black and white boat on water near city buildings during daytime

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is a granite city on the North Sea, used for castle day trips and as a departure point for ferries to Orkney and Shetland.

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Aberdeen is Scotland's third-largest city, on the northeast coast about 130 miles north of Edinburgh. It is called the Granite City because much of its older center is built from local granite, which gives the streets a gray, solid look. The city grew on fishing and, from the 1970s, on North Sea oil and gas, so a working harbor and office towers sit beside the old stone streets.

Dunnottar Castle, a ruined fortress on a clifftop near Stonehaven south of the city, makes a day trip, and the castles of Aberdeenshire are the other main reason to leave town. The NorthLink ferry sails from Aberdeen to Kirkwall in Orkney and to Lerwick in Shetland, so the city is also a departure point for the islands. Late spring and summer bring the longest days, which suits castle drives and coast walks. Plan two nights if you want a full day out and an evening in town, or one night if you are catching an early sailing.

Aberdeen in five

Board the Orkney ferry at Jamieson's QuayNorthLink says the Aberdeen terminal is a five-minute walk from the bus and train stations. The Kirkwall sailing leaves at 17:00 and reaches Hatston at 23:00 on certain days, so check which days run.Kirkwall guide
Plan Dunnottar around the weatherThe castle's site lists seasonal hours, says it may close in bad weather and asks you to check the Met Office first. It stands 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven.
Treat Aberdeenshire's castles as a separate tripCrathes, Fyvie and the other inland castles each keep their own seasons and prices. The Northeast Scotland guide sorts them by cluster, so spend a base night here and a day on the loop there.Northeast Scotland
Arriving from abroad? Check each ETAGOV.UK says each person traveling needs an ETA, including babies and children, and you must wait for the confirmation email before you travel to the UK.UK ETA explained
Ride the line to HuntlyHistoric Environment Scotland lists regular trains to Huntly from Aberdeen (1 hour 20 minutes) and Inverness (1 hour), with the castle about 1 mile from the station. Its seasons are in the Northeast guide.

Things to do in Aberdeen

See all attractions in Aberdeen

Church · AberdeenKing's College Chapel

Museum · AberdeenThe Tolbooth Museum

Museum · AberdeenProvost Skene's House

Free trip plannerPlan a trip to AberdeenPut the places you like in Aberdeen on a map, give them days, and let one button order each day. Free, with no account.Plan a trip

Need to know

Airport: Aberdeen International (ABZ)
Getting there: Trains from Inverness; flights; Caledonian Sleeper from London
Getting around: Walk the center; bus or car for castles and the coast
Best base: Near Union Street and the station; harbor for early ferries
Time needed: 1 to 2 nights; 3 with the castle trail

Weather by month

Rainy days
Snowy days

Best
Good
Mixed
Poor

JanuaryPartly cloudy11 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh6°Low1°Cold, windy
FebruaryRain12 rainy days1 snowy dayHigh7°Low2°Cold, quiet
MarchRain14 rainy daysHigh8°Low2°Cool, bright
AprilRain12 rainy daysHigh10°Low3°Cool, quiet
MayRain13 rainy daysHigh13°Low6°Mild, long days
JuneRain14 rainy daysHigh16°Low9°Long days
JulyRain18 rainy daysHigh17°Low11°Warm, busy
AugustRain15 rainy daysHigh17°Low11°Warm, busy
SeptemberRain13 rainy daysHigh15°Low9°Mild, calmer
OctoberRain16 rainy daysHigh12°Low7°Autumn light
NovemberRain16 rainy daysHigh8°Low4°Dark, wet
DecemberRain14 rainy daysHigh7°Low3°Cold, short days

Average daily high and low in Aberdeen, 2016–2025. Rainy day: 1 mm of rain or more.

Right now in Aberdeen

Local time, today's weather and the exchange rate, refreshed through the day.

