well known companies such as Avis, Hertz and Enterprise, as well as local companies such as Logan Car Hire 8 . These are based at the airport and throughout the city, for example Enterprise has a branch at Skene Square, a short walk from the city centre. Main roads into (and out of) the city edit If driving from the south (e.g.
Edinburgh, Fife, Dundee) or north (e.g.
Peterhead, northern Aberdeenshire), Aberdeen lies halfway along the A90 dual-carriageway road between Edinburgh 40 , Dundee 41 and Peterhead 42 . Allow approximately three hours from Edinburgh (130 miles/210km) and perhaps 3 and a half hours from Glasgow (150 miles/240km), assuming no traffic.
If coming from the north-west (e.g. Inverness, Moray, etc.) the A96 leads in via the airport at Dyce.
Allow approximately three or four hours from Inverness.
Much of the route is single-carriageway and there can be heavy traffic coming into the city at the Haudagain Roundabout at rush hour, as this is a key commuter route. If coming from the south-west (e.g. Royal Deeside, the Cairngorm mountains, etc.), the A93 leads in.
Bear in mind that in winter parts of this route are often closed due to snow.
If coming from the west (e.g. western parts of Aberdeenshire such as Alford, Huntly and other towns and villages, the A944 provides the best route.
Driving conditions edit Main roads are high-quality and well-maintained by the Scottish Government. In contrast, Aberdeen’s city streets (which are maintained by the city council) have many potholes, dropped manhole covers and cracked/damaged surfaces following the harsh winter of 2010/11 which not been repaired yet due to budget constraints.
Speed limits lower than 60mph are often in force along main roads because Aberdeenshire has some of the most dangerous roads in Scotland.
To improve safety at accident blackspots, speed limits are enforced by many automated speed cameras as well as police patrol cars. The Dundee to Aberdeen section of the A90 has a particularly large number of these. Although all city streets are lit at night, most main roads leading into the city (including the A90 and A96) are not lit except at major intersections.
Be prepared to use main beam (i.e.
high beam) headlights. Added to this, roads in Aberdeenshire are among the most dangerous in the UK, due to frequent bends and chicanes, narrow carriageways, and excessive speed by many drivers.
While this makes many of them great fun to drive if your car handles well, you should drive cautiously if you are not familiar with a rural road and especially if your car’s steering wheel is on the left. Local drivers (usually in powerful German cars bought with oil money) often drive aggressively or overtake thoughtlessly, and this is partly responsible for the high accident rate.
Do not be intimidated or goaded into going too fast and remain at a speed you are comfortable with as otherwise your trip may end with being airlifted to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
In winter, roads are often affected by snow and fog (with much heavier snow the further inland). Main roads (e.g. A90) are gritted but local roads are not, leading to very slippery conditions and increased risk of accidents.
This is compounded by the fact that few Scottish cars are fitted with snow tyres or snow chains in winter (although these are available in Aberdeen).
On mountain routes (e.g. A93), roads are often closed due to snow by “snow gates” which are shut by police and close off the road.
However, all except coastal roads can be closed by heavy snow when weather is poor. Avoid car travel in poor winter weather unless you are experienced with driving in these conditions.
Get around edit edit 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.
Pedestrian Maps edit 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 located 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, city bookstores, or you can order one online such as at amazon.co.uk 43 .
If you won’t be leaving the city centre, you can also print one out from the internet before you arrive.
Alternatively, a smartphone’s map feature can be very useful as the city is covered in detail by services such as Google Maps. Aberdeen walking directions 9 can be planned online with the walkit.com 10 walking route planner. By bus edit Most city bus routes are operated by First Aberdeen 11 , a division of global transport company FirstGroup who have their international HQ next to the bus station on King Street.
FirstGroup is an Aberdeen company; it developed out of the Aberdeen city bus corporation after it was privatised in the 1980s, and grew massively following numerous mergers and takeovers (they run many UK bus and train services, including ScotRail, and own the Greyhound bus network in the United States).
Some buses are also run by Stagecoach Bluebird 12 , who operate routes No.5, 59, and 9U, as well as the 727 airport bus. However, apart from these routes, most Stagecoach Bluebird buses are running between the bus station at Union Square and towns and villages in Aberdeenshire.
