Dundee

For other places with the same name, see Dundee (disambiguation).

Dundee is an industrial city and port, historically part of Angus county in North East Scotland. It stands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which here broadens out into the North Sea, and in 2021 had a population of 148,000. Dundee's prime visitor attractions are the polar sailing ship RRS Discovery, the Verdant Works jute mill, and the V&A design museum. It's also a good base for nearby major golf tournaments, and for exploring Deeside and the Eastern Highlands.

Understand

RRS Discovery

Dundee used to be a grubby, rough industrial town famous for its three J's: jute, jam and journalism. Jute (see "Verdant" below) still marks the landscape: the mills have closed but many still stand as offices and apartments. Jam was made from fruit grown nearby. Journalism refers to the D C Thomson publishing empire, whose renown was less for their journalism than for their stable of comics and cartoon strips. These include the Sunday Post with "Oor Wullie" and "The Broons", the Dandy with "Desperate Dan" and the Beano with "Dennis the Menace". Of course that wasn't all the city had to offer: delicacies such as Dundee Cake, studded with sultanas and almonds, was probably what your Great Aunt Morag enjoyed for Sunday tea along with some Dundee Marmalade to top it off (if you're Scottish). And then there was the bridge that famously and tragically fell down. And Dundee's great cultural icon was William McGonagall (see info box), surely the world's worst poet.

But the industrial grubbiness is gradually disappearing, enabling the city to shine in its attractive natural setting. There are major visitor attractions already and more appearing. There's a student buzz from the universities, and a friendly feel to the place. It's definitely worth a day or two to visit.

Dundee has its own dialect: the vocabulary is much the same as Lowland Scots (see Scotland#Talk) but pronunciation is distinctive. "T" is often dropped in a glottal stop, but the signature sound is the short "eh" (phonetic: ɛ) replacing ay, ae, e, i, ie, uy, y and more. So a pie is a "peh"; "eh" can mean I, yes, what? or hmmm... Dundonians can conduct entire conversations by just saying "eh".

Visitor information

• Dundee Visitor Information
• Dundee City Council
• 1 Visit Scotland iCentre (TIC), 16 City Square (next to Caird Hall), ☏ +44 1382 527527. M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM. Information on Dundee and elsewhere in Scotland. (updated Feb 2020)

Get in

Caird Hall and Desperate Dan

By plane

Edinburgh Airport (EDI ^IATA) is usually the most convenient. From there, take Xplore Dundee's Edinburgh Airport Xpress Service from directly outside the terminal all the way non-stop to just across from the train station in Dundee. Alternatively, take Stagecoach Bus Jet 747 to Inverkeithing in Fife to catch the hourly train to Dundee, or to Halbeath for the hourly Stagecoach Bus X54. Otherwise take the tram or bus from the airport to Edinburgh Haymarket, or Gateway for trains or buses to Dundee.

1 Dundee Airport (DND  ^IATA) is 2 miles west of city centre on A85 - with light baggage you could walk it in 30 min. You can fly to Dundee from London City (LCY) or Belfast City (BHD) with Loganair year-round. You can fly from London twice daily Monday to Friday, and there is one service on a Sunday, flights take around 1 hr 45 min. The Belfast flights operate once per weekday and Sunday lunchtime with flights taking just over one hour. These air routes are flown using ATR-42 turboprop aircraft, with 48 seats.

By train

Dundee has Scotrail trains hourly or better from Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, all taking 80 min. Three direct daytime LNER trains run from London King's Cross (6 hr) via York and Newcastle, but it's usually more convenient to change in Edinburgh. From the Midlands and Southwest, take the CrossCountry train, winding all the way from Penzance via Bristol, Birmingham, Sheffield and York.

The Caledonian Highland Sleeper to Aberdeen runs Su-F from London Euston, departing after 9PM and ejecting you onto a chilly Dundee platform at 6AM. The southbound train picks up around 11PM to reach Euston towards 8AM. You might prefer to take the Lowland Sleeper from Euston towards midnight and change to a day train in Edinburgh. Going back, you need to leave Dundee around 10PM to join the southbound sleeper at 11:30PM from Edinburgh.

