10+ things to do in Dundee

Welcome to, Dundee Scotland

Sitting at the mouth of the beautiful River Tay, Scotland’s sunniest city was once famous for journalism, jam and jute, however today’s Dundee is also now our coolest art & design city, home to the V&A in Scotland. From street art to exploring RMS Discovery, from comic book characters to climbing Dundee Law, here are the best things to do in Dundee.

Check in – where to stay for your trip to Dundee

Ready to check in for your visit to Dundee? Here are my recommended places to stay:

• Hotel Indigo Dundee – a masterclass in bringing a heritage building back to life, the 200 year old Lower Den’s Mill with its iconic Italianate, pepper-pot style bell tower has been turned into a stylish boutique hotel, complete with modern Scottish restaurant and cocktail bar. Book your stay at Hotel Indigo Dundee and read more about the hotel.
• The Hideaway Experience – with views across seemingly endless barley fields, choose between one of three ultra-modern lodges, the Dreamers, the Honeymooners, or the Lovers, or the cute and cosy (and dog-friendly) the Romantics cottage and settle into your own tiny piece of rural heaven and only 15 minutes from Dundee city centre. Read more about the Hideaway Experience.

All checked in? Here are the best things to do in Dundee

Let’s get out and explore Dundee…

1. Go deep in design at the V&A Dundee 

The jewel in the crown of things to do in Dundee is the V&A Dundee. Opening in 2018, the V&A was Scotland’s first museum dedicated to design. The building itself is stunning, designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma to look like the cliffs of east Scotland, sitting right on the River Tay waterfront.

Inside, the museum hosts one permanent exhibition per year, alongside local and Scottish artists. There is an art shop and an excellent cafe (try their afternoon tea!) and events held in the huge foyer space throughout the year. Visit the V&A Dundee. 

> Did you know that the Dundee Design Festival takes place in September each year? Dundee’s design festival is a celebration of the cities design heritage and offers large-scale immersive experiences and design workshops, shopping and more!

Originally built as a memorial to Prince Albert for the advancement of science, Dundee’s public art gallery and library was renamed the McManus Gallery after Dundee’s Lord Provost, Maurice McManus. With over 8 galleries housing 400 works, the gallery holds both fine art and tells the story of Dundee’s history and a natural history collection.

More collections are held at the  The McManus Collections Unit, the building for which was gifted to the city by famous philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. Visit the McManus Dundee’s Art Gallery & Museum.

3. Discover the comics of DC Thomson and the Desperate Dan Statue

After jute and jam making, Dundee is also famous for journalism. DC Thomson was founded in 1905 and publishes the local newspapers and most famously the Scottish comics Oor Wullie, The Broons, The Beano, and The Dandy.

The comics made famous characters such as Dennis the Menace, Desperate Dan, Minnie the Minx and The Bash Street Kids. You can find a statue of Desperate Dan and Minnie the Minx on the High Street in Dundee. Did you know that the MacManus Gallery is also nicknamed the McMenace!

4. Visit HMS Unicorn

Scotland’s oldest ship and one of the six oldest ships in the world, the HMSUnicorn has just turned 200 years old – happy birthday to the Unicorn! Originally built as a 46-gun frigate, the Unicorn became a training ship to the British Navy. The distinctive roof has led to the interior of the ship being incredibly well preserved. You can visit the ship and tour its interior in Victoria Dock. Visit HMS Unicorn.

5. More than just jute – visit Verdant Works

The city of Dundee is famous for jute making – and the legacy of these industries can be seen in the huge mills which dominate the skyline across the city. Dundee’s mills may now be silent but the city’s jute making history can be discovered in Verdant Works, a beautifully restored mill building – complete with working mills. Go behind the scenes of life in a mill in the 1900s, and the difficult conditions in which jute was made. Visit Verdant Works.

6. Head to Discovery Point for a tour of RSS Discovery

Telling the tale of ‘Scott of the Antarctic’ and his endeavors to reach the world’s most southerly point on the planet on the Royal Research Ship Discovery. Building on Dundee’s history as a whaling port, the RSS Discovery was commissioned by Sir Clements Markham, president of the Royal Geographical Society in 1900 as the first scientific exploration ship to be built in Britain. Discovery point tells the story of this epic ship’s adventure to the south pole and beyond. Visit Discovery Point and the RSS Discovery.

7. Follow the Street Art Trails Dundee

A city wide trail linking communities and cultural attractions follow the Street Art Trail across Dundee to find street art big and small, via the trail’s comprehensive Dundee street art map.

8. Go on a Dundee walking tour with DD Tours

From tales of Dundee’s vicious Victorians, a trip into Dundee’s vaults, or a climb up to the top of The Old Steeple (St Mary’s Tower) for an incredible view of the city, go behind the scenes of Dundee with the entertaining DD tours.

9. Go wild on a Dundee boat tour with Saltdog Marine

One of the best ways to see Dundee waterfront is from the water and the most exciting is by speedboat with Saltdog Marine. Running from from April to November. Explore the harbour, go dolphin spotting, or take a visit to the pretty town of Tayport across the river, all by fast RIB. Leaving from Broughty Ferry harbour, your skipper will make sure your trip is both unique and exciting! Take a trip with Saltdog Marine.

10. Visit Broughty Castle Museum, Broughty Ferry and Beach

To the east of Dundee city centre is the pretty town of Broughty Ferry. With a beautiful beach, independent shops and cafes, and a magnificent castle and museum to visit, it is a great place for a day trip out of the city centre. Visit Broughty Castle Museum.

More things to do in Dundee

• Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre – modern and contemporary art, including a cinema for those very rare rainy days in Dundee. Visit the DCA.
• Dundee Science Museum – go behind the scenes of Dundee’s scientific past, present and future – one of the best things to do in Dundee fo kids. Visit Dundee Science Museum.
• Dundee Transport Museum – from buses to trains, the Dundee Museum of Transport is another brilliant idea for things to do in Dundee for kids – you can also get up close and personal with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
• Climb Dundee Law – climb up to Dundee’s highest view point for a fabulous view over the city and the River Tay. The walk up Dundee Law will take around 3 hours and is 3 miles from Discovery Point.
• Visit the University of Dundee Botanic Garden – looking out over the River Tay, Dundee’s Botanic Garden is over 9 hectares of plant life including glasshouses.
• See the animals Camperdown Wildlife Centre and Park – this lovely little zoo in Camperdown Park houses lemars, monkeys, bears and lynx. Visit Camperdown Wildlife Centre.