Visit Dundee - Scotland's sunniest city

Follow our guide to find out about the top visitor attractions in Dundee for adults and children alike. We also have great insider tips on where to eat, drink and stay during your visit...

Dundee’s profile has risen in recent years - being selected UNESCO’s City of Design in 2014, the vast regeneration of its waterfront and the opening of the new V&A Museum are all contributing factors.

Scenes of sunny Dundee and the silvery Tay from the Perth Road.

Dundonians are not used to their city being in the spotlight. In fact, residents of Scotland’s fourth largest city are more accustomed to it being overlooked by visitors and tourists. However, its reputation is changing after it was recently labelled Scotland’s ‘coolest city’ by the Wall Street Journal and rated as one of 2018’s top European destinations by Lonely Planet.

'Scotland's Sunniest City' penguin statue at Balgay Park a short walk from the Mills Observatory.

A visit to the V&A Museum is the perfect excuse to take the short trip from Edinburgh. But, we suggest that you stay a couple of days to enjoy all that Dundee has to offer as there are lots of top-class visitor attractions and great things to do and see.

Main Attractions

V&A Museum

A branch of the world-famous V&A museum of art and design in London and the only other one in the UK opened last weekend.

V&A Dundee was designed by renowned award-winning Japanese architects Kengo Kuma & Associates, following an international competition, and is Kuma’s first building in the UK. He designed the museum to evoke the dramatic cliffs of Scotland's coastline.

Kuma said: "The big idea for V&A Dundee was bringing together nature and architecture, to create a new living room for the city. I'm truly in love with the Scottish landscape and nature. I was inspired by the cliffs of northeastern Scotland – it's as if the earth and water had a long conversation and finally created this stunning shape."

The Scottish Design Galleries hold 300 items telling the story of Scottish design. Objects include the reconstructed Charles Rennie Mackintosh Oak Room which hadn’t been shown to the public for 50 years, a 15^th Century book of manuscripts and a model of Dundee’s Maggie’s Centre.

A V&A Dundee gallery and exhibit. Image source.

Another free exhibition is the Scottish Design Relay. Young people, apprentices and students in communities across Scotland, from Orkney to Govan, were set a co-design challenge to develop a new object, service or artwork in 2016 and the results are displayed here.

The first in the series of major changing exhibitions is ‘Ocean Liners: Speed & Style’ which explores the design and cultural impact of ocean liners on an international scale. Its features focus on their promotion, engineering, interior design and lifestyle on board (charges apply).

For details visit: https://www.vam.ac.uk/dundee.

Discovery Point

Dundee today is known as the City of Discovery, in honour of the Royal Research Ship Discovery which is permanently berthed at the waterfront.

The ship was built in Dundee and used by Robert Falcon Scott and his crew as an Antarctic exploration vessel.  

Follow in the footsteps of Captain Scott and his heroic team and learn about their epic voyage to Antarctica in 1901 at this award-winning museum.

For information visit: https://www.rrsdiscovery.com/.

McManus Galleries

The McManus is a stunning Victorian building in the heart of the city with eight galleries to explore. One of these is a fascinating exhibition showcasing the history, development and people of Dundee.

They host many travelling art and historic collections throughout the year. One of their latest exhibitions is ‘Bash Street’s Back at The McMenace’ to mark the 80^th birthday of the Beano comic. Another is the ‘Revealing Characters’ exhibition that looks at the attraction of the portrait and uncovers the stories of the people on display.

Visit their website at https://www.mcmanus.co.uk/.

Verdant Works

This world-class visitor attraction tells the story of Dundee’s industrial textile heritage in the setting of a beautifully refurbished mill.

The jute industry enveloped Dundee and the museum offers the opportunity to find out how the mill workers lived.

Verdant Works. Image source: The Quirky Traveller.

Weaving, whaling and ship-building were three vital occupations in Dundee and this led to the city becoming the world’s Jute Capital. At the museum visitors can see and hear the machines at work and step back to a time when the Mills were the heart of Dundee.

For more details, go to https://www.verdantworks.com/. 

Dundee Contemporary Arts

The DCA is an internationally renowned centre for contemporary art with two galleries, a cinema, shop, restaurant and bar. The centre was opened in 1999 and was instantly hailed the innovative, modern space that Dundee needed to keep itself aligned with other cultural cities. 

The DCA. Image source.

It has a busy schedule of events with workshops, classes and activities that make it one of the most successful arts centres in Scotland.

