On the coast of Scotland and at the mouth of the River Tay lies Dundee, the fourth-largest city in Scotland in terms of population size. Founded in the 11th century, it was given the status of burgh in 1191, and became a city in 1889. The history of the city is interesting, with one of its most famous products during the Industrial Revolution being jute fabric. Things have changed over time, though, with one of the more notable employers in the city being Rockstar Dundee, a subsidiary of the renowned video game developer Rockstar Games and known for developing Crackdown 2.

Image Credit: Leila Gebhard | Unsplash

Given its location north of Edinburgh, you'd perhaps be forgiven for thinking that Dundee isn't the easiest of places to get to by train, but this isn't true. It has frequent connections to Edinburgh and Glasgow, which themselves have frequent services to London and other parts of the country. There are some direct service from London Euston and London Kings Cross to Dundee, with the Caledonian Sleeper's portion to/from Aberdeen stopping in the city, making it an attractive option if you want to combine both travel and overnight accommodation into one overall package. If you're travelling from further afield, then Dundee does have a small airport, but the nearest major airport is at Edinburgh, which has connections to far more places across Europe and even further afield.

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Getting around Dundee

• Walk/cycle. Getting around the centre of Dundee on foot is relatively simple thanks to its small size. Walking is a great way of getting to grips with a new city, and can also be a really good option if you're on a more limited budget or want to get a bit of exercise in during your break. For some additional information on walking in Dundee and in the local area, the websites HERE, HERE, and HERE should be of use. Cycling's also a convenient way of getting around Dundee, with extra information being found HERE.
• Bus. Dundee's bus services cross the city, and can be a really convenient way of seeing more of Dundee. Further info on buses in Dundee can be found HERE.
• Taxi. Getting around Dundee by taxi can be a convenient option if you have restricted mobility or a sizeable amount of luggage. However, it's worth bearing in mind that the costs can add up if you plan on taking a few taxis in the same trip.

Image Credit: Zack Davidson | Unsplash

So what is there to do in Dundee? Well, read on, and you'll be able to find out.

Sport

About a mile north of Dundee city centre, you will find Dens Park, the home of Dundee FC. About 200 yards down the road is Tannadice Park, home of Dundee United FC. This makes the grounds the closest to each other in the professional game in the UK. While the clubs do share a rivalry, it's been noted that the rivalry is much more amicable than other club rivalries in Scotland and the rest of the UK. One of the other main sports in the area is golf, with Carnoustie Golf Links being reachable by train just a few miles away. Carnoustie has played host to the Open Championship on eight occasions, with the most recent being in 2018 when it was won by Francesco Molinari of Italy. Other sports with a presence in the city include ice hockey courtesy of Dundee Stars (home games played at the Dundee Ice Arena to the north-west of the city centre), several rugby union clubs, and athletics - of note here is that athletes Liz McColgan and her daughter Eilish are from the city, both of whom won gold in the 10,000m while representing Scotland at the Commonwealth Games (Liz in both 1986 and 1990, and Eilish in 2022).

Are you a Sports Fan? Trainsplit has partnered with Pledgeball, a grassroots charity that rallies fellow fans to take action to protect where we play, making changes that improve our air and our green spaces. It can be as simple as swapping to reusable water bottles or taking the train to a match instead of driving. Fans, players, clubs, grassroots teams – the impact we can have together is game-changing.

History

Dundee is sometimes summed up in three words: 'jute, jam, and journalism'. The manufacture of jute during the Industrial Revolution caused the city to grow rapidly, with its coastal location proving ideal for the importing of jute from the Indian subcontinent. In addition to this, whale oil was used during the manufacturing process of jute, and the city did rely on the whaling industry for some time. If you want to take more of a look at Dundee's industrial past, then the Verdant Works museum on W Henderson's Wynd should be of interest. There are several other museums in Dundee, including the McManus on Albert Square, Discovery Point and the RRS Discovery (conveniently located near to Dundee station, the RRS Discovery is known for the Discovery Expedition to Antarctica between 1901 and 1904, with two of its crew being Captain Robert Falcon Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton), HMS Unicorn in Dundee Harbour, and many more - some other museums in Dundee are listed on the council's website HERE. One of the most well-known historical facts about Dundee is that it was the location of the Tay Bridge Disaster in December 1879, when the rail bridge across the River Tay collapsed with the loss of seventy-five lives - this was less than eighteen months after the bridge officially opened.