2 Dundee railway station (DEE). The station is just south of city centre, close to Discovery and the ramps onto the Tay Road Bridge. The station was rebuilt in 2018 with a SleeperZ hotel on its upper floors. There's not much in the concourse and the retail units are unlet, but there's a WH Smith beyond the ticket barrier. (updated Feb 2020)

There's also a station halt at the west edge of town at Invergowrie, which might be more convenient for Ninewells Hospital area.

Four miles east of town is the seaside town of Broughty Ferry, with an hourly train (towards Arbroath) taking 7 min.

The slow trains to Arbroath also stop at Monifieth and Carnoustie.

By car

From 30 May 2024, the city centre will be a Low Emission Zone. There will be a £60 penalty charge for driving into the city centre in a non-compliant car or van. Cars built after 2015 generally are compliant, but check online. The zone covers an area within the A991 Inner Ring Road.

From Edinburgh and the south follow M90 / A90 north, about 55 miles (90 km) or just over an hour's drive. A slow scenic route is to branch off onto A92 towards Kirkcaldy then wind along the Fife coast and through St Andrews.

From Glasgow follow M80 then M9 / A9 to Perth, and then swing east onto A90. It's 75 miles (120 km), about a 90-min drive.

From Aberdeen follow A90 south: it's 67 miles (105 km) and will take about 80 min.

A90 skirts the north of Dundee, where it's called Kingsway. The speed limit of 40/50 mph is vigilantly enforced.

By bus

Scottish Citylink buses run hourly from Glasgow Buchanan station (1 hr 40 min) and Aberdeen Union Square (1 hr 20 min), and every two hours from Edinburgh St Andrews Square (90 min): beware slower buses that meander through the small towns. Megabus competes on those city routes, and also runs direct from Manchester (6 hr). National Express coaches take 11-12 hr from London Victoria and continue to Aberdeen.

Ember Electric Bus glides quietly from Edinburgh every 90 min daytime, plus two night buses, for a single fare in 2022 of £7.50. It takes 1 hr 45 min via Haymarket, the zoo, Ingliston P&R (for trams), Edinburgh Airport, Rosyth P&R, Kinross P&R, Bridge of Earn and Perth Broxden P&R.

Ember buses also run from Glasgow Buchanan Station every two hours daytime, with two night runs, single fare £8.50. They take two hours via Cumbernauld, Stirling Castleview P&R, Dunblane and Perth Broxden P&R.

3 Dundee bus station is on Seagate. There are no left-luggage facilities, but lots of cafes & fast-food nearby.

Get around

The main sights are all within walking distance. The local bus you're most likely to use is Stagecoach Bus 73, which runs every 10 min between Ninewells Hospital, Dundee High Street and bus station, Broughty Ferry, Monifieth, Carnoustie and Arbroath.

Cycle Hub for bike rentals is by the V&A, 100 yards from the railway station.

By taxi you'll pay about £6 for a journey within the city centre and £15 to Broughty Ferry.

The world's worst poet William McGonagall (1825-1902) was a Dundee hand-loom weaver inspired to take up poetry, which he recited publicly. His “Poetic Gems”, as he called them, were lengthy doggerel that often championed noble values, e.g. for female emancipation, and against the evils of alcohol: "... after spending his earnings foolishly he beats his wife- The man that promised to protect her during life- And so the man would if there was no drink in society, For seldom a man beats his wife in a state of sobriety.... His talent ranged over battles, shipwrecks and the Scottish countryside. In 1883 a whale swam into the River Tay and was landed: "... So Mr John Wood has bought it for two hundred and twenty-six pound, And has brought it to Dundee all safe and all sound; Which measures 40 feet in length from the snout to the tail, So I advise the people far and near to see it without fail...." But his most celebrated works were those extolling the "Beautiful Railway Bridge of the Silvery Tay! With your numerous arches and pillars in so grand array...." And so on, and on, and on, until tragically "... the train mov’d slowly along the Bridge of Tay, Until it was about midway, Then the central girders with a crash gave way, And down went the train and passengers into the Tay!" He published some 200 poems of similar brilliance. He was mocked, he was pelted with eggs, he endured practical jokes (most famously the hoax award of the Siamese Order of the White Elephant), he was chronically poor. A true artist: nothing and nobody could stop the flow of his poetry.