While these regional buses do pick up and stop at city bus stops, they are a less useful option for within-city transport. Today there are around 22 city bus routes run by First Aberdeen and 3 by Stagecoach Bluebird and most operate on a hub-and-spoke system, i.e.
a route starts in a suburb or on the outskirts, comes in through the city centre, and then goes out to another suburb.
Services begin around 5AM and end close to midnight with a few night services at weekends. The First network uses a colour-coded system with main routes having a colour (e.g.
3 is purple, 20 is indigo, 1&2 are red) while less important routes have no colour. The map is in the style of the London Underground which helps to find your way around.
Information on routes is available on First Aberdeen’s website 13 , but for face-to-face info, bus maps, timetables and bus passes, call into the First Travel Centre on Union Street , between Market Street and the Shiprow.
It is open 9-5 every day except Sunday and public holidays. You can get info about all Stagecoach Bluebird routes at the Bus Station at Union Square.
To use the bus you pay the driver as you get on. Tell him or her your destination and he/she will tell you the fare or sell you a day ticket.
Press one of the “stop” buttons around the bus when you are nearing your destination and the bus will stop at the next bus stop.
First Aberdeen buses do not carry change so you need to use the exact money . As of May 2012, an adult single fare is usually 2.00 but is 2.40 if the journey is longer, while all child tickets are 1.10. There is no return ticket available, but an adult day ticket (giving travel on all First buses) is 4.80 (peak) and 4.20 (off-peak i.e.
any time after 9.30am) and 3.20 anytime with a university-issued student ID card.
All buses are modern and have low-floor access. First Aberdeen has a virtual monopoly and has a reputation for mediocre service and high fares that are raised frequently with little notice or justification.
Citizens frequently complain about the service but most services are reasonable although after 7pm all run only every 30 minutes. Stagecoach Bluebird buses are often slightly cheaper and drivers give change.
By taxi edit Taxis are widely available from a number of ranks dotted around the city centre.
The main ranks are located off at Back Wynd (just off central Union Street), Hadden Street (just off Market Street) and inside the railway station. There is another located at Chapel Street (at the western end of Union Street). Most Aberdeen taxis are saloon cars or people-carriers rather than London-style black cabs and can be any colour.
Taxis and their drivers must be registered with the City Council and carry an official taxi registration plate (usually on the back).
You can also call for a taxi to pick you up from any address; while there are various companies, one useful taxi company is ComCab at 01224 35 35 35. Taxis are the most popular way to get home from a night out, so at night they can be harder to come by.
After dark, they can be hired only at designated posts on Union Street. On busy weekend nights, be prepared to queue for long periods among drunken revellers, when these ranks are often patrolled by taxi marshalls.
At night it can can be difficult to hail a taxi on the street as many do not give any indication if they’re available for hire and many will not pick up groups of males.
Aberdeen taxi fares are high, but they always go by the meter price and are regulated by Aberdeen City Council. By bicycle edit Due to the many narrow roads and inadequate lane provisions, this can be rather treacherous at times. Cycle lanes are appearing (but are often shared with buses) as are cycle “boxes” at traffic lights so the situation is getting better for those who cycle.
It’s getting easier to park a cycle too, the city council have now provided loops for chaining bikes within the city centre streets (e.g.
at Shiprow and Castle Street) and within the multi-storey car parks. It is possible to cycle from Aberdeen city centre to the genteel suburb of Peterculter along the route of the Old Deeside Railway.
The “line” begins just outside Duthie Park and passes through Garthdee, Cults, Bieldside and Milltimber before ending at Station Road. It is mostly paved with a few breaks where you have to cross a road.
The route is very scenic and relaxing, and is also used by people walking dogs, riding horses, other cyclists, and other people just enjoying a stroll, so being courteous is a must.
There are signs placed along the line with bits of history about the line and how it came to be. By train edit Prior to the 1960s, Aberdeen had a suburban rail service but like many less-profitable routes in the UK, this was closed during the “Beeching Axe” of the 1960s. The only stations in the city now are the main railway station on Guild Street in the city centre, and a single suburban station at Dyce.
