The coastal city of Aberdeen is, despite its remote seeming location, a prosperous, cosmopolitan city with an international population that has long relied on the sea and, in more recent decades, the oil industry.

The ‘granite’ city boasts grand architecture and captivating museums, fascinating history, a wealth of art and culture, lively social scene and even a beach. Plus, without the tourists crowds that can be found in Edinburgh, the city has a more genuinely Scottish atmosphere to it.

Inland, the surrounding region is peppered with hundreds of castles, dozens of whisky distilleries and famous golf courses. The coastline is lined with quaint fishing villages and dramatic Highland scenery of the Cairngorms National Park is a short distance west.

Accommodation in Aberdeen

Here are some of our travel designers' favourite options