The city of Aberdeen stands on the north west coast of the United Kingdom, facing the North Sea. It’s the third biggest city in Scotland, and if you have a hire car you’ll find Aberdeen is a compact city with a waterfront and harbour. It has strong links with North Sea oil exploration, which has helped make it one of Scotland’s more affluent areas. Aberdeen is 130 miles to the north west of the Scottish capital Edinburgh, and 550 miles north of the UK capital London. It sits between the mouths of the Rivers Dee and Don, and although there are long sandy beaches and dunes, the city is not known as a seaside resort.
If you have a hire car in Aberdeen you can explore the compact city centre or find the attractions further afield, like the sand dunes stretching to Fraserburgh to the north, or the local ‘Castle Trail’. In the city itself you’ll find one of the UK’s busiest seaports and good coastal walks. The beaches look good but the harsh North Sea climate rarely makes them popular for bathing. Aberdeen is nicknamed the ‘Granite City’ because of the ubiquitous use of the local rock in the buildings. Marischal College is the world’s largest granite building. You’ll find even some of the roads are made of the sparkly grey rock.