Image Credit: Thomas Mills | Unsplash

The 'jam' aspect of Dundee actually refers to marmalade, and its roots in the city are frequently traced back to Janet Keiller in 1797, although it's alleged to have existed in some form in Spain and Portugal since the 15th century. Nevertheless, Dundee marmalade remains popular in the UK and further afield to this day. In addition to this, James Keiller & Sons (James Keiller being the son of the aforementioned Janet) is sometimes credited with the invention of the popular Dundee cake, with one of its most notable afficionados being Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.

Image Credit: BBC Food | BBC

The journalism aspect of Dundee usually revolved around D C Thompson and Co Ltd, responsible for titles such as the Sunday Post and The Courier, with their most notable works being the childrens' comics The Dandy and The Beano.

Culture

The McManus Galleries on Albert Square do have some museum elements, but the main focus here is on art, with a variety of galleries on different themes, including ceramics, Scottish oil paintings, 20th century art, and more. For something perhaps a little different, then Dundee Contemporary Arts on Nethergate in the centre of Dundee could be worth considering, with art galleries, two cinema screens, and a public engagement programme among the facilities they offer. Also of note is the V&A Museum's Dundee site on Riverside Esplanade, with a variety of exhibits on offer.

Image Credit: Steve Gilruth | Unsplash

A number of authors have spent time in Dundee, with one of the most notable being Mary Shelley, author of Frankenstein. For theatre-goers, the Caird Hall on City Square hosts a number of productions, with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra being frequent visitors. Regarding music, Dundee hosted BBC Radio 1's Big Weekend in Camperdown Park in May 2023, having been delayed from its originally-planned date of May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A number of musical acts are either from the city or spent some of their education in the city, including The View, KT Tunstall, the band Snow Patrol, and Brian Molko (lead singer of alternative rock group Placebo).

Image Credit: Ross Gilmore | Unsplash

Dining recommendations

When going somewhere new, food is likely to be on your mind. There are number of options in Dundee to suit a variety of budgets and desired cuisines, and we have just a few selections here to demonstrate what Dundee has to offer.

Cheap eats

Loco Rita's
Address: Old Hawkhill, Dundee DD1 5EU
Found on Hawkhill and close to the University of Dundee, Loco Rita's is known for serving Mexican food. There is a slight twist to it, though, in that all the dishes are 100% vegan-friendly, which is ideal if you follow a vegan diet or are trying to reduce your meat intake. Loco Rita's recommends ordering 2-3 dishes each, and they arrive as they're ready. In addition to this, most of the dishes are either gluten-free or can be made gluten-free on request. Tacos are served in pairs on corn or flour tortillas, and the fillings include 'Soya Al Pastor' (soya al pastor, grilled pineapple, corn mole), 'Cheeseburger' ('burger' bits, beer cheese sauce, dill pickles, lettuce, house burger sauce, onion, tomato), and 'Barbacoa Carrot' (smoky glazed carrot, corn mole, slaw). If you fancy loaded fries, then the toppings include 'Cheeseburger', 'Bean Chilli & Cheese', and 'Mexican Nacho'. If you want a bit more variety in terms of the dishes, then the antojitos section should be perfect for you, and includes nachos (beer cheese sauce, jalapeños, pickled onions, salsa, sour cream), quesadillas (smoky black beans, red onion, cheese, salsa verde, sour cream, salsa), and enchiladas (soya al pastor, cheese, herb crumb, salsa). There are also cauliflower wings with a choice of sauce if that takes your fancy.