As a result, rail transport is unlikely to be an option for within-city transport other than to Dyce, but it can be useful for travel to outlying towns.
Local services run from the station at Guild Street to: Dyce – On the north west of the city along the Inverness line. This may be an option for travelling to the airport, but less convenient than the 727 bus for most travellers.
It may be a preferable way to travel to Dyce in rush hour as the journey time is 10 minutes as opposed to the hour+ it takes on the bus due to traffic congestion. There are plenty of trains, though the frequency is quite scattered.
Dyce station is located just off the main street.
Inverurie – The next stop up the line from Dyce, out of the city in Aberdeenshire. The station is located a short walk from the pleasant town centre. Many commuters live in Inverurie.
Portlethen – The first stop south on the line.
There are extremely few services stopping here outwith rush hour. The station is on the east of the town on the road to the old village.
A walk from here to the main shopping area will take you around 10-15 minutes, there are buses that run every 20 minutes just outside the station if you need to use them. Stonehaven – The next stop south from Portlethen.
Trains are fairly frequent (at least once an hour).
Buses to Stonehaven centre depart from the hotel across from the station, or you can walk (10-20 minutes depending on speed). Stonehaven is a pleasant harbour town which attracts tourists, including to see the spectacular ruins of Dunottar Castle. Between here and Aberdeen, look out the sea-side of the window for spectacular coastal views.
For more information on these and other attractions the Tourist Information Centre at the corner of Union Street and Shiprow is a useful point of contact (open Monday to Saturday 9am to 6.30pm, more restricted hours on Sundays, tel.
01224 288828).
Many city museums and galleries are closed on Mondays . Aberdeen Art Gallery 14 Schoolhill.
Tel: 01224 523700, 15 Open Tuesday-Saturday 10.00AM-5.00PM, Sunday 2.00PM-5.00PM. The Aberdeen Art Gallery is set in a Victorian building with an exquisite marble and granite main hall.
On the ground floor are housed modern works including pieces by Tracy Emin and Gilbert & George, with many others.
Upstairs hang more traditional paintings and sculpture. These include Impressionist pieces as well as works by the Scottish Colourists. There are frequent temporary exhibitions (see website) and also display of antique silverware and decorative pieces.
Columns in the main hall display the many different colours of local granite used to build the city.
There is a good gift shop too. For those who like art, an afternoon could easily be spent here, but at least a quick browse is well worth it for anyone.
The gallery is closed on Mondays. Admission free.
Aberdeen Maritime Museum 16 Shiprow.
Tel: 01224 337700, 17 . Open Tuesday-Saturday 10.00AM-5.00PM, Sunday 12.00PM-3.00PM. This museum, rated five-star by the Scottish Tourist Board, tells the story of Aberdeen’s relationship with the sea, from fishing to trade to North Sea oil.
It offers an extraordinary insight into the mechanics and technology of ships and oil rigs, Aberdeen’s rich maritime history and the lives of some of the people who have worked offshore in the North Sea for the past 500 years.
The newest part of the complex is a blue, glass-fronted building on the cobbled Shiprow. Inside is a spiral walkway, rising upwards around an eye-catching model of an oil rig.
Connected to this structure are the much older buildings which take visitors through a series of castle-style corridors and staircases to reach the numerous room sets, historical artefacts and scale models. If your time in Aberdeen is limited, go and see this.
There is so much to see, and even the buildings themselves are worth a look.
There is also a restaurant – slightly expensive, but the food is pretty good. There are excellent views of the harbour from the top floor. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Admission free.
Granite Architecture. Aberdeen’s granite buildings form one of the most celebrated cityscapes in Britain, with beautiful and architecturally significant buildings literally everywhere, especially in the city centre.
However, some (particularly on Union Street) are now in need of restoration, much as the New Town of Edinburgh 44 was before its restoration in the late 20th century. The Wikipedia article on Architecture in Aberdeen gives a good introduction 18 but here are a few to get you started as you walk around the city centre.
The newly-restored Marischal College on Broad Street, displays what poet John Betjeman called ” tower on tower, forests of pinnacles, a group of palatial buildings rivalled only by the Houses of Parliament at Westminster “.