Feels like: 4°
Humidity: 92%
Wind: 10 km/h
Chance of rain: 1%

Aberdeen

08:47 PM

Monday, November 2

GMT+0

Today11°4°1%Monday: Cloudy. High 11°, Low 4°. Chance of rain 1%.
Tue11°6°6%Tuesday: Rain. High 11°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 6%.
Wed10°5°4%Wednesday: Cloudy. High 10°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 4%.
Thu9°6°13%Thursday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 13%.
Fri9°5°29%Friday: Drizzle. High 9°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 29%.
Sat8°6°25%Saturday: Drizzle. High 8°, Low 6°. Chance of rain 25%.
Sun8°5°20%Sunday: Cloudy. High 8°, Low 5°. Chance of rain 20%.

Updated 05:34 PM local time · Powered by WeatherAPI.com · Weather data by Open-Meteo.com

Money

Mid-market rate1 USD = 0.7469 GBP

Amount

Converted to

GBP · British Pound

Rates from Nov 2, 2026 · Rates By Exchange Rate API

What's on in Aberdeen

Concerts, festivals and big events in and around the city

Events calendar

Coming up

P&J Live · concertWestlife 25: The Anniversary World TourNov 3, 2026 · Rooms near the venue

Day trips by train

Dunnottar Castleby car, or train to StonehavenA clifftop ruin that can close in high wind; check hours and the weather first.
Northeast castle trailby carCrathes, Fyvie and the Moray castles, with seasons and prices in one guide.Read the guide
Huntly Castle1 hour 20 minutes by trainThe nearest Historic Environment Scotland castle on a rail line; its seasons are in the Northeast guide.

Before you go to Aberdeen

Hire car for castle drivesCastles sit off the rail lineCompare cars

Aberdeenshire day tripsCastle and coast loops without drivingCompare day trips

eSIM for the northeastFerry bookings and castle ticketsRead the guide

Insurance for ferry tripsCover for gale-delayed sailingsRead the guide

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Rules for Aberdeen, checked

Dunnottar Castle: 9am to 6pm 1 April to 30 September, 10am to 5pm 1 to 24 October; last entry one hour before closing; may close in bad weather.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
NorthLink Aberdeen to Kirkwall: 154 miles by sea; leaves 17:00, reaches Hatston 23:00 on certain days; the return reaches Aberdeen at 07:00.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source
Huntly Castle: regular trains from Aberdeen (1 hour 20 minutes) and Inverness (1 hour); the castle is about 1 mile from the station.Checked Oct 2, 2026 · Source

Plan around Aberdeen

Northeast Scotland

Castle loops, the coast and whisky towns

Read the guide Kirkwall

The Orkney ferry port and St Magnus Cathedral

Read the guide Inverness

The other northern rail and air hub

Read the guide Edinburgh

Rail and sleeper links south

Read the guide Shetland

The overnight NorthLink ship to Lerwick

Read the guide Trains, buses and cars

Hire cars and rural rail links

Read the guide All of Scotland

Cities, islands and the UK ETA

Read the guide

Aberdeen FAQ

How many days do you need in Aberdeen?

One night is enough for the city and a ferry departure. Two or three nights suit the castle and coast loops, which are the reason most visitors come.

Is Aberdeen worth visiting?

It works best as a gateway. The center has granite streets and museums, but the draw is Dunnottar, the castles and the NorthLink boat to Orkney and Shetland. Pair it with Inverness on a northeast loop.

How do you get from Aberdeen to Orkney?

NorthLink sails from Aberdeen to Hatston, outside Kirkwall, on certain days, leaving at 17:00. Or drive north to Scrabster for the 90 minute sailing to Stromness.

Can you visit Dunnottar Castle from Aberdeen without a car?

Yes in principle. The castle's site says you can visit by car, bicycle, train or on foot, and lists it 1.6 miles south of Stonehaven. Check the walk and the weather closure notice first.

When is the best time to visit Aberdeen?

May to September gives the longest days and the most open attractions. Several Historic Environment Scotland castles in the region close from October, so autumn trips need a tighter list.