See

• 1 RRS Discovery, Riverside Drive DD1 4XA. Apr-Oct: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-6PM; Nov-Mar: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. Discovery, launched in 1901, is an Royal Research Ship (RRS) specifically built for Antarctic exploration. Built in Dundee, she's a wooden sailing vessel with only auxiliary steam power. Discovery was commanded by Robert Falcon Scott, and also aboard was Ernest Shackleton. They reached Antarctica in early 1902 (summer), intending to spend one winter, but the ship became icebound for the next two years. They were just about to abandon ship in Feb 1904 when the ice broke and they escaped homeward to public acclaim. Both men were to return: Shackleton in 1907-09 didn't quite reach the South Pole, but survived; Scott in 1910-12 did reach it, but behind Amundsen, and all his party perished on the trek back to the coast. The museum has an extensive display of the 1902-04 expedition, and then you go aboard the dry-docked ship, which had a later career as a polar merchant vessel. Adult £11.50, combi with Verdant Works £18.65. (updated Feb 2020)
• 2 Dundee V & A, 1 Riverside Esplanade DD1 4DE. Daily 10AM-5PM. The Dundee branch of London's Victoria and Albert Museum, with a focus on design in Scotland. The building on the waterfront is a striking modern design with an interior of ship's planking, as if Discovery next door had arrived as an Ikea flat-pack. Free, charges for special exhibitions. (updated Feb 2020)
• The Beach is a little triangle of fine sand on the promenade between V&A and the Cycle Hub, with plenty of seating. The nearest natural beach is at Broughty Ferry.

