Aberdeen is a city in Scotland. It is situated on the North East coast of the British Isle. Some of the most fun things to do in Aberdeen include exploring Scottish History, and Maritime History, admiring granite architecture, enjoying beaches, and hiking through the natural wonders of the Scottish coast. It is a wonderful coastal city with a historic harbor. Many of the best places to visit in Aberdeen revolve around shipbuilding, maritime trade, and naval warfare history of the city. Aberdeen owes much of its prosperity to its port and harbor.
The region was given a charter by William the Lion in 1179, but the history of human settlement at the site goes back 8,000 years. There are a few Aberdeen tourist attractions like the city’s museum where you can learn about the early history of the city. In 1319, the city was given the Great Charter by Robert the Bruce. Aberdeen saw great development between the 18th and 20th centuries. Majority of historically significant things to see in Aberdeen hail from this time period.
The city is called Granite City owing to the grey granite used in the construction of several historic buildings. Aberdeen is quite close to a large granite quarry and hence the material was easily accessible to the city. Many people explore the city through the “Granite City” tour for Aberdeen sightseeing. This tour takes you on a walking or bicycle tour of 30 buildings, monuments and statues. You will encounter some of the most wonderful places to see in Aberdeen including St. Machar’s Cathedral, Provost Skene’s House, His Majesty’s Theatre, Old Town House, St. Andrew’s Cathedral, Church of St. Nicholas Uniting, and King’s College Chapel.
Aside from history, the city also has a variety of modern entertainment facilities for indoor activities to do in Aberdeen. There are amusement parks, public parks, theatres, recreational centers, and more. The city also has amazing golf courses and large public parks for recreation.
Outside the city, you get to explore coastal attractions, cliffs, hills, lakes, and forests for outdoor activities to do in Aberdeen such as hiking, trekking, camping, fishing, and so on. The beaches near Aberdeen are also quite popular tourist attractions. Aside from sunbathing and leisure activities, these coastal attractions also offer a variety of beach sports and water sports facilities.
Top Tourist Places to Visit in Aberdeen in 3 Days
Day 1
1. DUTHIE PARK
Spread over an area of 44 acres, this park sits on the bank of river Dee. The park is known for housed several types of gardens and collections of plants originating from different parts of the world. It is a place for fun things to do in Aberdeen for families. You would need about an hour to tour this park.
2. WILLIAM WALLACE STATUE
The statue of William Wallace was erected in 1888 to honor his valor and fight for Scottish Independence. The statue was sculpted by William Stevenson. You won’t need a few minutes to see this statue when you visit Aberdeen.
3. ABERDEEN MARITIME MUSEUM
This museum is situated on the historic Shiprow, close to the harbor. The museum focuses on the sea-faring history of the city and the significance of its port. It is one of the most important historical places to visit in Aberdeen. The exhibits in the museum cover history of ship-building, sailing, historical ships, naval battles, fishing, port, and maritime technology. You will need an hour from Aberdeen sightseeing to tour this museum.
4. THE TOLBOOTH MUSEUM
Built-in 1629, this building served as a jail during the 17th century and onwards. Today it houses a museum dedicated to the history of the building and the prison. It is popular among things to see in Aberdeen as one of the most haunted places in the city. You will need an hour to tour this museum.
5. ABERDEEN BEACH
This beautiful golden sand beach stretches from the harbor all the way to the mouth of river Don. It is one of the best beaches near Aberdeen. The beach is popular for a lot of outdoor activities to do in Aberdeen including sunbathing, surfing, windsurfing, and coastal hikes. The beach also has amusement areas and restaurants. You can easily spend a couple of hours from Aberdeen travel to explore the pleasures of this beach.
6. SATROSPHERE SCIENCE CENTRE
This museum and exhibition center is dedicated to encouraging and educating children about various branches of science. The museum has several interactive exhibits for children concerning scientific disciplines such as cosmology, zoology, geography, geology, and so on. It is one of the most popular Aberdeen tourist attractions for families. You will need at least an hour to tour this center.