Nether Inn
Address: 134 Nethergate, Dundee DD1 4ED
Sited on Nethergate just outside the city centre and a short walk from Dundee Contemporary Arts is the Nether Inn. Great value pub food is the name of the game here, and its proximity to the University of Dundee makes it ideal for students. Starting a meal with small plates is becoming increasingly common these days, and the Nether Inn offers this - some of the small plates they serve include chilli & cheese nuggets (with a cool garlic & herb dip), scampi (crispy breaded scampi with tartare sauce), and cheesy chicken & chorizo croquettes (with a garlic & herb dip). There are a good number of main courses here, with a particular focus on burgers - these include the 'Burning Hot' (double beef burger, burger cheese slices, sriracha hot sauce, sliced jalapeños, burger sauce), the 'Chicken & Bacon' (crispy coated chicken burger, burger cheese slice, crispy bacon, mayo), and the 'Vegan Bombay' (two grilled plant-based soya burgers, Violife cheeze slices, burger sauce, crushed poppadom, Bombay sauced, served with topped Doritos). If you want to end your meal on a sweet note, then there are a number of desserts to choose from, including chocolate brownie (with vanilla ice-cream, Belgian chocolate sauce, and crumbled chocolate pieces), honeycomb cheesecake (smooth toffee cheesecake topped with chocolate-coated honeycomb pieces, toffee sauce, and dark chocolate, served with vanilla ice cream and Belgian chocolate sauce), and sticky toffee sponge pud (topped with a Lotus Biscoff biscuit crumb, and served with a choice of ice-cream, non-dairy custard, and vanilla non-dairy ice-kream).

3 Session Street
Address: 3 Session Street, Dundee DD1 5DN
Tucked away on a side street just a short walk from the Verdant Works museum is 3 Session Street. It's primarily a bar, but they do also serve food in the early part of the evening. In addition to this, they also serve a variety of cocktails, and also offer cocktail masterclasses if that interests you. The food options do revolve around small plates of street food, which can be ideal to eat alongside one of the many cocktails. There are many choices to make here, including: mac & cheese bites (coated in panko breadcrumbs and served with a rich tomato dip); halloumi fries (served with a spiced mayo dip); chicken wings (tossed in either BBQ or buffalo sauce); duck/vegetable spring rolls; braised pork belly (served on a bed of salad with Sessions Secret Sauce); and more. They also offer pizzas, with the options here including  nduja (nduja spiced sausage, mozzarella, red onion, extra-virgin olive oil), crispy duck (San Marzano tomato and Sichuan base, mozzarella, shredded duck, caramelised onion chutney, rocket), and pumpkin & beetroot (pumpkin purée base, beetroot, rocket, pine nut, balsamic onions).

Image Credit: Tobias Patrick Wolf | Unsplash

Mid-range

Milas
Address: 5 Whitehall Street, Dundee DD1 4AA
For anyone who enjoys Turkish cuisine, why not consider a visit to Milas? Found on Whitehall Street in the city centre and just around the corner from Caird Hall, it's an ideally-located place to eat if you're attending an event at the Caird Hall, or perhaps want to try something a little bit different. The starters are divided into hot and cold options, and include sucuk (grilled garlic sausage), falafel (deep-fried & crushed broad beans, chickpeas, onions, parsley, coriander, garlic, green & red peppers), and humus (crushed chickpeas with lemon and garlic). The grilled options all come with rice & salad, and the choices here include chicken shish (char-grilled marinated tender pieces of chicken on skewers), adana kofte (char-grilled spicy hand-chopped minced lamb with herbs), and vegetable kebabs (chargrilled aubergine, green peppers, mushroom, onion, tomato sauce, yogurt). They also offer Turkish-style pizzas, with the options here including kusbasili pide (freshly-baked pastry with diced lamb, red & green peppers, tomato, parsley), beyaz peynirli pide (freshly-baked pastry with feta cheese, sysop peppers, tomato, onion, parsley, eggs), and sucuklu pide (freshly-baked pastry with spicy garlic sausage, tomato, pepper, topped with Cheddar cheese). 

