Dundee
Dundee is Scotland’s fourth largest city, and lies on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which leads into the North Sea.
In recent years Dundee has become known for its technological industries, with the city now accounting for 10% of the UK’s digital entertainment industry. The city’s universities draw a large number of students, particularly from abroad, with students in general accounting for 14.2% of the population.
The home of DC Thomson, Dundee is most famous in the Scotland for the creation of iconic cartoon characters such as Dennis the Menace, Desperate Dan, and legendary Scottish favourites such as Oor Wullie, and The Broons.
Things To Do
The city has a lively arts scene and blossoming cultural quarter. Although not as pretty as some other Scottish cities such as Edinburgh, don’t let Dundee’s industrial past put you off. If you look beyond the exterior there are a whole host of things to do here if you are looking for a great day out.
The nearby Championship golf at Carnoustie is now on par with other internationally renowned golfing destinations such as St Andrews and Gleneagles. You can visit the award winning Verdant Works, Discovery Point (complete with Royal Research Ship Discovery that Captain Scott sailed to the Antarctic.) You can also see the H.M. Frigate Unicorn, the oldest British built warship still afloat.
A little east along the coast is Broughton Ferry, home of Broughton Castle, and a great location for overlooking the harbour. Just four miles away is also the little village of Tealing, with the Tealing Doocot, and Tealing Souterrain, both cared for by Historic Scotland.
Areas
The two most notable areas in Dundee are the City Centre, and West End.
City Centre – The city centre is characterised by wide Victorian streets, and late 19th Century architecture. There has also been £270m worth of waterfront regeneration, along with retail and residential properties, making the city centre of Dundee a good place to live, work, and shop.
West End – The west end of the city is where the University of Dundee is situated. As a result of the high percentage of students in this area, there is an abundance of pubs, restaurants, and independent shops located in this area. The West End almost has an identity of it’s own in Dundee, and is quite simply the cool place to hang out.
Transport
By Air
Dundee has a small airport, servicing mostly domestic flights, with CityJet and Loganair the only airlines operating regular scheduled passenger flights. The city is however, only a few hours drive from Edinburgh Airport. If you do decide to book flights to Dundee directly, be sure to book them online and save yourself a bit of time and money!
By Rail
Dundee has one main railway station serving the whole city situated on the East Coast Main Line. There are regular trains running between Dundee and other Scottish cities such as Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Perth, as well as direct trains to London.
By Bus
There are many bus and coach services running from Dundee Seagate Bus Station. These include National Express, CityLink, Megabus and Travel Dundee.
The average cost of a ticket from Dundee to Edinburgh or Glasgow is approximately £8.
Landmarks and Places of Interest
McManus Galleries
The McManus Galleries are located in the centre of Dundee. It houses a museum and art gallery with a collection of fine and decorative art, as well as a natural history collection.
Broughty Castle
Broughty Castle is situated in the Broughty Ferry area of the city, and dates back to around 1454.
Mills Observatory
The Mills Observatory is the only full-time public astronomical observatory in the UK. Built in 1935, the observatory houses a Victorian refracting telescope, a small planetarium, and display areas.
Tay Rail Bridge
The Tay Bridge is a rail bridge approximately 2.25 miles (3.5 kilometres) long, that spans the Firth of Tay between Dundee and Fife. A trip by rail across the bridge can offer some stunning views of the city.
Discovery Point
The RRS Discovery was the last wooden three-mast ship to be built in Britain. The ships first mission was for the British National Antarctic Expedition, carrying Robert Falcon Scott and Ernest Shackleton on their first successful journey to the Antarctic – the Discovery Expedition. The ship is now the centrepiece of an expedition in Dundee.
Places To Go Out
If you are looking for a pub crawl, with plenty of pubs nearby, including a mixture of independent, themed, and traditional bars, then head over to Hawkhill/Perth Road/ West End of the city.
The Globe
53-57 West Port. Situated within close proximity of the University, the cultural quarter, and the city’s clubbing district, the Globe attracts a large percentage of students and pre-clubbers. Great place for a relaxing daytime drink, although gets pretty busy at night weekends.
Phoenix
103 Nethergate. The Phoenix has been going over 150 years. This small, busy pub is as popular with students as it is locals. The staff are really friendly, there are some fantastic real ales, and there is great simple bar food on offer.
Jute
152 Nethergate. Jute is the focus of the city’s cultural quarter, the Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre. The huge, airy, and stylish bar area takes on a number of roles from chilled kid-friendly café during the day, to bustling and noisy bar at night.
Drouthys
142 Perth Road. Popular place with students, music nights take place in the bar and basement club from jazz, rock, and acoustic.
Nightclubs
London Nightclub
4 Meadowside. London Nightclub is a large nightclub with four separate rooms, including piano bar and lounge, playing a variety of music in each room.
Fat Sams
31 South Ward Road. Versatile club and gig venue, popular with students.
The Reading Rooms
Blackscroft. Small, intimate, underground club with retro style, and underground DJs. Mellow, chilled out crowd, and friendly staff.
Dundee is a city often overlooked by tourists and travellers alike, but with its great location (near to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the Highlands) and cheap cost of living compared to other cities across the UK, Dundee could be a great place for someone on a working holiday visa to lie low and work for a few months whilst being in a great location for all of Scotland’s attractions!
