Dundee

It's a bit tucked away and slightly ignored but Dundee has big plans for the future. No longer a stopping point between St Andrews and Aberdeen, Dundee is carving out a destination to be in its own right.

On leaving the railway station (if that's your prefered method of transport East Coast Trains) you will be struck by the masts of a mighty vessel. This is Robert Scott's antarctic explorer, Discovery. For many years tourists could visit the ship when it was moored on the Thames in London. Why Dundee? Because she was built here and a visitor centre will guide you through its history(.Discover Visitor)

The next delight is Dundee's ambitious V&A project where the city beat off fierce competition to bring the Scottish version of the famous London museum to the Tay. Rather than is staid London surroundings, the V&A Dundee embraces modernity and opened in September 2018. Click on the link to find out more.

One of the pleasures of Dundee is that its centre in small and easy to navigate. It has all the usual Scottish and UK chains plus a few individual shops unique to the city. It also possesses one of the most unusual tributes to a local celebrity. What is has not got is wall to wall shops of tartan and pseudo Scottish artifacts like the Royal Mile in Edinburgh.

A giant metal statue of the cartoon character Desperate Dan marks the centre of the town. Dan and his counterparts were conceived just around the corner from where he stands at the newspaper offices of DC Thompson.

Dundee stands by the Tay and maritime industries brought it great wealth during the industrialisation of Britain. The sea is not as important to Dundee as it once was but some maritime activity can still be seen on the river.

If you like football then you are spoilt for choice on a Saturday afternoon. The city has two teams who usually play on alternative weeks, Dundee and Dundee United. You can not miss them. The grounds are next to one another on the hill behind the centre. Most people take the bus but a 30 minute walk should get you there. Dundee has plenty to keep the weekend visitor happy and ambitious plans to provide more attractions. Does it have a down side? Only one. It has limited hotel accommodation. Book early for the best rates. Failing that, some AirBnB are in town. 

By the way if you like these posts please feel free to follow this blog. If you arrived by way of Google+ or Reddit, welcome. I hope you find some of what you wanted.
Location: Dundee, UK

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Cordóba (Spain) - Best Locations

Image
There are two great cities of the world called Cordoba; one in Argentina and the one from which it takes its name in Spain. The Spanish city has a history stretching back to pre-Christian Spain and evidence is all around. the obvious place to start is at its very heart and the cathedral. Spain is blessed with many fine cathedrals in its great cities but Cordoba has got to be her most stunning, certainly from the inside. Its known as the Mezquita . Here the moorish influence is there for all to see and it is easy to see how the Christian conquerors sited their cathedral upon the existing mosque. The fusion is astonishing as you in both Africa and Europe all at one. Close by is the Spanish Riding School at the Royal Stables which puts on fantastic shows demonstrating great horsemanship. It is possible to visit the stables and meet the horses and their grooms. More information here on the  Royal Stables . Cordoba has many other fine attractions in ...
Read more

Bali Beaches - Tips from the East

Image
The island of Bali has been attracting holidaymakers for decades. Now, thanks to competitive air fares from budget airlines such as Air Asia, it is popular stop for those tourists visiting other parts of Asia. Its proximity to Australia has always meant that Bali is a leading destination from there. I've posted some airline links at the foot of the page. Bali is not a huge island but its relatively undeveloped road network means it takes far longer to get anywhere than a simple glance at a map would suggest. Most of the modern development has taken place around the airport at Denpasar in the eat, primarily in the town of Kuta. The surf shops as big as supermarkets are a clear indication of an advanced tourist economy. That is why I chose to investigate the the east of the island. I started in the resort of Candidasa, some 64 km or 45 miles from the airport. In most countries that would mean a journey of around an hour but on the day I arrive it is festial day for Bali...
Read more

Cadiz

Image
Andalucia offers the explorer many fine places to discover as this blog has previously explained. Away from the major cathedral cities of Malaga, Sevilla, Granada and Cordóba, what else lies within the province? Travel a little further and the port city of Cadiz comes into view. Look familiar? It doubled as Havana in Bond's Die Another Day  Cadiz is a remarkably easy city to explore. For the reasonably fit, it can all be done on foot. The city lies on a peninsular with the walker and cyclist well catered for and you stroll out with the sea on one side. The many fine buildings is a reminder if Spain's affluent past when the riches of the New World arrived first in the port before distribution to the other areas of Spain. On Sunday mornings, especially in spring and autumn, Cadiz is the playground for those seeking redemption through fitness.  Joggers, cyclists and power walkers use the city to get them in shape. It's easy because it is flat. A great place to ...
Read more