Then try the Town House (i.e. city hall) on Union Street, with its confident Victorian tower and street frontage. The Salvation Army Citadel on the Castlegate is an excellent example of the Scottish Baronial style, with its fairy-tale turrets, while a walk up (and down) Union Street with its mile of impressive granite buildings is a must.
As you walk along Union Street, look up; the architecture is often not visible from street-level.
Unlike other grand streets in the UK (such as Grey Street in Newcastle 45 or the Royal Crescent in Bath 46 ), but like Princes Street in Edinburgh 47 , each building on Union Street is different to the next in stature and architectural style. You will see a wide range of architectural styles, from highly ornamented to robust and Scottish-looking.
Then, on Rosemount Viaduct, the cluster of His Majesty’s Theatre, St. Mark’s Church and the Central Library form a widely-praised trio.
City bookstores and the Central Library carry books about Aberdeen’s architecture, such as The Granite Mile by Diane Morgan (2008) on the architecture of Union Street.
Union Terrace Gardens is a small city-centre park on one side of Union Terrace, just off Union Street. A small river, the Denburn, used to flow past here but is now covered by the railway line. Union Terrace Gardens is a rare haven of tranquility, greenery and natural beauty in the city-centre.
In summer look out for the floral coat of arms, and in warm weather citizens sunbathe and picnic on the lawns.
All year round, from the gardens you can appreciate some of the grand architecture on Union Terrace and Rosemount Viaduct. In winter, the park is beautiful in the snow.
In 2011-12 the park was threatened with demolition to build a heavily-engineered “City Garden” as a new civic heart for the city, sponsored by local oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood who offered 50 million of his own money to part-finance the scheme. The project was extremely controversial but citizens voted narrowly in favour of the redevelopment in a referendum.
However, following the 2012 elections to the city council the new city administration scrapped the controversial project.
Entrance free. Aberdeen Beach . Aberdeen’s long sandy beach once made it something of a holiday resort, advertised by railway travel posters (that you may see at the Tourist Information Centre on Union Street).
The beach stretches from picturesque Footdee (see below) at one end to the mouth of the River Don over two miles north.
While it’s rarely hot enough for sunbathing and the North Sea is cold all year round, it’s a fantastic place for a jog or a bracing walk. Surfers and windsurfers are also frequently to be found there.
On sunny days, the beach is a popular place to spend time and one of the best spots in the city for a romantic walk. Amenities at the southern end include an amusement park, ice arena, leisure centre and leisure park with restaurants and cinema.
Footdee (usually pronounced “Fitty”) A former fishing village absorbed by the city, in the streets around Pocra Quay.
It is located at what was once the foot of the River Dee (hence the name) before the course of the river was artificially diverted to improve the harbour. This area is a laid-back cluster of traditional, small, quaint houses and quirky outhouses, and the area was specially constructed in the 19th century to house a fishing community. Footdee is located at the harbour mouth, where dolphins can often be seen.
Old Aberdeen 19 The quaintest part of the city and location of the University of Aberdeen’s King’s College Campus, along the High Street and the streets leading off it, with modern university buildings further from it.
The Chapel and Crown Tower at Kings College date from the 16th century (the tower is a symbol of the city as well as the university), while many of the other houses and buildings on the High Street and nearby are centuries old. The university’s Kings Museum (M-F 9-5, free) a little way up the High Street puts on rotating displays from the university’s collections.
The new University Library (looks like a glass cube with zebra stripes) has a gallery space open every day with rotating exhibitions (free; check website for opening times), and you can explore the library (it’s open to the public) which has outstanding views of the whole city and sea from the upper floors. The Old Town House at the top of the High Street (looks like it’s in the middle of the roadway) has a visitor centre with leaflets on the area’s heritage and rotating exhibitions.
You can also explore the scenic and serene Cruickshank Botanic Garden which belongs to the university and is used for teaching and research, as well as being open to the public.
The nearby St. Machar’s Cathedral on the Chanonry (a continuation of the High Street) with its two spires, was completed in 1530 and is steeped in history and worth a visit (Aberdeen has three cathedrals, all named after saints). As it is part of the protestant Church of Scotland, it does not actually function as a cathedral but is always called this.
To get to Old Aberdeen, bus route No.20 from Broad Street takes you right there – get off at the High Street.
