Scotland - Sightseeing - Sightseeing in Aberdeen

Areas and Squares

Castlegate
Union Street and Marischal Street
The original administrative and commercial centre of Aberdeen, Castlegate has also been a large open market-place, documented in literature for the first time in 1661. Today Castlegate is occupied by restaurants, bars, printmakers and other shops.

Historical Buildings

King's College
King's was founded in 1495 by Bishop William Elphinstone. Scotland's third university and first Medical University, the college is famous for its Chapel (c. 1500) with pre-Reformation carved woodwork.
Aberdeen University
Tel: +44 01224 272 137

Aberdeen Art Gallery
The building that houses the Art Gallery was built in 1884 in a neoclassical design by A. Marshall MacKenzie. The gallery holds one of the most important art collections in Great Britain, including works by Raeburn, Hogarth, Ramsay, and Reynolds and Francis Bacon.
Tel: +44 01224 523 700
Website: Aagm.co.uk

Aberdeen Maritime Museum
The Aberdeen Maritime Museum tells the story of the cities relationship with the sea through a collection of ship models, artifacts and paintings.
Shiprow
Aberdeen
Tel: +44 01224 337 700

Provost Skene House
Guestrow
Aberdeen AB10 1AS
Tel: +44 01224 641 086
Museum with period rooms and artifacts of domestic life in a medieval townhouse that was once the home of Sir George Skene, Lord Povost (mayor) of Aberdeen. The kitchen has been converted into a cafe.
Hours: Mon-Fri 10:00am-5:00pm, Sat 10:00am-4:00pm, Sun 1:00-3:00pm

Parks and Gardens

Aberdeen is renowned for its beautiful floral displays and is multiple winner of the 'City in Bloom' prize.

Cruickshank Botanic Garden
Alpines, shrubs, and many herbaceous plants, along with rock and water gardens.
University of Aberdeen
St. Machar Drive
Tel: +44 01224 272 704
Hours: Summer Mon - Fri: 9:00am - 5:00pm; Sat - Sun 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Great Garden of Pitmedden
Pitmedden Village
Tel: +44 01651 842 352
Hours: May to Sept: Mon - Sun 10:00am - 4:00pm
Website: Nts.org.uk

Outside Aberdeen

Castles

Aberdeenshire is known as the land of Castles and has many fine examples of Scottish baronial architecture.

Castle Fraser
Impressive fortress-like castle set in 25 acres of parkland. Built between 1575 and 1636 the grounds include an 18th-century walled garden.
Sauchen
Inverurie
Tel: +44 01330 833 463
Closed: Nov-Apr

Dunnottar Castle
This castle is most famous as the setting of Zeffirelli's film, Hamlet. The castle stands on a rocky cliff above the sea and the best way to the castle is a cliff side walk from Stonehaven.
Stonehaven
Tel: +44 01569 762 173

Fyvie Castle
This castle consists of five towers, each named after the families who inhabited the castle over five centuries. The oldest part dates from the 13th century and is claimed by some to be the best existing example of Scottish baronial architecture.

Turriff
Tel: +44 01651 891 266
Closed Nov-Mar

Kildrummy Castle
Kildrummy is the best preserved 13th-century castle in Scotland and the four round towers, the hall, and the chapel date from the original structure. The gatehouse and other parts were built later in the 16th century.
Kildrummy
Closed Dec-Easter
Tel: +44 019755 71331

Seaside

Aberdeen Beach:
Though a little chill for most of the year, on a fine day the long white sands of the Aberdeen Beach are perfect for sunning yourself.

Newburgh Beach
Watch the seals basking and swimming in the estuary or visit the bird sanctuary. Nearby Forvie is the largest sand dune system in Britain and is internationally renowned for its wildlife.

Tours

Whisky Trail:
Along the River Spey is the greatest concentration of single malt distilleries in Scotland. For those interested in the Scottish "Water of Life" there is a 70 mile ( 112km) Whisky Trail that goes to some of the finest distilleries. Many of the distilleries have a Visitor's Centre and well organised guided tours.

Wildlife Reserves

Aberdeenshire has many sites designated as conservation areas for many types of wildlife, from sea birds and animals to ancient forests.

Longhaven Cliffs
This 53 hectare reserve lies 2 miles south of Peterhead, off the A975 road. These spectacular granite cliffs have breeding seabird colonies of international importance. The narrow zone along the cliff top retains semi-natural plant communities such as maritime heath, acid peatland and brackish flushes. All of these are now rare in north-east Scotland.

Gightwood
The Gight Wood reserve is located 1km from South of Cottown, off the Methlick road. It is 34 hectares in size and is some of the largest and least disturbed native woodland in the area. The woods have a mixed deciduous canopy with ash, oak, birch and birdcherry. Lower down in the canopy, hazel, sloe and willow can be found.

Scottish Wildlife Trust