McManus Galleries

• 3 McManus Gallery & Museum, Albert Square, Meadowside DD1 1DA. M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 12:30-4:30PM. McManus is in three sections: museum tracing Dundee's story, natural history museum, and art gallery; plus exhibitions. The building, a Gothic construction by George Gilbert Scott, opened in 1867 as a memorial to Prince Albert. Free. (updated Feb 2020)
• 4 HMS Unicorn, South Victoria Dock Road DD1 3BP. Apr-Oct: daily 10AM-5PM; Nov-Mar: Tu-Su 10AM-4PM. A 46-gun frigate launched in 1824 at Chatham Docks in England, but immediately mothballed, so she was never fitted with masts, rigging or guns. Her hull was roofed over and her only sea voyage was in 1873 when she was towed north to Dundee to act as a training hulk. This means her original Georgian timbers are in unusually good condition. Her sister ship HMS Trincomalee also survives, and can be visited in Hartlepool. Adult £7.25, child £3.50. (updated Feb 2020)
• 5 Verdant Works, West Henderson’s Wynd DD1 5BT. Apr-Oct: M-Sa 10AM-6PM, Su 11AM-6PM; Nov Feb-Mar: M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM; Dec Jan: W-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su 11AM-5PM. In the 19th century you just had to have jute. Curtains and carpets and blankets, hard-wearing clothing. Satchels and roof felt, ropes of all kinds, sails for ships, tents for soldiers. The raw material is a coarse flax that grows in Bengal: it was processed here because Dundee had fast ships to import it, whale oil to make it soft and workable, flax-weaving technology, and then again the fast ships to export finished goods globally. The city's mill owners grew very rich; the mill workers didn't, nor did the Bengalis. Verdant Works, built in 1833, was one of many jute factories here. Many of them still stand, converted into offices and apartments; Verdant was turned into a museum in 1996. Volunteers demonstrate the clanking machinery. Adult £11.50, combi with Discovery £18.65. (updated Feb 2020)
• 6 Dundee Science Centre, Greenmarket DD1 4QB, ☏ +44 1382 228800. Daily 10AM-5PM. Interactive science museum. Adult £8.60, child £6.50. (updated Feb 2020)
• 7 St Paul's Cathedral, High St DD1 1TD. Tu-F 10AM-4PM; Sa 11AM-3PM; Su 10AM-12:30PM, 7:30-9PM. Anglican cathedral in Decorated Gothic style by George Gilbert Scott, completed in 1855. (updated Nov 2020)
• 8 St Andrew's Cathedral, 150 Nethergate DD1 4EA. M-F 8:30AM-5:30PM; Sa 10AM-noon; Su 10:30AM-12:30PM, 5:30-7:30PM. RC cathedral with a Victorian Gothic facade opened in 1836. (updated Nov 2020)
• Tay Bridges: There are three... well, two-and-a-scrap really:
  • 9 Tay Road Bridge. Opened in 1966, this carries the A92. It's a mile and a half long, and climbs 100 ft from Dundee to Newport-on-Tay in Fife. No tolls, and there's a footpath and cycleway from which you can admire the scenery. It may be closed in high winds, check current road conditions online.  
  • 10 Tay Rail Bridge. Opened in 1887, this carries the railway across to Wormit in Fife. It's almost 3 miles long; refurbishment in 2003 included scraping 1000 metric tonnes of bird droppings from the structure.  
  • Tay Rail Bridge. And then there's the infamous first Tay Rail Bridge, remnants of which can be seen next to the current rail bridge. It opened in 1878 but collapsed in high winds on 28 Dec 1879, taking a train with it, and all 75 aboard were killed. 
• 11 The Howff, Meadowside DD1 1LN. 24 hrs. An ancient cemetery in the heart of Dundee, it was part of Greyfriars Monastery until Mary Queen of Scots gave it to the city in 1564. The well-preserved gravestones are mostly 19th-century, including that of James Chalmers (d 1853), inventor of the adhesive postage stamp. The last burial here in 1878 was of George Duncan, businessman and MP. Today the Howff is a secluded, peaceful place. (updated Feb 2020)
• 12 University of Dundee Botanic Garden, Riverside Drive, DD2 1QH (2 miles west of centre, take bus along Perth Rd). Nov-Feb: daily 10AM-3:30PM; Mar-Jun Sep Oct: daily 10AM-4:30PM; Jul Aug: M-F 10AM-8:30PM, Sa Su 10AM-4PM. 9-hectare garden with tropical glasshouses. Adults £3.90. (updated Feb 2020)
• 13 Mills Observatory, Glamis Road, Balgay Park DD2 2UB (2 miles west of centre). Nov-Mar: M-F 4-10PM, Sa Su 12:30-4PM. A public astronomical observatory open in winter. In summer it's only occasionally open daytime, as the nights are too short for looking through telescopes. Free. (updated Feb 2020)
• 14 Camperdown Wildlife Park, Camperdown Country Park, Coupar Angus Road DD2 4TF (NW edge of town off A923). Daily: Mar-Sep 10AM-4:30PM, Oct-Feb 10AM-3:30PM. Menagerie with birds and (mostly small) beasts. Adult £6, child £5. (updated Feb 2020)
• 15 Dundee Museum of Transport, Unit 10 Market Mews, Market Street, DD1 3LA, ☏ +44 1382 455196. Mar-Oct: W-M 10:00AM-4:30PM; Nov: F-M 10:00AM-4:00PM; closed mid Dec - early Feb. Small but interesting collection of mainly Scottish marques. Adult £7.50, child £4.00. (updated Nov 2024)

Broughty Castle

• 16 Broughty Ferry is the small town 4 miles east of Dundee which was the historic crossing point over the Tay. It has a small castle built in 1496 now housing a local history museum (Tu-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 12:30-4PM, admission free).
• Broughty Ferry to the east merges into Monifieth where many Pictish stones have been found, which are in the National Museum in Edinburgh. You'll need a car or bike to reach Ardestie and Carlungie Earth Houses, two Iron Age souterrains off A92. They're free to enter Apr-Oct.
• Tealing Earth House is a Pictish souterrain from 100 AD. Next to it is a 16th century dovecot, and the village has a 17th century church. Tealing is on A90 six miles north of the city.

