Staycations
Suggested itinerary
Day One
In the heart of the ‘Granite City’, you might be surprised to find golden sand as far as the eye can see at Aberdeen Beach (in fact, the beach is one mile long!). The art-deco inspired esplanade runs from Footdee (pronounced locally as Fittie), an idyllic fishing village with buckets of charm to Donmouth Nature Reserve.
Staying on the coast, head up to Torry Battery overlooking the harbour. This old fortification is a popular location for viewing the pod of bottlenose dolphins that feed in the surrounding waters. So make sure you keep your eyes on the sea as you might be able to spot them!
Day Two
For a complete change of scenery, head to the pretty cobbled lanes of Old Aberdeen. With so many unique sights you can spend a whole afternoon here.
Start at the 13th century Brig o' Balgownie and head towards St Machar's Cathedral. Built in the 15th century, the cathedral is known for its striking heraldic ceiling. It hasn’t had a bishop since 1609, therefore it is only a cathedral by name and more of a high kirk. It is free to enter the cathedral and lovely to have a look around the very impressive architecture. From the cathedral it's worth carrying on towards the impressive Kings College and Powis Gate.
Day Three
Take a whisky inspired trip to discover 'The Secret Malts of Aberdeenshire', produced by a number of distilleries dating from the 18th and 19th centuries.
Don't worry about who will be the driver for the day, you can create a bespoke guided tour with a number of different local tour guides and tours highlighting the best of the Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
Day Four
With over 260 castles, stately homes and ruins dotting its landscape, Aberdeenshire is unsurprisingly known as 'Scotland's Castle County'. There are more castles per acre than anywhere else in the UK and you can discover 19 of the most famous and dramatic castles in Aberdeenshire on Scotland's Castle Trail. The full train takes six days but you can dip in and out to enjoy as many days of history as you'd like.
Whilst you’re walking between sights, keep your eyes peeled around the city for the street art. There are many incredible pieces of art all around the city within walking distance, most created in conjunction with Nuart.
Day Five
Take a trip to Aberdeen’s fantastic Art Gallery which reopened in 2019 after an extensive redevelopment before visiting the Maritime and Tolbooth museums. The Tolbooth Museum is housed in one of Aberdeen's oldest buildings on Union Street and packed full of grisly tales of crime and punishment from the 17th century.
Day Six
If science is more of your thing, the Aberdeen Science Centre has recently had a transformational renovation, meaning this attraction just got even better! With over 60 new interactive exhibits await visitors, including The OPITO Theatre of Energy - the UK’s first immersive experience of its kind - and RoboThespian, a chatty humanoid robot.
Attend a live event afterwards perhaps? With amazing venues like P&J Live, His Majesty’s Theatre, The Music Hall, The Blue Lamp and The Lemon Tree playing host to west end shows, comedy gigs, live music and literature events, there’s an event to match every city break to Aberdeen! Take a look at our What’s On page and see what’s coming up this year.
Day Seven
If you feel like you need a rest on your final day in Aberdeen, we have just the spot for you.
Despite the wonderful indoor attractions that Aberdeen has to offer, this city has beautiful open spaces plotted throughout the city such as Seaton Park; a serene place for a walk in the north of Aberdeen. There are also grassy areas, perfect for a picnic and a garden area with stunning plants, especially in the summer months.