Sol y Sombra
Address: 27 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2BH
In nearby Broughty Ferry (within easy reach of Dundee by train), you'll find Sol y Sombra, which is a short walk from Broughty Ferry station. Sol y Sombra is a tapas bar, and is perhaps slightly different to many other tapas bars in that there is a set menu which changes daily depending on the ingredients that arrive each morning. The website also has separate sample menus for the standard set menu, a pescatarian menu, a vegetarian menu, and a vegan menu, which is excellent for those who have those particular dietary requirements. The set menu has a mixture of cold and hot tapas, and the standard menu can include chorizo ibérico de bellota (high-grade Spanish chorizo), roast beef con higos y rabanitos (roast beef with fresh figs, radish, cashew nuts, hoi sin sauce), pinchos de embutido (kebabs with chicken, chorizo, and morcilla), and albóndigas caseras (homemade pork meatballs in a tomato sauce). The fish-based options can include ensalada de atún (pasta and tuna salad), merluza rebozada (pan-fried Atlantic hake), and gambas al pil pil (tiger prawns, garlic, parsley, white wine, pimentón, chilli). The vegetarian menu can include queso manchego (slices of Manchego drizzled with garlic and rosemary infused olive oil), paella de verduras (vegetable paella), and espárragos con salsa verde (asparagus with garlic, parsley, and lemon). The vegan menu can include carpaccio de remolacha (beetroot carpaccio), champiñones al ajo (garlic mushrooms), and pimientos del padrón (fresh green Padrón peppers from the town of Padrón in Galicia).

Image Credit: Steve Malloy | Unsplash

Bombay Joe's
Address: 44 Gray Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 2BJ
Also found in Broughty Ferry is one of the most popular Indian restaurants in the Dundee area - Bombay Joe's. There is a particular focus here on cuisine from the Punjab region, with a huge variety on the menu to suit all kinds of desires. It's also particularly noteworthy that Bombay Joe's has been a winner at the Scottish Curry Awards in recent years. The starters are varied, and include onion bhajis, chicken puri, haggis pakoras, lamb tikka, and garlic jumbo king prawns. If you like tandoori dishes, then the choices here include tandoori chicken (two butterfly chicken breasts, marinated in spices, roasted in a Tandoori clay oven), tandoori lamb chops (lamb chops marinated with natural yogurt and ground spices, served on the bone and barbecued in a clay oven), and paneer tikka (cubes of cottage cheese marinated in green spices & herbs, served with peppers & onions). There are a number of different twists on tikka masala, too, including achari masala (tikka masala cook with mixed pickle), jalfrezi masala (cooked with garlic, ginger, onions, peppers, and tomatoes in a bhuna sauce), rajastani (cooked in a sauce with special Punjabi sauces, green peppers, fresh cream, spring onions, and red wine), and many more - these all come with a choice of additional filling (vegetable, chicken tikka, tender lamb, prawn, or jumbo king prawn tikka). If you want to sample one of the vegetarian specialities on the menu, then why not choose from options such as the chana masala (chickpeas cooked in a condensed Punjabi sauce with ginger, garlic, and tomatoes, garnished with fresh coriander), the tarka daal (lentils cooked then finished with garlic butter), or the Bombay aloo (sautéed potatoes scrambled in eggs with herbs and spices)?

