One of the biggest three cities in Scotland next to Edinburgh and Glasgow, Aberdeen offers a wide variety of things to do and see. First of all the city is located on the east coast of Scotland and is about 170 kilometers north of the border with United Kingdom.
Aberdeen is also know by some of its nicknames like “Silver City” and “Grey City” because of its large granite mining industry. However more recently it also goes by the name of “Oil Capital of Europe” due to the large oil reserves discovered there in 1970’s.
Aberdeen is divided into two sections: New Aberdeen and Old Aberdeen. The two parts of the city have merged into one, but still hold on to their identity from the medieval ages. At the start of the 18th century, the city was beginning to develop and many new beautiful buildings began to emerge from this once just a simple fishing village. What is interesting is that the newly developed infrastructure was so expensive that at one point the city bankrupt in 1817, but was restored as the end of French Napoleonic Wars brought some prosperity. Actually, the architecture is one of the top features in this city and can be seen pretty much anywhere but especially in the core of the city.
One of the classic buildings that represent old architecture is the Marischal College. It holds the 2nd place as the largest granite building in the world while the first one is Madrid’s El Escorial. Just as impressive to look at is the Salvation Army Citadel. Known for its fanciful turrets it is one of the prime examples of Scottish Baronial style architecture.
Families can spend some quality time in the Aberdeen Satrosphere. A ton of different thing to see any try out like building your own human size soap bubble or see inside the anthill is an instant giveaway for a great family adventure. Since Aberdeen is a coastal city it’s safe to assume that there’s a fish market, and you would be right. If you get up early enough you can stroll to the market and look around, but it is all over by 8 o’clock. But if you don’t feel like getting up so early then you can still visit the Maritime Museum and see for yourself the whole maritime history of Aberdeen captured in one building.
Aberdeen is a great place to start exploring Scotland. Not famous for just its medieval spirit, but the rich history that can be felt in almost every building in the city. The city is calm but lively at the same time and the close proximity to Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow make it an excellent entry point into Scotland.
Attractions: Aberdeen Fish Market, Aberdeen Maritime Museum, Aberdeen Satrosphere, Marischal College, Aberdeen Art Gallery, St Machar’s Cathedral, Bullers of Buchan, King’s College Chapel, Duthie Park Winter Gardens, North East Falconry Center, University of Aberdeen Library, City Beach, Fasque House