Alternatively take No.1 or No.2 from Union Street and get off on King Street at the university campus (by the playing fields). Winter Gardens at Duthie Park 20 (01224 585310).
The David Welch Winter Gardens are one of the most popular gardens in Scotland and one of the largest indoor gardens in Europe. Consisting of a variety of glasshouses, they house a wide range of tropical and exotic plants, many of them rare.
The frog that rises out of the pond is also amusing, and the Japanese Garden (one of the few exterior spaces) is tranquil.
The entrances to Duthie Park are at the end of Polmuir Road in Ferryhill (AB11 7TH) or at Riverside Drive just after the railway bridge (this entrance also has a free car park), and you can walk through the park to the Winter Gardens. Open every day 9.30am to 4.30pm (Nov-Mar), 5.30pm (April, Sep-Oct) or 7.30pm (May-Aug). Admission free.
Johnston Gardens 21 Viewfield Road.
Open everyday 8am until 1 hour before dusk. This one-hectare park in a middle-class suburb is one of the most spectacular in Scotland.
Packed with dramatic floral displays, it also has a stream, waterfalls, ponds and rockeries. Many have suggested that Aberdeen won the Britain in Bloom award so many times on the basis of this park alone.
The pond has ducks, there is a children’s play area, and also toilets are provided.
To get there, take bus route No.16 from Union Street, or a taxi. Entrance free. The Gordon Highlanders Museum 22 St.
Lukes Viewfield Road.
Tel: 01224 311200, 23 . Open first Tuesday in April to last Sunday in October, Tuesday-Saturday 10.30AM-4.30PM, Su 1.30PM-4.30PM (last admission 4PM).
November-March open by appointment only. Closed Mondays.
At the Gordon Highlanders Museum you can re-live the compelling and dramatic story of one of the British Army’s most famous regiments, through the lives of its outstanding personalities and of the kilted soldiers of the North East of Scotland who filled its ranks.
Exhibits include a real Nazi flag from Hitler’s staff car, and there is a small cinema where you can watch a film on the history of the regiment. For the younger visitors there are a number of uniforms to try on, and there is also a coffee shop. For those interested in military history this small gem is a must.
To get there, take route No.16 from Union Street or taxi.
Admission: Adults: 2.50, Children: 1.00, Seniors: 1.50, Closed season: 3.00. Provost Skene’s House 24 .
Guestrow (walk under passageway at St. Nicholas House on Broad Street and it’s in the little plaza there).
Tel.
01224 641086. Open Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm. Scottish towns and cities have a “provost” instead of a mayor and this house used to belong to Provost George Skene.
The large, picturesque house dates from 1545 (it’s the oldest house left in the city) and houses various rooms furnished to show how people in Aberdeen lived in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries.
There is an excellent cafe in the cellar. The house is closed on Sundays.
Admission free. The Tolbooth Museum 25 .
Castle Street (i.e.
the eastern part of Union Street, before it enters the Castlegate square.). Tel.
01224 621167. Open seasonally July to September, Tuesday-Saturday 10am-4pm and Sunday 12.30pm-3.30pm.
In Scottish towns and cities, a “tolbooth” was the main municipal building or Town Hall, providing council meeting space as well as a courthouse and jail.
Aberdeen’s Tolbooth Museum is situated in a 17th-century tolbooth which had housed jail cells in centuries past, and played a key role in the city’s history, including the Jacobite rebellions. The museum has fascinating displays on crime and punishment, as well as the history of the city.
The entrance is at the Town House (the modern equivalent of the Tolbooth!), just along from the Sheriff Court entrance and next to the bus stop. The museum is closed on Mondays.
Admission free.
The Marischal Museum 26 Broad Street (entrance through arch). Tel: 01224 274301, 27 Open Monday-Friday 10.00AM-5.00PM, Sunday 2.00PM-5.00PM. *** The museum is currently closed until further notice as the rear part of Marischal College is still being refurbished ***. Covering 8000 years of local and world history, this generally undiscovered museum houses the results of numerous expeditions by local people over the past two centuries.
The collection, spread over several floors in the stunning Marischal College building, includes pieces from such diverse locations as the Balkans and Tibet.