Do

• 1 Dundee Rep Theatre, Tay Square DD1 1PB. Programme of theatre, dance and music. (updated Feb 2020)
• 2 Dundee Contemporary Arts, 152 Nethergate DD1 4DY. Daily 10AM-midnight. Modern art exhibitions, events and films. (updated Feb 2020)
• 3 Caird Hall, City Square DD1 3BB. Often hosts concerts, bands, etc. Caird Hall is also home to a grand 1922 Organ. (updated Feb 2020)
• 4 Whitehall Theatre, Bellfield Street DD1 5JA, ☏ +44 1382 434940. Mostly light fare: musicals, tribute acts, light opera and comedy. (updated Feb 2020)
• 5 Ice Arena, 7 Dayton Drive DD2 3SQ (in Camperdown). Public skating and lessons most days. It's the home rink of three ice hockey teams, playing Sept-March: Dundee Stars are in the Elite Ice Hockey League, the UK top tier. Dundee Comets and Dundee Tigers play in the Scottish National League, the second tier. (updated Dec 2023)
• Duck Slattery's Showbar: Dundee’s biggest party venue! Which includes a night of non stop singing and dancing on benches, massaoke, disco bingo and more! With live music and dancing it's not one to miss!
• Club Tropicana & Venga Dundee: This nightclub is one of Scotland's biggest clubbing venues with 2 levels, 4 rooms and 6 bars! Offering a variety of packages for Hen Do’s, Stag Do’s and Birthdays as well as Work Night’s Out this 1980s and 1990s club has all the throwback floor-filler classics and hits to keep you dancing till 3AM!
• Aura Dundee: Aura Nightclub is Dundee’s largest nightclub with an amazing sound system, resident DJ, VIP area, student nights and online booking available!
• Walk up 6 Dundee Law, a 572-ft extinct volcano, for views over the city and Tay.
• Olympia Swimming Pool, 3 East Whale Lane DD1 3JU. Public leisure pool with waves, flumes and diving pool. All pools at Olympia are closed for long-term maintenance and refurbishment works, with a projected completion date around October 2023. . (updated Oct 2022)
• Places of worship: Dundee has over 30 churches, 3 mosques, a Sikh temple and a Buddhist group. See section above for the two cathedrals.

Sports

Carnoustie Links in 1910

Football

The city has two professional soccer teams, with stadiums almost adjacent:

• 7 Dundee FC, Sandeman St DD3 7JY (a mile north of city centre). "The Dee" play at Dens Park, capacity 11,000, aka "Kilmac Stadium". They were promoted in 2023 and now play in the Scottish Premiership, the top tier. (updated May 2023)
• 8 Dundee United, Tannadice St DD3 7JW, ☏ +44 1382 833166. Dundee United were promoted in 2024 so they too play in the Premiership. They play at Tannadice Park (capacity 14,000) barely 200 yards from their rivals.. (updated May 2024)

Golf

• 9 Carnoustie Golf Links, 3 Links Parade, Canoustie DD7 7JF (12 miles east of Dundee), ☏ +44 1241 852480. Golf has been played here since the 16th century and the club was constituted in 1842. It now has three 18-hole courses, the Championship, the Burnside and Buddon Links, plus (just for a lark) the five-hole Nestie. The Championship regularly hosts the British Open, the last being in 2018; the Women's AIG Open was here in 2021. By train use Golf Street Station, half a mile east of Carnoustie Station. However check directions for major events: they may require spectators to enter via specific routes. (updated Sep 2021)
• See St Andrews for the Royal & Ancient: best known is the Old Course, but they run half a dozen others, and there are several more clubs and courses that are not part of R&A.
• See Perth and Kinross for Gleneagles.
• 10 Caird Park Golf Club is north edge of Dundee. There are also clubs at Downfield to the northwest, and Ballumbie Castle north.

Other

• Rugby: Dundee HSFP play rugby union in National League One, the amateur second tier in Scotland. Their home ground is Mayfield, on Arbroath Rd a mile east of town centre.
• Skiing: see Braemar for Glenshee, an hour's drive north on A93. See also Aviemore.

