Destination: Aberdeen

In Destination: Aberdeen we find the 3rd largest city in Scotland, as well as Marischal College, which is the 2nd largest granite building in the world.
Aberdeen is one of the most architecturally distinctive cities in Europe. If that isn’t enough to get your attention, Aberdeen has two Old Towns.
The first Old Town is Old Aberdeen, where you can see a 15th-century fortified cathedral as well as the University of Aberdeen. It was established in 1495.
The second Old Town is Footdee, or ‘Fittie’. It is a picturesque fishing quarter that has quaint cottages, vibrant gardens, and a rich maritime heritage.


Aberdeen is a city that can be toured by car, bike, or walking. There are routes and trails for any kind of touring through Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire that your heart desires!
Aberdeen: Budget-Friendly Destination
If you are looking for a budget-friendly destination, Aberdeen has plenty to offer. There’s the Aberdeen beach and plenty of green space with parks. Then there are museums, art galleries, historic colleges, as well as sculptures and statues that you can visit for free.
I feel like an infomercial, “But WAIT! You also get__” because, if you download the Historic Environment Scotland app, you can find free things to see like St Machar’s Cathedral Transepts.

And we have another, “But WAIT!”. Don’t forget about the two old towns in Aberdeen with all of their historic buildings. If you need help with budget-friendly planning, VisitScotland lists out 10 Things to see & do in Aberdeen for free.

When I started planning this 2025 trip to Scotland, I wasn’t all that interested in Aberdeen. Certainly not like I was extremely excited about seeing Stirling with Stirling Castle, all of the surrounding statues and the Wallace Monument. Or how I was overjoyed when we contemplated going to Edinburgh with the castle, museums, historic streets and tours. But now that I’ve gotten a closer look at Aberdeen and all of the fascinating history I’ve definitely had a change of heart. I realize that there is no possible way to see everything. I’m grateful for this Scotland adventure, and I’m looking forward to whatever sights I am blessed with seeing!
If you have been to Aberdeen, please share with us some of you favorite things. Or if Aberdeen is on your ‘I want to go there’ list, what is it that you want to see or do?
All of the images came from Pixabay. A special thanks to photographers: libellule789 for Aberdeen University, ALEXNEWWORLD for Old Town Fishermans House, Jmclellon for harbour harbor Aberdeen, and Graham-H for Aberdeen Scotland.