As well as the varied international exhibits, the museum also presents an insightful look at the history of the north-east of Scotland under the banner of The Encyclopaedia of the North-East . Very worthwhile, and considering the range of excellent displays the free admission seems all the better.
Admission free. What’s On in Aberdeen ( Events listing for Aberdeen ), 28 .
Guide to what’s happening in Aberdeen: who’s playing where, events, restaurants, special offers, where to stay.
edit See an arthouse film at the Belmont Picturehouse cinema , 49 Belmont Street, city centre ( Just off Union Street, about half-way along the street ), 0871 902 5721 , 29 . Arthouse, foreign and selected mainstream films are shown here every day, in a historic building on Belmont Street. Films in languages other than English are subtitled.
An adult ticket costs 8.50 ( 7.00 for matinees) and child tickets cost 4.50.
Tickets can be booked online or in person. edit Satrosphere Science Centre ( Aberdeen Science Centre ), The Tramsheds, 179 Constitution Street, Aberdeen, AB24 5TU , 01224 640340 , 30 .
Every day 10am-5pm . The Satrosphere Science Centre was Scotland s first science and discovery centre, first opened to the public in 1988.
The centre has over 50 hands-on interactive exhibits and live science shows, which inspire your inner scientist as well as entertain the whole family.
It is a great place for children, and is located in what used to be the main depot for the city’s tram system. Adults 5.75, children 4.50, family of four (including 1 or 2 adults) 17.00 . edit Take a cooking class at the Nick Nairn Cook School , 15 Back Wynd, city centre ( Back Wynd is just off Union Street, next to the graveyard ), 01877 389 900 , 31 .
Celebrity chef Nick Nairn has recently opened a branch of his cook school in Aberdeen.
If you like food or cooking, you’ll love the one-off classes here, which range from 2 hours to a full day. Classes are available for all levels, from beginner to gourmet chef.
40 to 160 depending on class length . edit Go on a cruise around Aberdeen Harbour ( Aberdeen Harbour Cruises ), Eurolink Pontoon (next to Fish Market), Aberdeen Harbour ( Walk in the Harbour entrance on Market Street, directly opposite the car park entrance to Union Square – there’s no parking except at the Union Square car park ), 32 .
Aberdeen Harbour is one of the busiest ports in Britain, with lots of ships of many kinds arriving and departing each day.
This 45-minute boat tour is narrated and tells you about the major sights of the harbour and some of what happens there. It’s also a great chance to see Aberdeen from a different angle – for centuries travellers arrived at the city mostly by sea and this was their first view of its skyline (especially the Clock Tower at the Harbour offices). In summer 2012, tours operated June to September and departed at 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3pm and 4pm Wed-Sun (7 days a week in July and August).
Payment is by cash only – use the cash machines at the nearby Union Square shopping centre if you need to.
Adults 8, children 4, family 20 (2 adults + 2 children) . edit Festivals edit Aberdeen International Youth Festival 33 (01224 213 800) takes place in early August each year.
It is one of the world’s biggest celebrations of youth arts, including theatre, dance, and music (including classical, jazz, opera and world music). Performances take place at venues around the city.
Aberdeen Jazz Festival 34 takes place in March each year.
It showcases live jazz performances from around the world at a number of city venues. British Science Festival 2012 35 is being hosted by the University of Aberdeen from 4th to 9th September 2012. Demonstrations, talks, exhibitions, lectures and fun events will take place for everyone from children and families to adult members of the public.
Celebrity guests will include physicist Brian Cox and psychologist Richard Wiseman.
Venues will be across the city and on campus at the University of Aberdeen. Word – The University of Aberdeen Writers Festival 36 takes place each year in May and is one of the highlights of the cultural calendar in Scotland.
Readings, discussions, performances, exhibitions and even films are shown across the three-day festival which attracts top authors from around the UK and the world. Sports edit Water Sports , Aberdeen Beach .
Aberdeen’s long beach is ideal for water sports such as surfing, windsurfing and kitesurfing.