Events

• Fingask Follies are a cabaret in April / May based at Fingask Castle 10 miles west of Dundee, see Perth (Scotland)#Do for dates.
• Westfest is a music festival and community fair held on Magdalen Green. The next is probably Su 1 June 2025, tbc. There's a smaller event in November.
• Solas is a midsummer music festival at Errol Park 8 miles west of the city, with the next on 20-22 June 2025.
• Dundee Food Festival is in various city centre locations. The next is probably 5-6 July 2025, tbc.
• Festival of the Future is about collaboration between science, arts and culture. It's in the Botanic Gardens, with the next probably on 8-12 Oct 2025, tbc.

Learn

The rail bridge collapsed on 28 Dec 1879

• Dundee University
• University Of Abertay
• Dundee & Angus College

Work

• The City Jobcentre is in the Wellgate Centre, open M Tu Th F 8:30AM-5PM, W 10AM-5PM.
• Adecco is a recruitment agency on Commercial St, open M-F 8AM-5:30PM. You can search their job offers online.

Buy

Machine for carding jute, Verdant Works

The Overgate and the Wellgate are Dundee's two main shopping malls which sit at either end of the city centre. Each has various national and international brands such as H&M, Gap, Superdry and Next in the Overgate, and New Look in the Wellgate.

• 1 Overgate Centre.  
• 2 Wellgate Centre.  
• In addition to this, there are substantial branches of High street stores along the Murraygate and city centre area.
• Dundee also has the usual large-scale out of town retail parks that are common in Scotland's bigger towns and cities.
• Farmers Market is in City Square, 10:00-16:00 on the third Saturday of each month.
• 3 Dundee Candle Works, 51 Cowgate, Dundee, DD1 2JF (In city centre), ☏ +44 1382 416255, info@dundeecandleworks.com. 9AM-5PM. Scottish candle shop selling scented candles, reed diffusers and luxury gift sets. (updated Jun 2023)

Eat

HMS Unicorn

There is a flourishing café culture in Dundee city centre. Lots of fast-food, takeaways, cafés and restaurants.

• Duke's Corner, 13 Brown Street DD1 5EG. Su-Tu noon-midnight, W-Sa noon-2:30AM. Lively entertainment venue, serving burgers, salads, pizzas from noon. Student clientele. Good for lunch or early dinner, gets noisy once the music starts. (updated Feb 2020)
• 1 Parlour, 58 West Port DD1 5EP. M-Sa 8AM-5PM. Popular café near Uni, small place so it gets busy and cramped. Menu changes daily, lots of vegetarian options. (updated Feb 2020)
• Balaka, 115-117 Perth Road DD1 4JB. M W noon-3:30PM & 5:30-11PM, Tu Th 5:30-11PM, F Sa 3PM-midnight, Su 5-11PM. Long-established budget Indian restaurant. (updated Feb 2020)
• Jahangir Tandoori, 1 Session Street DD1 5DN. M-Th noon-10PM, F Sa noon-11PM, Su 5-10PM. Friendly family restaurant with goldfish pool. (updated Feb 2020)
• Phoenix, 103 Nethergate DD1 4DH. M-Sa 11AM-midnight, Su 12:30PM-midnight. Good pub grub at reasonable prices. (updated Feb 2020)
• Dil'se, 99-101 Perth Rd, DD1 4JA, ☏ +44 1382 221501. Daily 4-11:30PM. Friendly Indian and Bangladeshi restaurant. Earlybird dinner (5-7PM) £17 pp. (updated Feb 2020)
• City Harbour Chinese Buffet, Unit 3 & 4, City Quay, 21A Camperdown St DD1 3JA. Daily noon-4:30PM & 5-9:30PM. Waterfront all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet. (updated Feb 2020)
• Tickety Boo's, 51 Commercial Street DD1 2AA (corner with Seagate). Su-Th 11AM-midnight, F Sa 11AM-1AM. Highly recommended for food & drink. (updated Feb 2020)
• Old Bank Bar, 34 Reform Street DD1 1RH. Su-Th 11AM-11PM, F Sa 11AM-midnight. Belhaven pub with reliable food. (updated Feb 2020)
• Rancho Pancho, 16 Commercial Street DD1 3EJ. M-Sa 5-10PM, Sa noon-2:30PM, Su 5-9PM. Mexican classics, hefty portions. (updated Feb 2020)
• The Counting House, 67-71 Reform St DD1 1SP (opposite McManus). Daily 8AM-midnight. JD Wetherspoon's efficient chain choice. (updated Feb 2020)
• Molly Malone's (formerly The Globe), 53 West Port DD1 5ER. Daily 11AM-midnight. Belhaven pub with extensive menu including vegetarian. (updated Feb 2020)
• Don Michele, 177 Perth Road DD2 1AS, ☏ +44 1382 660600. M-Sa 5-11PM, Th-Su noon-2:30PM. Italian restaurant. (updated Feb 2020)

