Air
Aberdeen Airport is 5 miles from Aberdeen and it has a small number of international flights if you do fly in here you have a few options for getting to the city centre. The best way to get there is by bus and for full bus times check out www.travelinescotland.co.uk.

Taxi
There is a selection of taxis available and you can get to the city for around £20 or get to Dyce train station via a short taxi ride.

Train
Aberdeen station is the main train station and it is in the middle of town next to the harbour and bus station. You can catch trains to and from all the major towns and cities from this Station. To check times visit www.trainline.co.uk 

Bus
The bus station is right next to the train station in the centre of town and from here you can catch buses to the main destinations in Scotland’s. You can catch a bus from Glasgow or Inverness direct, with the journey times being 3 and 5 hours approximately. To come from Edinburgh you need to change buses at Perth, the Megabus operates a good low cost check there website for details.

The best way to get around Aberdeen is to pick up a street map and follow it on foot around the city. Most of the attractions are located in the city centre.

There are some attractions out with the city centre and to get to these it is best to use the bus network. There are 22 buses that run in the centre of Aberdeen and you can catch most of them from union street.

If you want to go to the Islands of Shetland or Orkney you can get a P&O operated ferry from Jamiesons Quay at the harbour.

If you are wanting some exercise you could explore by bicycle, you can cycle from Aberdeen city centre to Peterculter along the Old Deeside Railway line. There are signs placed along the line with bits of history about the line and how it came to be.

Aberdeen Art Gallery
Aberdeen Art Gallery is a good place to start your tour of Aberdeen, entry is free and it is housed in an old Victorian building with a marble and granite hall. Inside you will find a wide range of decorative art, including work by the Impressionists and the Scottish Colourists. There are regular special exhibitions on as well check for detail.

Maritime Museum
Another free attraction that is worth visiting is the five star rated Maritime Museum, here you will find out about Aberdeen’s long sea history. This is Aberdeen’s oldest surviving building and the only place in the UK where you can see displays on the North Sea oil industry.

If it is a nice day then you could have a relaxing day out at Aberdeen’s 2 mile long beach. There are fair ground rides and plenty of bars and restaurants to keep people of all ages entertained. Nearby there is also a swimming pool, football stadium and golf course to enjoy.

If you have a car or are willing to get on a few buses you may want to explore some castles or distilleries. The castle trail and malt whisky trail are both close by.

Budget/Backpackers
The only backpacker in Aberdeen is the SYHA Hostel located near the city centre. Here you can pick up a bed from £14.50 a night and facilities include internet access and washing machines. If you want a cheap guest house try the 3 star Butler's Islander Guest House a Georgian townhouse in the city centre. Prices start at £50 per night.

Intermediate
For some 4 star accommodation and a low price you can’t go wrong at the Thistle Aberdeen Altens hotel. It is 3 miles from Aberdeen and it has an Otium fitness centre for you to enjoy and prices start from £57 per room. If you would like something more central try the Thistle Aberdeen Caledonian which is only 400 meters from the train station. A room here starts at £77 per night.

Luxury
For some five star luxury try The Marcliffe of Pitfoddels which is just outside the city centre in 11 acres of woodland grounds. Many of the rooms have antique furniture and there is a wine cellar that holds over 400 wines and more than 100 malts. A standard room costs £205 or you can get a suite with champagne and dinner for £305.

Budget
For those on a budget give Jimmy Chung's a try, there is a lunch menu from under £5 per person and diner starts at £11. There is a good Chinese menu and vegetarian options are available.

Traditional
Café 52 offers some good well priced food in a relaxed setting, it constantly gets good reviews and the prices are quite reasonable.

Fine Dining
The Olive Tree offers some high quality food including some Aberdeen Angus fillets, a 3 course meal starts at around £30. If you want some really good seafood then try out The Silver Darling Restaurant which offers a view of the harbour and a elegant setting. Again it is around £30 for 3 courses.

For the keen shopper there are plenty of options in Aberdeen to suit anyone’s tastes. The main shopping area is along Union Street where you will find the high street favourites W.H.Smith and M&S.

There is a good selection of indoor shopping options as well, the largest mall being The Bon Accord St Nicholas Shopping Centre which is on two levels and offers 630,000ft of retail therapy! The main stores include John Lewis, Virgin and HMV.

Other indoor option includes The Academy shopping centre, with more upmarket stores. The Mall is another centre with well known for its high street brands such as Argos and Waterstones.

The main area for the nightlife in Aberdeen is the pedestrianised belmont street just off union street, here you will find a wide range of bars and nightclubs.

Pubs

Revolution Bar
One of the coolest places to drink is Aberdeen's Revolution Bar which is furnished with leather sofas and has two levels. It is well known for its vodka selection with over 50 of the best vodkas from the likes of Poland and Russia.

Illict Still
For a relaxed atmosphere and a chance to watch sports events try the Illicit Still on Guest Row. There are promotions on Monday and Friday, such as 2 for 1 cocktail pictures.

Clubs

Snafu
For the late night partying try the Snafu club located at the Castlegate end of Union Street. Here you can get a good selection of spirits and cocktails and also some good music from R&B to good DJs.

Priory
A place you will love or hate, has free entry and plays cheesy music all night.

Espionage