Things to see & do in Aberdeen

Step into the wide open spaces and delightful hidden nooks of the recently refurbished Aberdeen Art Gallery. Take your time and browse the various works of art, design, paintings and more. There are a range of famous Scottish artists to discover – including Joan Eardley and Samuel Peploe – as well as internationally acclaimed artists including Barbara Hepworth, Francis Bacon and Claude Monet. Finish off your visit with an artisan coffee and fresh pastry on the rooftop café where you can admire views across the Granite City. 

Explore Aberdeen Art Gallery 

Feel history come alive as you walk up the old path to St Machar's Cathedral. It sits in the former burgh of Old Aberdeen, an area you can easily spend the whole day exploring with its stone streets and distinctive architecture. Pause at the entrance of this 12th-century cathedral to marvel at the unique heraldic ceiling and fortified west front with its dramatic twin turrets. See the beautiful colours filter through the stained-glass windows and illuminate this place of worship. 

Visit St Machar's Cathedral 

Grab a coffee to go and enjoy a leisurely stroll through the cobbled streets and medieval architecture of Old Aberdeen. Dotted with university buildings and green trees, it’s a world away from the bustle of the city. Feel the fresh breeze through the trees in Cruickshank Botanic Garden or explore the more modern university buildings at the distinctive Sir Duncan Rice Library. Extend your adventure with a riverside walk, listening to the gentle babble of the River Don as you traverse the Brig o' Balgownie – a stone bridge believed to date back to the late 13th or early 14th century with links to Robert the Bruce and Byron. 

Explore Old Aberdeen 

Stretch your legs and wander beneath the big trees and through open green spaces at Duthie Park, which sits in the south side of Aberdeen. Step inside the famous David Welch Winter Gardens, one of the largest indoor gardens in Europe, where you can see a range of exotic plants. Let the kids run wild in the family play areas, watch the boats bobbing on the boating pond or get your heart pumping on the sports fields. 

Enjoy the fresh air at Duthie Park 

Tucked away on the cobbled streets leading down to the harbour is Aberdeen Maritime Museum. Get to know Aberdeen’s longstanding history with the sea through displays that cover shipbuilding, fishing, the history of ports and more. Slow down and take in their incredible range of maritime paintings and artefacts, with touchscreen consoles, computer visual databases, an education room and hands-on exhibits that are perfect for those with kids. Stand by the cathedral-like windows in their main exhibition room and watch the boats and ferries sail in and out of the busy working harbour below.  

Discover the Aberdeen Maritime Museum 

Learn more about the people of Aberdeen at Provost Skene's House – the oldest surviving town house in the city that dates back to 1545. Explore the twisting streets at this historic end of town and step behind the old stone walls and turrets to discover a wealth of information about the famous and influential people of the north east. Lose yourself in the stories and achievements of people that were born and raised in this corner of Scotland, from scientists and writers to those who made it to the big screen. 

Learn more at Provost Skene's House 

Hear the gulls soar overhead as you head to Aberdeen Beach, a short walk from the city centre. Enjoy the peace of the waves rolling in against the sandy shore and keep your eyes fixed on the horizon for leaping dolphins. Take the whole family to the nearby leisure centre, ice rink, climbing centre, skatepark, cafés, restaurants and fun fair dotted along the shorefront.   

Get some sea air at Aberdeen Beach and Queen's Links 

Scotland is Home of Golf. Pack up the golf bags and set off on a day soaking up some of Aberdeenshire’s most iconic landscapes whilst you hone your game. Tee off against the roar of the sea with a backdrop of the white sand dunes and vast horizon of the coastline at championship courses such as Royal Aberdeen. Venture inland and play golf amongst bends in the river and wild mountains on pristine links courses such as Cruden Bay, Royal Deeside and Murcar Links. 

Tee off on Aberdeen’s golf courses

Immerse yourself in military history at The Gordon Highlanders Museum. Spark your imagination with films, displays and exhibitions that bring the 200-year-old story of the Gordon Highlanders to life, from the Napoleonic Wars through to the present day. Look out for the detailed replica WWI trench and learn more about the people who Winston Churchill described as the ‘finest regiment in the world’. Finish your trip with a cup of tea and local bake at the café where you can take the time to reflect and enjoy the bright colours of the gardens. 

Experience the Gordon Highlanders Museum

This list was created by VisitScotland to showcase a range of experiences. It isn’t ranked in any specific order.