The Silver City with the Golden Sands (Aberdeen in General)

Member Name: kiwiii85

Product:	Aberdeen in General
Date:	16/01/09 (205 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Lots to do, lovely people, I live here :P

Disadvantages: Can be a bit cold and windy!

Aberdeen is a fantastic city in the North East of Scotland and despite living here for more than 20 years, i still appreciate everything it has to offer.

~~~Getting there~~~

There are a variety of ways to get to Aberdeen as it features an airport, train station and bus station. You can also go by car via the A90 but this road can be extremely busy, especially if you hit at rush hour. The train station and bus station have just been refurbished so they are a lot better than they used to be.

~~~Finding your way~~~

All of the main stations feature leaflets and maps leading you into the centre of the city or to tourist attractions and if you don't find what you're looking for there then there is a tourist information shop on the main shopping street (Union Street). You'll also find lots of gifts and the usual gimmicks here.

~~~Aberdeen~~~

Aberdeen has two main nicknames (locals could tell you a lot more) which are the Granite City and the Silver City with the Golden Sands. The Granite city has a very obvious link - most of the buildings in the centre of the city are made from Granite. The second name is a bit more difficult and comes from two parts - the silver city because it was grey granite that sparkles silver in the light and the golden sands because Aberdeen has a very long stretch of beautiful golden sand.

Other names Aberdeen are known by include The Energy Capital of Europe and the Oil Capital of Europe. These names offer simple expanations - Aberdeen's main trade is their oil and gas.

I could go on about the history of Aberdeen for pages and pages but you really need to know what their is to see and do and why Aberdeen is worth the visit.

~~~Scenery~~~

Aberdeen isn't only renowned for it's Granite buildings, but also the two lovely rivers and a fantastic beach. The two main rivers are the River Dee and the River Don. Both of these have spectacular scenery and can make a lovely walk, even if it is pouring down with rain! Everywhere you go on these walks, you will find wildlife. The river Dee is renowned for the Swans (along with some rowers) and the River Don is known for the seals.

There is also a Harbour in Aberdeen that you can look around but if you follow my advice, i'd stay away. It's more for the workers than for tourists and the only thing you'll find here is to be blown away by the strong wind!

There are a number of Cathedral's - St Machar's being the most renowned and it is definitely worth a visit if this is your kind of thing.

There are numerous parks in Aberdeen, but the two you shoud take time to visit are Duthie Park and Hazlehead Park. They are both set in spectacular grounds where you will see a variety of sport being undertaken depending on the time of year.

Duthie Park is famous for the David Welsh winter gardens and people now get married here as it is so spectacular. Along with this, they have two childrens play parks, a cafe and a shop for you to browse in. It features the Rose Hill - a hill surrounded by a variety of gorgeous roses with seats along the way. This is a gorgeous park in the spring or summer, but be warned it can be very chilly in the winter! It's next to the River Dee so they are a lovely thing to combine.

Hazlehead Park has a small animal park for that your children will love along with vast amounts of grass and an excellents childrens park. It also has a maze and a crazy golf so you can really make this a day out. Hazlehead is an important park for anyone from this area as it has the Piper Alpha memorial gardens (you can't describe just how lovely these are).

~~Cadonas Amusement Park~~

Cadonas is a small but fun amusement park that has everything you need on site. It's situated next to the beach so not only do you have on-site meals, but you have a variety of cafes within a couple of minutes walk. You have the usual rides that vary depending on your age, along with dodgems, a bowling allery and your usual arcade games.

~Maritime Museum~

Aberdeen is the oil capital of Europe so where better to learn about the history of oil and gas which goes back around 300 years. It is located in the Ship Row which isn't far from Aberdeen Harbour. In fact, you can look out over the harbour from the Viewpoint within the museum. It also features information on fishing, fishing boats and shipbuilding which have all been major trades in Aberdeen over the centuries.

The main attraction i've found is the giant oil platform they have recreated which is around 8 metres high. If you're visiting with children then this is definately a must. It includes a gift shop and a cafe so you can stay there for as long as you like.

I should also mention that admission here is free.

~Gordon Highlanders Museum~

This is Aberdeen's military museum which mostly features equipment and goods from, yes you guessed it, the Gordon Highlanders regiment. There is roughly a 200 year history here, so if you're interested in the Military i'd definately recommend a visit.

~The Tolbooth Museum~

The Tolbooth Museum is situated in one of Aberdeen's oldest buildings and it was used to hold prisoners who were awaiting a trial or sentencing. The museum features around crime and punishment since the 17th century and the guides are more than willing to answer anything you have to ask. I took my 5 year old nephew on this and he absolutely loved it.

There are two universities along with a College in Aberdeen. Aberdeen University was founded in 1495 so you can imagine the architecture and the collections available for everyone to see.

~~The Art Gallery~~

There is a lovely art gallery here that's only a few minutes walk from Union Street. It has two floors with a lovely cafe and gift shop so you can take a souvenier with you. Admission is free and the only thing i can complain about is the cafe is a bit on the small side so you can't always get a seat as it's so popular.

~~Shopping!~~

My favourite part of any city has got to be the shopping, but much to my disappointment, Aberdeen is suffering greatly as a result of the credit crunch. Big named stores are closing and the main shopping street (Union St) is turning into discount street. Pound shops and cheaper shops such as Primark are flourishing, whereas higher end shops closed months ago.

There are four main shopping centres just off the main street though and although some look rather empty at the moment, they are promising good things to come in the future. New Look, Republic, Dorothy Perkins, ELC and Boots are all part of the biggest shopping centre, Bon Accord. The Shopping centre closest to there is the St Nicholas Centre and it's main features are Next, La Senza, Comet and WH Smiths. Two other shopping centres are the Trinity Centre and the Academy, but these are rarely worth visiting these days unless you want Debenhams, Argos or a trying to be designer shop that doesn't quite cut it.

~~Eating Out~~

There is a restaurant to cover everyones taste on the main shopping street, but most people that live here head for Belmont St with it's pubs galore. Revolution, Slains Castle and Triple Kirks are just three of the nicest places. Union Street is also littered with pubs and restaurants where you can grab cheap or expensive meals depending on the type of food you like.

~~Nightlife~~

The nightlife can be good or it can be atrocious depending on how busy it is in town. There are larger clubs such as Espionage, Tiger Tiger and Liquid, but if you hit a quiet night it will be a complete waste of time. Depending on your taste, there's usually something for everyone.

~~My verdict~~

I didn't think much of Aberdeen before my partner moved here almost 5 years ago. Showing him around the city gave me a completely new perspective on the place that i'd lived but not apreciated until now. There is so much to do in and around Aberdeen, that given the right weather, you could easily spend two weeks holiday enjoying yourself with a different activity every day. How many people can actually say this about where they live and mean it? I haven't listed everything there is to do as my review would be endless so i've picked out what i think are the best parts. This is my opinion, i'm sure others have their own but you'll have to visit to see for yourself :)

Summary: Definitely worth a visit.