When you think of Scotland you immediately think of Edinburgh, but just like Ireland, Scotland has many hidden gems, and Aberdeen is one of them.

Also known as ‘granite city’, the picturesque city offers a stunning castle, seaside views and pure relaxation,

We flew to Aberdeen with Aer Lingus Regional, staying city centre in the Jury’s Inn.

The hotel is actually located within a shopping centre, perfect for anyone looking to indulge in some shopping (that’s me FYI).

Union Square is packed full of the usual high street stores such as Zara and H&M. It also has an impressive selection of restaurants and bars and you can relax in a gorgeous day spa.

The train and bus stations are also located within Union Square which makes it as central as it gets. Most of the city is in a short walking distance.

Day 1

We decided to go walking around the city.  This city is a shoppers dream with Union Square the Trinity Centre (home to a giant Primark) and also the high street.

You could easily spend two full days exploring the shops which makes it a perfect location for a girlie getaway or a hens weekend.

We explored the shops around the town and went for lunch back in Union Square as it has a whole floor of restaurants such as TGI’s, Las Iguanas and Zizzi’s.

That evening we had pre-dinner drinks at the hotel bar which has huge panoramic windows that look out onto Union Square with great views of the city its a perfect spot to people watch over a nice glass of wine.

We headed back down to the high street and stopped into ‘Electric Fizz’ Aberdeen’s very nice Champagne bar. We headed to Topolabamba’s for dinner which is a Mexican street food and cocktail bar. I love Mexican food and hunt out a Mexican restaurant every time I travel.

This restaurant is probably one of the best Mexican restaurants I have ever been to. The food was amazing and tapas style which I love. The atmosphere was relaxed and fun the staff were lovely and welcoming.

Day 2

You can’t go to Aberdeen without experiencing something very traditionally Scottish – and you will definitely find that at Dunnottar castle.

The picturesque castle will make you feel like you’re smack bang in the middle of a movie set from Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings.

Dating as far back as the third century, you will really get some culture here, and the views are stunning. And it actually was used as a move set before – thismedieval fortress perched on a rock jutting out to sea was used for scenes in the movie Brave Heart.

This is a must-see entry fee is £7 for an adult and £3 for a child.

Dunnottar Castle is just an hour out side the city by bus which you can conveniently catch right at the bus station which is also located inside the Union Square shopping centre. We took the X7 which leaves approx every hour and is around £4 each way.

The bus stops right outside the castle and its not hard to spot when you get off. Be prepared to spend the whole day at the castle, its surrounded by a lovely beach and the castle its self takes some time to get around.

 

That evening we headed to The Social Club which again is just off the high street and about a five minute walk from the hotel. Its a cool laid back bar that has live music every night and serves unique cocktails.

Day 3

On our final day we headed to the beach front to take in the gorgeous Scottish air.

As well as calming views there’s also huge amusement park and lots of coffee and ice cream shops. It’s about a 15 minute walk from the hotel.

Aberdeen is perfect for a girls weekend or a chilled couples weekend away so it can work both ways. And my other half thought the day trip to Dunnottar castle was one of the best things he’s seen in his life.

Everywhere we ate we liked and the people were just so friendly. I loved how central the hotel was and I felt this made the whole trip more relaxing.

Aer Lingus Regional, operated by Stobart Air, operates up to 11 flights per week from Dublin to Aberdeen with fares from €34.99 one way, including taxes and charges.

For more information on fare and flight times, visit www.aerlingus.com

The Jury’s Inn is located in Union Square and room’s start at €60

For more information www.jurysinns.com/hotels/aberdeen</p