Even though it’s the third largest city in Scotland, Aberdeen on the north-east coast retains a distinct air of self-sufficiency thanks to its heavy-hitting industrial power in electronics, life sciences, and oil. Aberdeen is on the top of the UK’s economic growth table and has a lot of character to reveal to visitors. HAPPYCAR is here to help you find the best car hire Aberdeen has to offer so you can take full advantage of this prosperous city, and a direct car hire Aberdeen Airport is also available. We check the prices of international and local providers so that you don’t have to check each website, and provide you with the best deals to make your money go further for a car hire that fits your specific vacation needs.
General Information
Aberdeen was always a strong mercantile center and important port, but since the 1970's the North Sea oil industry has driven the city to new heights of wealth and pride. Alongside its title as the Oil Capital of Europe, Aberdeen enjoys more sun than many other Scottish cities, large tracts of green land and is widely regarded as the happiest place in Britain. Aberdeen is seen as being more authentic, despite the touristic dominance of Edinburgh and Glasgow, and there is plenty to keep you occupied for a few days before deciding to head out with an Aberdeen car rental to experience the beautiful, wild surroundings of Aberdeenshire with its castles, golf, whiskey and other stunning natural spectacles.
To Do
Aberdeen is home to many quality museums where you can learn a lot about the region and Aberdeen’s place in it, such as the Aberdeen Maritime Museum and the Aberdeen Art Gallery, with collections dating back to the 15th century. The city outskirts also hosts Scotland’s only dedicated Castle Trail, accessible with a car hire in Aberdeen, which brings together 17 of Aberdeenshire’s most iconic castles. Aberdeen city is home to a cosmopolitan city center and considered the shopping capital of north Scotland with a trip to the Union Street is highly recommended. The city also hosts a number of annual festivals and as there is a strong literary vein in Aberdeen, the University of Aberdeen Writer’s festival, held every May, is a highlight of Scotland’s cultural calendar.
Attractions
Grand architecture is one of the city's distinctive features, particularly Neoclassical, Gothic Revival and Scottish Baronial styles. The local stone, quarried in the city and throughout Aberdeenshire, was granite, and you can find many of the buildings in the city made up of this grey rock, shimmering silver in the rain. It is for this reason that Aberdeen has been given the moniker, The Granite City. The restored Marischal College on Broad Street is an excellent example of this, displaying what poet John Betjeman called, "tower on tower, forests of pinnacles, a group of palatial buildings rivalled only by the Houses of Parliament at Westminster." The Salvation Army Citadel on the Castlegate is an excellent example of the Scottish Baronial style, with its fairy-tale turrets, while a walk up Union Street with its mile of impressive granite buildings is a must.
Eating
There are hundreds of restaurants in Aberdeen catering for every taste, and are very easy to find throughout the city. A particular favourite of locals, however, is an Aberdeen buttery or bread roll, otherwise known as a rowie. This snack is a cross between a pancake and a croissant, often eaten with butter or jam and a cup of tea.
Excursions
Aberdeen is an excellent place from which to explore the surrounding region, chock full of beautiful, interesting features of Scotland. Stonehaven, a small, picturesque town just south of the city, is an excellent day trip, along with many spectacular castles that are perhaps best done with a tour. The city is so well located that an Aberdeen rental car can take you all along the coast, to Dundee within 1.5 hours or Edinburgh within 2.5 hours.