Aberdeen

Aberdeen is a cosmopolitan city that boasts some excellent tourist attractions. The historical old town and bustling harbour add to the city’s charm and appeal.

King's College, the centre of Aberdeen University, was founded in 1495 by William Elphinstone, a bishop of Aberdeen. It is home to the King’s College Chapel, which houses the tomb of the founder and other fascinating artefacts dating back to the 15^th century. In front of King's College Chapel stands the Elphinstone Monument, a replacement of the original which was built between 1912 and 1931. The original is thought to have been destroyed in the Scottish Civil War during the 17^th century.

Aberdeen is blessed with three magnificent cathedrals. St Machar’s Cathedral has a famous heraldic ceiling dating back to 1520, while St Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral also has some fine ceiling heraldry as well as strong connections with America and was once visited by a young John F. Kennedy. St Mary's Roman Catholic Cathedral is developing a growing heraldic display. In contrast to the cathedrals are the granite buildings of Marishal College and His Majesty’s Theatre, which give the city its distinctive look.

The Grampian Transport Museum, Gordon Highlanders Museum and McDugg Aquarium in the city are worth visiting and fun for all of the family.

Throughout Scotland, Aberdeen is known as the ‘Flower of Scotland’. This is largely due to the stunningly colourful winter gardens in Duthie Park. The Cruickshank Botanic Gardens in Old Aberdeen are another horticultural delight.

There are some excellent daytrip destinations that are within easy driving distance of Aberdeen. Fittie is a charming fishing village at the mouth of the River Dee that is worth visiting to experience what village life was like in Scotland 50 years ago.

The nearby Grampian Mountains are among the oldest in the world and visitors can enjoy a lovely drive among the many castles for which the area is so famous. Surprisingly, the Aberdeen area claims one of the longest stretches of golden sand beaches in Britain; these are only a short drive from Aberdeen’s city centre.

Aberdeen Airport is served by a number of airlines including British Airways, easyJet and KLM. The airport can be found seven miles from the heart of the city. Aberdeen has direct rail links to major cities in Britain as well as several bus services.