Best things to do in Dundee
Dundee has brilliantly managed to shed its post-industrial image with a reinvigorated cultural scene and an impressive waterfront development based around Discovery, the ship of Captain Scott (‘of the Antarctic’) and a new outpost of the V&A.
Viewpoints and panoramas
Tay Bridges: A mile-and-a-half-long, the bridges offer a magnificent panorama of the city on the northern bank of the Firth; look out for seals bobbing in the water.
Dundee Law: The plug of an extinct volcano and, at 171m, the city’s highest point. Once the site of a 7th-century defensive hillfort, it’s now an impressive lookout point, with great views across the whole city and the Tay.
The best districts
Waterfront: Once a post-industrial area, the now glittering waterfront has been transformed into a vibrant hub, encapsulated by the superb V&A Dundee.
City Centre: Compact and easy to explore, packed with shops, restaurants and cafés. including Murraygate and High Street both of which offer a variety of independent outlets.
Museums
V&A Dundee: Shaped like a futuristic ocean liner, the V&A is the first museum of its kind in Scotland and the only other V&A anywhere in the world outside London; the highlight is the Scottish Design Galleries, which holds a brilliant reconstruction of Charles Rennie Mackintosh’s Ingram Street Tearooms.
McManus Art Gallery and Museum: The ground-floor rooms explore the nature of museums, the surrounding natural landscape and the making of modern Dundee, while upstairs there’s the splendid Victoria gallery, its curved red walls densely hung with an impressive collection of works by masters including Rossetti and Henry Raeburn.
Historical monuments
RRS Discovery: Something of an icon for Dundee’s renaissance, Discovery is a three-mast steam-assisted vessel built in Dundee in 1901 to take Captain Robert Falcon Scott on his polar expeditions.
St Paul’s Episcopal Cathedral: Gothic Revival structure designed by George Gilbert Scott, notable for its vivid if sentimental stained glass and floridly gilded high altar.
HMS Unicorn: An endearingly simple wooden frigate built in 1824, this is the oldest British warship still afloat. Although the interior is sparse, the cannons, the splendid figureheads and the wonderful model of the ship in its fully rigged glory are fascinating.
Parks and gardens
Camperdown Park: Dundee’s largest public park, Camperdown has everything from woodland walks to a wildlife centre.
Baxter Park: A smaller, beautifully landscaped park known for its Victorian pavilion and brilliantly colourful flower beds.
Day trips in the area
St Andrews: A breezy seaside town acknowledged as the home of golf, and possessing Scotland’s oldest university.
Cairngorms: These mountains are home to wildlife such as the capercaillie and the golden eagle, and are a magnet for walkers, climbers and skiers.
Perth: Georgian terraces and imposing civic buildings line the riverside in this genteel city, which is also packed with great art.
Activities for families in Dundee
Dundee has oodles of activities that will keep kids and adults entertained, thanks in the main to the city’s expertise in tech development which has led to a raft of excellent museums.
Beaches: The seaside settlement of Broughty Ferry is a pleasant and relaxing spot with some good restaurants and pubs, and both the beach and the castle’s ‘green’ (or grounds) are popular run-around spots for kids.
Interactive museums: Dundee’s reputation as a centre of technological excellence is manifest in some superb museums, not least the Dundee Science Centre, which is packed with hands-on exhibits and gizmos. Another great option is Verdant Works, where interactive displays bring Dundee’s industrial heritage to life.
Planetarium: From October to March the Mills Observatory planetarium runs a fortnightly show, while the observatory also has special opening times to coincide with eclipses and other astronomical events.
Free things to do in Dundee
You don’t need to spend a lot to enjoy Dundee holidays, with plenty of free attractions and activities if you look hard enough.
Free events: Dundee’s cultural calendar is packed with free events, from music festivals to community fairs. Keep an eye out for the Dundee Summer Streets Festival, which brings live music, food stalls and family entertainment to the city centre.
Street art: Dundee’s creative side is also manifest in numerous street art projects, such as Open/Close Dundee, which is injecting life into the alleyways and forgotten corners of the city, working with local artists - this is a terrific way to enjoy free art in your own time.
Nature and outdoor activities
Dundee is surrounded by a landscape that, weather conditions apart, is extremely attractive for outdoor pursuits at all levels of fitness and ambition.
Hiking and hillwalking: For some challenging hikes, head to the nearby Angus Glens, offering some of the most rugged and majestic landscapes for walking in northeast Scotland; Glen Clova and Glen Doll are particularly beautiful.
Paddleboarding: The River Tay lends itself to a number of water-based activities, but paddleboarding is the big thing here at present. Seek out Paddle Antics who offer guided multi-rider paddleboard trips.
Cycling: Get yourself down to the Dundee Cycle Hub and discover the different parts of Dundee on two wheels. Here you can hire bicycles, get your bike fixed and even refuel with their own speciality coffee at their café.