For self-catering, there are lots of supermarkets. Tesco predominates, with four branches: in the city centre, one next to the railway station (24 hr), one in South Road near Sterling Mills and another on Kingsway. ASDA have a big store on East Kingsway (24 hr) and a smaller one on Gilburn Road. Morrisons are on the Forfar Road, north of A90 Kingsway.

Drink

V & A Museum next to Discovery

Pubs are dwindling, as in other cities, but there's no shortage. The main concentration is along Hawkhill, Perth Road or West End of the city, with another strip along Nethergate. The student unions of Dundee and Abertay Universities are great for a cheap night out. The following were all in business in early 2020, and see also "Eat" listings.

City centre pubs:

• Tickety Boo's, Seagate at Commercial Street.
• Klozet, Seagate is the main gay bar.
• Trades House Bar, Union Street.
• The Old Bank Bar, Union Street.
• The Westport Bar, North Lindsay Street.

Pubs along Hawkhill, Perth Road, and West End:

• The Nether Inn, Nethergate. Cheap Student 'Scream' pub.
• Phoenix, Nethergate at Perth Road. Traditional pub
• Jute Cafe Bar, Perth Road. Trendy bar attached to Dundee Contemporary Arts Centre
• Braes, Perth Road. Modern bar, middle-aged clientele at weekends.
• Speedwell Bar, Perth Road. Locally renowned traditional pub

Nightclubs are all in the city centre:

• Fat Sams, South Ward Road
• Underground, South Tay Street.

Local breweries include 71 Brewing and St Andrews Brewing Co. There's a gin distillery at Verdant Spirits.

Sleep

St Paul's Cathedral

Central choices include:

• Sleeperz is right above the railway station, B&B double £60.
• 1 Apex City Quay Hotel & Spa, 1 West Victoria Dock Road DD1 3JP (near foot of Tay Bridge), ☏ +44 1382 202404, fax: +44 1382 201401, dundee.reservations@apexhotels.co.uk. Stylish contemporary 4-star hotel, in the new City Quay development, with views of the river and Quay with ship Unicorn. Double (room only) £70. (updated Jun 2021)
• 2 Best Western Queens Hotel, 160 Nethergate DD1 4DU (close to railway station and University of Dundee), ☏ +44 1382 322515. Good chain choice, central. Double (room only) £50. (updated Feb 2020)
• 3 Premier Inn Dundee Centre, Riverside Drive, DD1 4XA (at Discovery Point), ☏ +44 333 777 4656. Riverside budget inn with 150 rooms. Make sure to pay for parking (£3 / night) immediately on arrival. £9 pp for breakfast in Beefeater. Double (room only) £40. (updated Feb 2020)
• Malmaison, 44 Whitehall Crescent DD1 4AY (opposite railway station), ☏ +44 1382 339715. Central mid-range hotel, dog-friendly. Double (room only) £75. (updated Feb 2020)
• 4 Travelodge Dundee Central, 152-158 West Marketgait DD1 1NJ, ☏ +44 871 984 6301. Central budget hotel. There's another Travelodge north of the centre on Strathmore Ave, and a third (listed below) on the A90 ring road. B&B double £50. (updated Feb 2020)
• 5 Best Western Invercarse Hotel, 371 Perth Road DD2 1PG (West End, near Botanical Gardens), ☏ +44 1382 669231. Chain 3-star hotel. Double (room only) £60. (updated Feb 2020)
• 6 Dundee Backpackers, 71 High Street DD1 1SD, ☏ +44 1382 224646. Central hostel with dorms and private rooms. Dorm £18 ppn. (updated Feb 2020)
• 7 Holiday Inn Express Dundee, Dock Street Dundee DD1 3DR (at foot of Tay Bridge; railway station 400 yards), ☏ +44 1382 314330, info@hiexpressdundee.com. Very central 3-star hotel. Rooms are small but not cramped, equipped with tea/coffee maker. B&B double £60. (updated Feb 2020)
• Student accommodation is mostly empty in summer. Try contacting the local Universities (via websites under "Learn") to see if they have anything to offer. Other flats and apartments may also be available: Dundee empties out in summer unless there's a major golf tournament nearby.
• Taypark House is a Victorian Gothic mansion a couple of miles west of town centre.

