The UK’s 25th most populated city, and Scotland’s 3rd largest, is the place to visit to find the very best that Scotland has to offer. From the minute you leave your hotel, to the moment you return, Aberdeen is surprisingly full of things to do and places to go.

Aberdeen has been given many names, mostly describing the city’s beauty with people using, ‘The Silver City’ or ‘Granite City’ due the predominance of granite buildings that sparkle in the sun. Others have named the city, ‘Britain’s Flower Capital’ as the city has won the ‘Beautiful Britain in Bloom’ award no less than 10 times, a record breaking achievement. The city has also been dubbed the ‘Oil Capital of Europe’ or ‘The Energy capital of Europe’ as it is the centre of Europe’s petroleum industry, holding the largest seaport in the United Kingdom, which whilst not sounding quite as attractive as its other names, is still impressive.

Aberdeen is as vibrant and modern city and there are a wide range of attractions for visitors and with a bus and rail service should be easily accessible from your hotel. There are long sandy beaches all along the coastlines perfect for taking the children to the beach. There are also a wide variety of shops and markets to visit all over the city. There are historic attractions like its grand theatres and castles, as well as hiking trails and an abundance of wildlife within its country and national parks. The city is also famous for its football team, Aberdeen FC, helped to be made famous by Sir Alex Ferguson in the 1980’s. The club’s stadium is also to hold a concert by Rod Stewart in June 2011 and there may be a number of hotels offering package deals.

The Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference centre, located to the north of the city, is another place that is popular, not just amongst tourists but locals as well. The venue hosts a wide range of shows and performers with top comedians such as Tim Minchin, Alan Carr and Lee Evans all playing during the summer. Top musicians also play there and Iron Maiden, Katie Perry and Tinie Tempah also playing during this year. There are a number of hotels near the venue for visitors to stay at.

Finding a hotel elsewhere in the city should not be a problem. Being a large city, Aberdeen is full of hotels catering for both those who are willing to spend and those who are on a budget. Depending on where you want to go and what you want to do, there are a number of slightly more expensive hotels within the city centre and various cheaper options dotted around the outskirts. A quick search on the internet will provide you with a number of different hotels to choose from.

For a great weekend away in Scotland, choose Aberdeen, a great alternative from the hustle and bustle of Scotland’s other city’s whilst still having plenty of things to do.