DAY 2
1. KING’S COLLEGE CHAPEL
Founded in 1495, King’s College is one of the oldest and most prestigious universities in the UK. It is iconic for its gothic revival architecture and the crown tower. The crown-style monument atop the tower is one of the most photographed structures in the city. The Chapel of the college was built in the 15th century and was renovated in the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries. The chapel is known among Aberdeen attractions for its historical and cultural significance. You will need 15 to 20 minutes to tour the chapel and an hour if you choose to tour the campus of the university.
2. SEATON PARK
Situated on the edge of river Don, this is one of the biggest parks in the city. The park has green spaces, picnic spots, and sports facilities. It is one of the places to go in Aberdeen to relax. You can easily spend a few minutes at this park.
3. ABERDEEN ART GALLERY
Housed in one of the city’s finest granite buildings, this art gallery has a collection spanning 700 years. It is one of the best places to see in Aberdeen for art enthusiasts. The gallery primarily focuses on creations by Scottish artists but also features a few works by international artists. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore this gallery.
4. GRANITE ARCHITECTURE (ARCHITECTURE OF ABERDEEN)
The Granite trail is a sequence of about 30 Aberdeen sights. These include buildings, statues, cemeteries, bridges, townhouses, churches, government buildings, and more. Owing to the city’s proximity to a granite quarry, many of the buildings in Aberdeen have used granite as the primary building material. Aberdeen has often been called the Granite City owing to this phenomenon. Some of the prominent landmarks on this trail include Marischal College, Town House, Salvation Army Citadel, His Majesty’s Theatre, Church of St. Mark, Central Library, and so on. This trail allows you to explore a variety of buildings and monuments which were built using granite, but at different points in the city’s history. You will need 3 to 4 hours to complete this entire trail.
5. UNION TERRACE GARDENS
This public park dates back to 1879 and has facilities for a lot of outdoor activities to do in Aberdeen. The park has green spaces, walking trails, sports facilities, picnic spots, and more. You can easily spend an hour or so enjoying recreational activities at this park.
6. FOOTDEE (FITTY)
Situated at the foot of river Dee, this harbor used to be a fishing village. It is included among the places to visit in Aberdeen for historical sightseeing. You will see several 19th-century houses and harbor warehouses. It is also a top spot for dolphin sightings. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to explore this place.
DAY 3
1. OLD ABERDEEN
The old town of Aberdeen is home to numerous historical attractions including Crown Tower, Old Town House, University Library, St. Machar Cathedral, Kings Museum, and so on. It is also home to the majority of granite buildings that the city is famous for. The old town is also well known for several restaurants, clubs, and bars. Loitering the streets for dining, street food, drinking and general hobnobbing are among the best things to do in Aberdeen at night. You can easily spend a couple of hours exploring this area.
2. THE GORDON HIGHLANDERS MUSEUM
This museum delves into the history of the Gordon Highlanders regiment. The museum explored the history of the regiment and the prominent battles they took part in. One of the most interesting things to see in Aberdeen, an actual Nazi flag snatched from Hitler’s own car, is displayed in this museum. You will need 30 to 45 minutes to tour this museum.
3. KING’S MUSEUM
Part of the King’s College, this museum holds a large variety of artifacts originating from different parts of the world and from different periods in history. The museum is also known among Aberdeen tourist attractions for its events such as Night at the Museum, European Night at the Museum, and Festival of Museums. You will need about an hour to tour this museum when you visit Aberdeen.
4. UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN ZOOLOGY MUSEUM
This museum has a large collection of representations of animals in form of taxidermy, skeletons, skins, models, and fluid-preserved specimens. Some of the highlight animals represented at this museum include tiger, whale, python, tortoise, jellyfish, lion, shark, and so on. You will need an hour or so from Aberdeen travel to tour this museum.