The Aberdeen Waterports store at 35 Waterloo Quay, AB11 5BS (Tel: 01224 581 313) stocks equipment for diving and also offers training in Scuba diving edit Dry-slope skiing and snowboarding ( Aberdeen Snowsports Centre ), Garthdee Road, AB10 7BA , 01224 810215 , 38 . M-F 10am-8pm, S-S 10am-4pm . This dry slope includes a large Alpine run and Dendex run, as well as a nursery slope.
Individual and group tuition in skiing and snowboarding is available, and all equipment can be hired.
If you meet a certain minimum standard (i.e. can control your speed, link turns and use uplifts), there are open public sessions every day; check website for timetable.
edit Ice skating ( Linx Ice Arena ), Beach Promenade AB24 5NR ( On the seafront next to the Beach Leisure Centre ), 01224 655406 , 39 . Check website for public opening times as also used for training by professional skaters .
The Linx Ice Arena is one of Scotland’s most important ice rinks, opened in 1992.
It is open every day except Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. Facilities include a national-sized ice pad measuring 56m x 26m, with a cafeteria open on Thursday and Friday evenings and weekends. Including skate hire: Adults 7.45, children 5.30 (discount for bringing own skates) .
edit Theatre/Concerts edit For plays, shows and live music, there are four main city-owned venues in Aberdeen, each providing a distinct and atmospheric setting for performances.
You can book tickets and get a guide to what’s on at these city-run venues from Aberdeen Performing Arts. They run the Aberdeen Box Office which sells tickets for all these venues plus some others; it is located on Union Street next to the Music Hall 40 .
His Majesty’s Theatre 41 on Rosemount Viaduct plays host to a wide range of plays and musicals, including major touring productions as well as local commissions. There is also an excellent restaurant in a modern extension to the building.
If you are in the city over the Christmas period with children, a trip to a showing of the annual pantomime is a must!
The Music Hall 42 on Union Street opened as the Assembly Rooms in 1822. Today it provides an elegant setting for classical music, popular music, stand-up comedy and other performances. Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) 43 on the A90 (in Bridge of Don) is the venue for most of Aberdeen’s pop and rock concerts.
In frequent years wrestling has been a fixture as well.
The venue has recently been dramatically expanded, and most functions are now held in the brand new building. If you are stuck for finding the AECC, look for the tall viewing tower, a fixture of the new structure.
It is easily visible from most points close to the River Don. The Lemon Tree 44 was once regarded as a rather “fringe” venue, and indeed it still is the launching platform for many alternative acts, but the sheer variety of talent on display (blues, rock, comedy and dance, to name but a few genres) rivals that of the three venues above.
The interesting location creates a great atmosphere, and is one of the main venues for the annual International Jazz Festival (see above).
Nick Nairn Cook School , 15 Back Wynd , 45 . Scottish celebrity chef Nick Nairn (known to many from his TV shows) has recently opened a cookery school in the city. It offers short courses (from a couple of hours to a whole day) in cooking.
It’s a great way to spend some time for foodies or cookery lovers.
Prices range from about 40 to 160. edit University of Aberdeen , Kings College, Aberdeen, AB24 3FX , 01224 272000 , 46 .
One of the oldest universities in the UK (founded 1495), it is renowned for its teaching and research in a full range of disciplines including the liberal arts, sciences, social sciences and the professions. Until the University of the Highlands and Islands was created in 2011 with its centre at Inverness 48 , Aberdeen was the most northerly university in the UK (the Robert Gordon University, also in the city, is a little way south of the University of Aberdeen).
It is a research-focused university of about 14,000 students, most at its main Kings College campus in Old Aberdeen, but some at its Medical School at Foresterhill.
The Medical School is prestigious and the centre of a great deal of research, and is where (for example) the MRI scanner was developed. The university’s iconic buildings, Marischal College (in the city centre but no longer used for teaching) and the tower of Kings College, are also iconic images of the city of Aberdeen. A huge new library was opened in 2011 at the Kings College campus.
It is of unusual architecture for Aberdeen, taking the form of a seven-story zebra-striped tower.
It is open to the public and outstanding views are available from the upper floors. The university’s Language Centre and extension service, the Centre for Lifelong Learning, both provide popular adult education courses.
edit The Robert Gordon University (RGU) , Schoolhill, AB10 1FR and Garthdee Road, Garthdee, AB10 7QG , 01224 262000 , 47 . Usually referred to as “RGU”, it became a university in 1992 but developed out of an educational institution dating from 1750 founded by the Aberdeen merchant and philanthropist Robert Gordon.
