A Weekend in Aberdeen: The Granite City’s Quiet Reinvention
For years, Aberdeen’s name was synonymous with oil. The North Sea industry shaped its fortunes — and its skyline — for decades. But in recent years, as the energy sector slowed and global priorities shifted, Scotland’s third-largest city has begun crafting a quieter, more creative narrative.
One of reinvention. One of colour — quite literally.
Because beneath Aberdeen’s famously grey granite façade, something bold is blooming. A new generation of artists, food entrepreneurs, and local visionaries are reshaping the city’s image. And for travellers seeking an off-the-radar weekend in Aberdeen, full of soul, sand, and salty air, this is a destination that delivers.
Marischal College, Aberdeen: Photo Credit: VisitScotland / VisitAberdeenshire
Friday Evening: Start Your Weekend in Aberdeen with Art and Seafood
Arriving in Aberdeen by train, the city greets you with an unexpectedly Continental feel: grand Victorian architecture, cobbled streets, and the shimmer of the North Sea just blocks away.
Check in to a city-centre boutique hotel — Sandman Signature or The Chester Hotel are both stylish options — then begin your weekend in Aberdeen with dinner at Moonfish Café. Hidden down a historic lane just off the Green, this intimate, locally-loved spot serves modern Scottish fare with delicate seafood front and centre. Think hand-dived scallops, East Coast crab, or Shetland salmon, all plated with finesse.
After dinner, take a short walk through the city centre and you’ll begin to spot a transformation in progress: murals. Big, bold, vibrant pieces of street art splash across unexpected walls — remnants of the Nuart Festival, an international urban art event that has turned Aberdeen into a canvas of political commentary, surreal dreamscapes, and bold portraiture. Guided walking tours are available, but even a casual stroll reveals how far the city has come in embracing culture as a tool for revival.
Aberdeen Nuart Street Art. Photo Credit: Iain Cameron / CC BY 2.0
Aberdeen Nuart Street Art. Photo Credit: Iain Cameron / CC BY 2.0
Aberdeen Market Nuart Street Art. Photo Credit: Colin Smith / CC BY 2.0
Saturday: Cafés, Creatives, and the Coastal Air
Begin your weekend in Aberdeen right with breakfast at Foodstory, a plant-based café and creative hub that feels like a slice of Copenhagen by the coast. With mismatched furniture, warm lighting, and shelves of zines and artwork, it’s part coffee shop, part community pulse-point. Their breakfasts — organic porridge, avocado toast, turmeric lattes — are local staples.
Fuelled and ready, make your way toward Footdee — pronounced “Fittie” by locals. This former fishing village, tucked away at the far end of Aberdeen Beach, feels like a movie set. Tiny, flower-boxed cottages cluster around communal greens, each one quirkier than the last. Painted doors, hand-made signs, pirate flags. It’s impossibly charming and entirely authentic — a living reminder of the city’s seafaring roots.
As you walk the harbour wall, keep an eye out toward the water: Aberdeen is one of the best places in Europe to spot dolphins from shore. The mouth of the River Dee is a favourite feeding ground, and the sight of a dolphin’s dorsal fin slicing through the waves, just metres from land, feels almost surreal.
From here, you’re a stone’s throw from the Aberdeen Maritime Museum, or, if the sun’s out, you might prefer a longer wander along the two-mile stretch of sandy beach — windblown, wide, and usually almost empty.
In the evening, enjoy craft beer at Fierce Beer at the Castlegate, or if your weekend in Aberdeen happens to coincide with February, catch the Spectra Festival — a celebration of light art that transforms city landmarks into glowing masterpieces.
Aberdeen Beach Sunrise. Photo Credit: Rab Lawrence/ CC BY 2.0
Footdee Aberdeen. Photo Credit: Nick Bramhall/ CC BY 2.0
Sunday: Coastal Adventures Beyond the City
No weekend in Aberdeen would be complete without a trip beyond the city limits. Just half an hour south by car or train lies Stonehaven, a charming seaside town with a laid-back vibe. Wander the harbour, enjoy a scoop from Aunty Betty’s ice cream shop, or follow the coastal path to Dunnottar Castle — an awe-inspiring ruin perched on dramatic cliffs.
Alternatively, head north to Cruden Bay or Pennan — the latter made famous by the film Local Hero. Whether you’re strolling along salmon-pink cliffs or navigating winding rural roads with the sea always in view, it’s a reminder that nature is never far during a weekend in Aberdeen.
Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven. Photo Credit: Visit Scotland / Kenny Lam
Why a Weekend in Aberdeen is Worth It
Aberdeen won’t shout for your attention. It doesn’t need to. But spend a weekend in Aberdeen, and you’ll begin to notice its quiet confidence. A city finding its second wind — through art, through food, through local pride and a deep connection to its landscape.
Whether you come for the dolphins, the murals, the seafood, or simply the novelty of discovering a lesser-known Scottish gem, you’ll leave with something Aberdeen is only just beginning to reclaim: a sense of delight.
Union Terrace Gardens, Aberdeen. Photo Credit: VisitScotland / Kenny Lam