The cinema shows new releases and independent and foreign films. Many locals enjoy combining a trip to the cinema with a glass of wine or cup of coffee in their usually bustling café bar afterwards.

For details visit:  http://www.dca.org.uk/. 

An illustration at the back of the DCA by Dundee-based artist Sofia Sita entitled The Dreamer. Image source.

Broughty Ferry 

This picturesque coastal village, three miles East of Dundee, is home to some of the City of Discovery's best attractions, shops and restaurants.

You will find the chic tearoom Jessie's Kitchen here and can buy an ice cream from the long-established Italian Cafe and Restaurant Visocchis.

'The Ferry' as it is known to locals, has a long stretch of sandy beach which is great for walks and sunbathing in the summer time. The waterfront is also a great spot to enjoy some fish and chips.

Broughty Ferry beach on a sunny day. Image credit: SeeDundee. Image source.

The striking Broughty Castle and Museum, right by the seashore is worth a visit. It was built in the 15th century to protect the estuary, and its four floors house local-history exhibits, covering the story of Broughty Ferry as a fishing village, as well as details of local geology and wildlife.

There is also a great contemporary art gallery, Eduardo Alessandro Studios, on Gray Street, that showcases the work of local artists.

Favourite restaurants here, include The Ship Inn and Waterfront Restaurant, Indos for authentic Indian cuisine and Sol y Sombra a Spanish tapas bar and restaurant.

For drinks try The Fisherman's Tavern which has a bustling bar and attracts friendly crowds. There are a host of other great pubs, namely The Cambustay, Post Office Bar, The Royal Arch, The Occidental Bar, Bruach Bar and The Fort, that all make the village the perfect location to enjoy a pub crawl.

For children, there is a little play park with crazy golf nearby. The village is also close to Monikie Country Park which has many attractions including guided walks, self-led trails, barbecue hire, outdoor activities and an adventure play park.

Play park in Broughty Ferry.

Other Attractions

Walks - There are lots of options for walks in and around Dundee. For views across Dundee head to the Law. There are also views of Dundee from Balgay Park at the top of the hill by the Mills Observatory. The waterfront walk leads along the waterfront past the rail bridge to the Riverside Nature Park and passes the Magdalen Green park where Dundee's annual WestFest community celebration is held. Further afield walkers might like to climb the Sidlaws.

View of the Law Hill from Balgay Hill.

Dundee Ice Arena - it's home to professional ice hockey team the Dundee CCS Stars who play in the Elite Ice Hockey League and have games most weekends drawing large crowds. The ice rink is popular for public skating and discos as well as ice sports - including figure skating and curling.

The Dundee Museum of Transport - it tells the stories of local transport pioneers and innovators and displays vehicles from local and national collections. The museum teaches visitors about Dundee's tram network, railway and marine history. 

Dundee Museum of Transport is open. Image source.

More: Check out the Avertical World Climbing Centre, Mills Observatory, Scottish Antique Centre and Dundee Botanic Gardens.

For evening entertainment, have a look at what shows and concerts are on at the Dundee Rep Theatre and The Whitehall Theatre. For full listings go to: https://www.dundeebox.co.uk/Online/default.asp.

Family-Friendly Attractions

Although most children won’t be disappointed with visiting Discovery Point or Verdant Works, they will definitely thank you for taking them to the next five attractions.

Dundee Science Centre

Just a two-minute walk from the V&A, the Dundee Science Centre’s exhibitions will keep young children entertained for hours.

It is praised for its interactive displays, fun and friendly staff and activity sessions which aim to bring people together to enjoy science.

At their current exhibition ‘Music Mayhem – The Science of Sound’, children can learn the science behind music and test their own listening abilities. Other exhibitions include ‘Medical, Myths and Mysteries’ and ‘Medical Marvels’.

Children carrying out a mock ultrasound at the Medical Marvels Exhibition.  Image source. 

Find out more: http://www.dundeesciencecentre.org.uk/.

Foxlake Adventures

The well-known outdoor adventure company based in Dunbar have opened a new site located in the water at Dundee’s City Quay. 

They have set up an inflatable obstacle course and also offer paddleboarding, ringo rides and for the more adventurous, wakeboarding, the world’s fastest growing watersport.

Visit: https://www.foxlakedundee.co.uk/.

Child wake-boarding at Foxlake Adventures at Dundee's City Quay in front of the Apex Hotel.

Camperdown Wildlife Centre and Country Park

Located three miles from the city centre in the north of the city, Camperdown Country Park, is the largest public park in Dundee covering an area of 400 acres with a state-of-the-art Play Complex and a golf course.