The word “The” is officially part of the title.
RGU has two campuses, one in the city centre at Schoolhill and a larger suburban campus at Garthdee, by the banks of the River Dee. It has recently been rising rapidly in university rankings and was named Best Modern University in the UK for 2012 by the Sunday Times, in addition to other recent awards. It is a teaching-focused university of about 15,500 students but significant research is also conducted (but not as much as the University of Aberdeen).
Degrees are offered from undergraduate to PhD level in a wide range of disciplines, primarily (but not limited to) vocational and professional disciplines and those most applicable to business.
It has become known for its high level of graduate employment. The university’s art school, Gray’s School of Art, offers short courses in art, sculpture, photography and fashion to the general public with no need for prior training.
edit Aberdeen College , 48 . The largest further education college in Scotland, it has campuses within the city and without.
Its largest facility is on the Gallowgate on the outskirts of the city centre.
edit Aberdeen is the shopping capital of the north of Scotland, drawing shoppers from the entire region. As there are no other nearby cities and oil money means many Aberdonians have money to spend, there are a large number and quality of stores in the city for its size. For many decades, the main shopping street was Union Street , which rivalled the most prestigious streets in Britain.
Today, Union Street is still considered the spiritual heart of shopping in Aberdeen and contains many shops, but primarily chain stores found in high streets all over the UK.
A walk up and down Union Street is essential for any first visit to Aberdeen. The dramatic architecture, although now mostly in need of restoration, is not visible in storefronts at street level – look up to see the impressive carved granite and grand designs of each building.
Sidewalks on the street get very busy during the day and especially on weekends. In recent years more upmarket stores have been gravitating from Union Street and other streets to the shopping malls in the city centre, and independent stores to the streets around Union Street.
At the same time, some shops on Union Street have been moving downmarket.
As a result, shopping in Aberdeen is spread out around Union Street, these malls, and surrounding streets. The shopping malls are extremely popular with Aberdonians. They include the Bon Accord Centre (entrances on Upperkirkgate and George Street), the St.
Nicholas Centre (entrances on Upperkirkgate and St.
Nicholas Square), the Trinity Centre (entrances on Union Street and Guild Street), The Academy (entrance on Schoolhill, specialises in boutique shops), and the newest and largest, Union Square 49 on Guild Street. Today, nearly all the stores found on British high streets can be found in Aberdeen at these malls, on Union Street or a surrounding street.
Most shops open at 9am and close at 5pm or 6pm. Late-night shopping (till 8pm) is on Thursdays in Aberdeen, except Union Square where shops are open till 8pm every weeknight.
Some of the many high-street stores that may be useful when travelling include the following, but there are many more: John Lewis , Bon Accord Centre/George Street, department store Debenhams , Trinity Centre, department store Marks and Spencer , St.
Nicholas Square (off Union Street, clothing and food) & Union Square (homewares and food) BHS , Union Street, department store Next , St. Nicholas Centre (largest), Union Square (smaller) & Berryden Retail Park, fashion and homewares Boots , Union Street, Union Square and Bon Accord Centre, large drugstore Currys-PC World , St. Nicholas Centre, electricals and technology store that sells computers and accessories, small electronic devices (e.g.
tablets, radios, hi-fi’s and music accessories etc.) and mobile phones Apple Store , Union Square, sells Apple electronics and computers and accessories Primark , Union Street, fashion and limited homewares Topshop and Topman , Union Street (smaller) and Bon Accord Centre (larger), fashion River Island , Bon Accord Centre, fashion New Look , Bon Accord Centre (larger) and Union Square (smaller), fashion Hollister , Union Square, beach-inspired fashion GAP , St.
Nicholas Square, fashion H&M , St.
Nicholas Centre & Union Square, fashion Zara , Union Square, fashion Jack Wills , Schoolhill (opposite Aberdeen Art Gallery), fashion Waterstones , two branches on Union Street, books HMV , Trinity Centre/Union Street, music, movies and games One Up , Belmont S
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