The trip to Dundee was one of the most satisfying view wise journeys one could possibly have – going through the Forth Bridge instead of seeing it purely from the distance is an amazing experience! The railway goes right by the seafront for quite a long piece of the journey… after this sneak peek I just can’t wait to do North Coast 500!
What is there to see in Dundee?
As soon as you leave the train station you will see V&A Dundee and the RRS Discovery.
Not far from the ship is the city centre where you’ll get to see the McManus Art Gallery and Museum which I actually enjoyed more than the interiors of V&A Dundee plus it looks like a little palace from the outside.
Events venue, Caird Hall also looks very impressive.
A bit further from the city centre is Clepington Antiques & Collectables Centre which is an impressive collection of old items gathered by two men over 8 and 40 years!
An interesting fact is that Dundee was awarded UNESCO City of Design status in 2014. A great way to discover the city is to try and find all of public sculptures. I found a few and that immediately brought to mind my favourite Polish city, Wroclaw, which has a similar attraction- dwarfs sculptures scattered all over it.
The Mills observatory, I also wanted to have a glimpse at, is still closed due to the pandemic but instead of going there I chose to climb the Law Hill. Even though it does not actually figure on many ‘lists of things to see in Dundee’ as one of the main attraction, I very much recommend visiting it. From the summit you can see panorama of the city along with the river Tay, Tay Rail Bridge and the mountains in the distance.
Is Dundee worth a visit? Let’s agree, it’s not one of the most touristic places in the UK. I’d say visit it as a pit stop on the way to something else or if you just happen to be in the area. Pop in at least to see the Discovery and V&A (which the most impressive part of is the exterior). After all, the most expensive bit of the trip was the journey to Dundee itself. If it doesn’t cost you much, you might as well do it 😉
A bit of practical info:
- The main costs are as follows:
| Costs | Price |
| Return train ticket EDI -> Dundee | between £20 and £25 dependent on how much in advance you book and if you’ve got a concession |
| McManus Art Gallery and Museum Entry | FREE |
| Contemporary Arts Gallery Entry | FREE |
| V&A Dundee Entry | FREE |
| The Discovery ship tour | FREE |
| Clepington Antiques & Collectables | £11.50 |
| Total | Between £31,50 and £36,50 depending on the train tickets price |
- The trains from Edinburgh to Dundee go with the frequency of roughly half an hour. There is also a possibility of going by bus (eg. Megabus) for even half the price (!) and the journey time is very similar to the train one (around 1,5 hours). But these bookings have to be done well in advance.
- If you travel a lot, it is good to buy a Rail Card. Mine was only £30 but reduced the costs of my train journeys by 1/3 for the whole year!
- Dundee Contemporary Arts Gallery was not at all worth the visit. Maybe it’s just the time of the pandemic but I found it an utter waste of my time
- Due to the pandemic Dundee Science Centre is closed
- More about Dundee on its official website.
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