A marquee at Dundee's Flower and Food Festival 2018.

It is popular with locals and visitors and is the perfect place for a picnic or BBQ on a sunny day. The park hosts a year-round calendar of public events – including the annual Dundee Flower and Food Festival in September and weekly 5k Park Run.

Visitors might like to explore Camperdown Wildlife Centre where there are animals - including brown bears, wolves, meerkats, otters, lemurs and birds of prey. There is also a café and shop. 

Camperdown Wildlife Centre.

Visit: https://www.camperdownwildlifecentre.co.uk/.

Olympia

Dundee’s Olympia Swimming Centre was relocated to make space for the V&A museum at the new waterfront development.

Although the new Olympia is much smaller than the previous centre, young children are still likely to enjoy the swimming pool and flumes.

For details visit: http://www.leisureandculturedundee.com/leisure/olympia/pools.

Ryze Dundee – Xtreme Air Sports

The trampoline facility and activity centre has just opened on Old Glamis Road.

It offers fun fitness activities - including trampolining, dodgeball and obstacle courses.

Ryze Dundee is the firm’s third Scottish venue after Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Ryze in Dalkeith, Edinburgh. Image source. 

Visit: https://www.ryze.co.uk/locations/dundee. 

Other: For children who like skating take them to The Factory Skatepark or Dudhope's outdoor skatepark. For adventure activities try the Ancrum Outdoor Centre. The soft play centre, The Fun Factory, is great for children up to 11 years old. For older children, try Battlefield Live Dundee - a fun laser tag and indoor combat area.

Where to Lunch

The Parlour

In the city centre you will find this small deli café in the Westport. They offer a colourful array of interesting salads, sandwiches, omelettes and tarts which can be eaten there or taken away.

Visit: https://en-gb.facebook.com/pages/category/Coffee-Shop/The-Parlour-cafe-275628722485933/

The Bach

Opposite The McManus Galleries you will find New Zealand themed The Bach (meaning a holiday home and pronounced ‘Batch’ in Kiwi) . A relatively new addition to the lunch scene, offering different brunches and lunches using ‘scratch-made’ ingredients from their own sausages, habanero ketchup to their granola and cakes.

Visit: https://the-bach.com/.

The American burger at the Bach. Image source.

Fisher & Donaldson

This family bakery opened almost 100 years ago and has become a Dundee institution. The Whitehall Street branch has a café with an old-fashioned feel and an older clientele. 

Staff at Fisher & Donaldson. Image source.

Enjoying a plate of their hot stovies and oatcakes while watching the locals queue up for their savoury pastries and pies, famous fudge doughnuts and fancy homemade chocolates makes the visit worthwhile.

Café Sicilia

This friendly West End café serves up tasty Sicilian and Italian treats and delicious coffee. Their counter is filled with a variety of homemade pastries and desserts. 

There are also pizzas on the menu and pasta specials that change every day if you are looking for a more substantial meal.

Go to: http://www.cafesicilia.co.uk/

A cake display cabinet at Cafe Sicilia.

Further afield – Best to book ahead as these two get busy...

Jessie's Kitchen in Broughty Ferry is a café, florist and giftshop set in a beautiful Victorian Jute baron’s mansion. Fantastic place for lunch and best known for their spectacular selection of cakes that are also available for private order.

Hungry Hippo cake at Jessie's Kitchen. Image source.

Taypark House is also worth a mention. Another stunning baron’s mansion but this time in the West End of the city. It now houses a boutique hotel, an on-trend gin bar and popular café. The café is set in the original dining and drawing room with views out towards the Botanic Gardens and the River Tay. This is a great place for breakfast and also has a nice variety of home-baking.

Taypark House. Image source.

Where to dine

Beiderbeckes Bistro

Beiderbeckes Bistro has become a favourite for many locals having offered quality and informal dining in Dundee for more than 20 years.

The music-themed restaurant is lively at weekends (booking recommended) with diners enjoying a range of fare from pasta, steaks and burgers to their unique range of stir-fry meals, vegetarian options and legendary pies.

We recommend the 'Panhandle' stir-fry from their 'Speciality Meals' section. It came with strips of chicken, peppers, baby sweetcorn and onions in a delicious creamy curry and coconut sauce and was served with rice, tortillas, poppadoms and salad.

The Panhandle stir-fry meal at Beiderbeckes Bistro. Image source.

Beiderbeckes is often described as a 'hidden gem' in reviews - located close to the city centre in the Hawkhill area of Dundee. It is around the corner from the aforementioned Verdant Works attraction.