Fine dining

Collinsons Restaurant
Address: 122 Brown Street, Broughty Ferry, Dundee DD5 1EN
For an upmarket dining experience, why not consider Collinsons? Situated in the suburb of Broughty Ferry, it opened in 2012, and focuses on seasonal & local produce where possible. In addition to this, the restaurant is featured in the Michelin Guide. The available starters at the time of writing include honey-glazed pork belly (with Stornoway black pudding, spiced apple purée, and a soy, ginger, and star anise sauce), seared Scottish scallops (with chorizo, sweetcorn, cauliflower and cumin purée, and pea shoots), and salt-baked beetroots (with goats cheese, pickled purple carrots, crispy kale, Parmesan crisps, and aged balsamic). The options for the main courses include a pan-fried fillet of hake (with wilted spinach, crushed baby potatoes, samphire, and a white wine, chive, and butter sauce), a pan-roasted loin of roe deer (with sticky red cabbage, Tenderstem broccoli, parsnip and garlic purée, gratin potatoes, port wine, and cassis), and a leek and Gruyère cheese tart (with crushed potatoes, roasted vine tomatoes, and Tenderstem broccoli). There are a number of choices for dessert, too, including a warm apricot & frangipane tart (with coconut ice-cream), a white chocolate & vanilla cheesecake (with mango & passionfruit salsa), and a cheeseboard (selection of cheeses, Arran oatcakes, crackers, quince jelly, and grapes). The wine list is worth a look as well, with bottles chosen from across the world.

If you wish to indulge in a spot of retail therapy while in Dundee, then the most logical place is arguably the Overgate Shopping Centre in the city centre itself, with a wide range of businesses to suit a whole host of different needs. If you're a fan of spirits, then why not consider a tour at the Tayport Distillery on the other side of the River Tay? They have a particular focus on liqueurs, vodka, and gin. For those who are interested in science and astronomy, then the Mills Observatory in Balgay Park to the west of the city should be right up your street. It's of historical importance, too, being the first purpose-built public observatory in the UK. There's also the Dundee Science Centre near the station, with a variety of interactive exhibits for all the family.

Overnighting in Dundee

Maximise your Dundee experience by extending your stay in this historic city. Whether you're attracted to its sporting history, contributions to culture, or wish to take in its history, Dundee provides plenty of accommodation options for every preference and budget. Uncover the ideal place to unwind and rejuvenate for another day of exploration.

Looking to extend your stay? Click here to explore the variety of accommodations for an overnight break. 

We very much hope that we have convinced you to book a journey to Dundee. If we have, then that’s fantastic! Please make sure to use our website for the best-value train tickets possible, and if you do have any queries about your journey, please feel free to get in touch with us.

Getting the best-value rail tickets possible is something that we at Trainsplit are sure many people want to do. This can include booking in advance, using a Railcard if you have one, travelling outside peak times, and – of course – splitting tickets via our website. If you’d like further information on any of these, please get in touch, and we’ll do what we can to assist you. We do have a comprehensive booking guide here at Trainsplit on the booking process, which we hope will be very useful, and we’ve covered some of the main points below. 

Our top tips and ways to cut down train travel costs on your train tickets to Dundee

Book Your Train Tickets Early

If you know when you are planning to travel, booking early can save you money on your train tickets. With Advance fares becoming available up to 12 weeks ahead, this is a great way to save on your rail travel.

Use a Railcard

Teamed up with a railcard, you can get up to a third off the cost, saving you more money on your train tickets. If you make a lot of train journeys, a railcard will pay for itself in no time.

Split Your Tickets

With Trainsplit’s unique journey planner, we search for the best-priced train tickets for your journey. You can easily discover the best split ticketing combinations that maximise your savings on train tickets, and best of all, Trainsplit will do all the work for you and doesn’t charge a booking fee.

Avoid Peak Times

If you don't need to travel early in the morning, consider traveling off-peak to save money on more expensive train tickets. Trains are also likely to be quieter during off-peak hours, which usually start from around 09:30 onwards.

Travelling with More than 2 People

Take a look at Group Save train tickets. These are a great way to get discounted train fares for groups of people traveling together.

Consider an Alternative Route

If you're travelling from London, then some alternative routes to Dundee may involve changing trains at Sheffield. Using Trainsplit’s journey planner, you can search for cheaper routes to Dundee, potentially saving you money on your train tickets.

Claim Delay Repay

If your journey is delayed, you may be entitled to delay compensation on your train tickets.

By following these tips, along with using Trainsplit’s unique journey planner to find the best train ticket deals, now is the perfect time to explore new destinations.

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