There's a string of hotels along the A90 at the edge of the city, including:

• 8 DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Dundee (formerly The Landmark Hotel), South Kingsway DD2 5JT (A90 ring road NW edge of city), ☏ +44 1382 641122. 4-star lodging in 19th-century mansion with extensive gardens. £15 pp for breakfast. Double (room only) £80. (updated Feb 2020)
• 9 Premier Inn Dundee West, South Kingsway DD2 5JU (on A90 ring road, NW edge of city), ☏ +44 333 777 4659. Budget hotel, handy for motorists. Double (room only) £40. (updated Feb 2020)
• 10 Travelodge Dundee Strathmore Avenue, 296A Strathmore Avenue, Dundee, DD3 6SH (North edge of city), ☏ +44 8719 846460. Budget chain hotel, convenient for motorists. B&B double £50. (updated Feb 2020)

Further out in the countryside:

• 11 The Hideaway Experience, Balkello Farm, Auchterhouse DD3 0RA (6 miles north of city), ☏ +44 1382 320707. Luxurious cottage on farm. B&B double £350. (updated Feb 2020)
• 12 Landal Piperdam, Piperdam, Fowlis DD2 5LP (7 miles NW of city on A903), ☏ +44 1382 585000, enquiries@piperdam.com. Self-catering lodges by small loch. B&B double £250. (updated Feb 2020)

Connect

Carlungie Earth House near Carnoustie

As of Aug 2021, Dundee and its surrounds have 4G from all UK carriers, and city centre has 5G from Vodafone.

Stay safe

The local police is Police Scotland and the main office is in the town centre at the end of West Bell St beside Dundee's Sheriff Court. In the UK, '999' is the number to call the emergency services, and 101 for less urgent calls to the police. The pan-European emergency number 112 also works.

Dundee has an extensive CCTV system, covering most of the city and the entire city centre. This is owned by Dundee City Council and run by Tayside Police and has helped reduce crime significantly.

Dundee, like any other major city, has its anti-social problems, mainly drugs. The area round the rear of the Wellgate centre (Hilltown) and Stobswell have a bad reputation and care should be exercised on The Law at night. Overall the city has a good reputation.

Dundee has a dual carriageway going through it, the Kingsway, which almost splits the city in half. Be aware of speeding cars, as in any other busy city, as accidents are common.

Go next

• South across the Tay is St Andrews, an ancient university town by the sea. It's the home of the Royal and Ancient, the ruling body of golf, and is the former ecclesiastical capital of Scotland. Frequent buses take 30 min. With your own car, continue south to the charming fishing villages of East Fife, such as Anstruther, and to Falkland Palace.
• A short bus or train ride brings you to Perth and Stirling.
• Visit the nearby glens: Glenshee, Glenisla and the Tay Valley. North on A9 through Dunkeld and Blair Atholl leads to Aviemore, the Spey Valley and Inverness.
• North along the coast is Aberdeen and Deeside, and eventually Inverness. So the coast route and the Tay Valley route together make a natural circuit of the east and central Highlands.

Routes through Dundee

Edinburgh/Glasgow ← / Perth ←	W  N	→ Forfar → Aberdeen
Edinburgh ← Kirkcaldy / St Andrews (via Tay Bridge) ←	S  NE	→ Arbroath → Montrose