For details visit: https://www.facebook.com/beiderbeckesbistro/ or http://www.beiderbeckesbistro.co.uk/. 

Rama Thai

This is still the only Thai restaurant in the centre of Dundee. Its no surprise though as it would be difficult to compete with. 

A Green Curry meal and Pad Thai option at Rama Thai.

The restaurant is stylishly decorated with Buddhist statues, plants and intricately carved tables and chairs. The floor to ceiling windows used to look out to a car park but it now conveniently has fantastic views of Slessor Gardens and the newly developed Waterfront. 

All of this combined with the authentic food and efficient service ensures a pleasant experience.

For details, visit: https://rama-thai.co.uk/.

Agacan

This tiny kebab house has been serving high quality Turkish food for more than thirty years.

No bigger than your average living room, this place is still as lively and colourful as a restaurant could be. Zekky the owner has hand painted everything: the outside, the tables and chairs, the walls, the paintings on the walls, the menus and the toilets. 

The Agacan on the Perth Road. Image source: The Sun review.

The open kitchen allows customers to watch their eagerly anticipated meals being cooked in front of them.

For details visit: https://agacan.co.uk/. 

A spread of Turkish meals at the Agacan Restaurant. Image source: The Sun review.

Rancho Pancho

This relaxed Mexican ‘cantina’ has been around for more than a decade. The usual belt-busting suspects on the menu are cooked with flair and the large selection of margaritas and traditional beers available ensure a fun evening will be had.

Visit: https://www.rancho-pancho.com/.

Interior of Rancho Pancho in the city centre. Image source.

D’Arcy Thompson - Closed since article was written

Part of the Bon Viveur Group who own quite a few establishments on The Westport, D’arcy Thompson serves classic dishes well in an interesting environment. 

A starter at D'arcy Thompson.

D’arcy Thompson was a biologist and mathematician who was a Professor of Natural History at the University of Dundee for 32 years. The restaurant is decorated to this theme with quotes from the professor written on the walls and pictures of fossils and animal skeletons subtlety dotted around.  

For details, visit: http://thedarcythompson.co.uk/.

Italian Grill

Christmas dining at The Italian. Image source.

This smart, modern restaurant is situated on the main square next to the Caird Hall. They make the most of this with their large floor to ceiling windows and outdoor seating area. 

The customary Italian offerings such as pizza, pasta, risotto are all on the menu along with a variety of steaks and other grilled options to live up to its name. Although not especially memorable, Italian Grill is convenient to get to and will easily please most.

See their website: https://italiangrill.net/.

Where to drink

Partly due to the large number of University students that make up Dundee’s population for most of the year, there are plenty of bars of all types.

If it’s fancy cocktails you are looking for, we suggest you go to 172 at the Caird, Jam Jar or the new Speakeasy basement bar Draffens. 

Cocktails at Jam Jar.

If it’s a glass of wine or fizz you seek, head to the Wine Press or DCA. 

For a large selection of beer, then try Dukes, Brewdog or Dundee’s branch of Edinburgh’s own Beer Kitchen. For a traditional, local bar, the Trades, the Pheonix or the famous Speedwell Bar (Mennies) won’t disappoint and for somewhere to watch the footie, we recommend Braes.

Dukes Corner. Image source.

If the party ends too soon, you can always head to some of these late-night bars and clubs. The Underground nightclub has an eclectic playlist and is popular with students. Tropicana is the cheesy club playing retro music across three levels. For live music Clarks and Dukes are great venues for all ages and boast a vibrant party atmosphere - particularly at weekends.

Where to stay

We recommend the Taypark House boutique hotel, above mentioned for its cafe and bar. Although it is one mile from the centre, the mansion house from 1863, boasts designer rooms with panoramic views across the Tay.

If you would like to stay in the centre and you are on a budget, then try the Travelodge Central or Hampton By Hilton.

Penguin statue on the wall of the Steeple Church beside the popular Overgate Shopping Centre.

If you choose to stay in Broughty Ferry, try The Ashley House Guest House. It's praised for its hospitality and comfort. Visit: https://www.facebook.com/Ashley-House-Guest-House-Broughty-Ferry-168864809840598/. 

Visitors might choose to stay at the Best Western Woodlands Hotel in Broughty Ferry, which has a leisure complex and pool as well as a bar and restaurant. See their website: http://woodlandsdundee.co.uk/. 

Leisure facilities at the Best Western Woodlands Hotel. Image source.

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