Dundee, the Unesco city of design

It is well known that Scotland is not a sunny place – Scotland is instead well known for its beautiful and magical landscapes and landmarks and for being the place that inspired plenty of artists and writers such as J.K Rowling, who wrote the amazing fantasy novels of Harry Potter (check out this story about Edinburgh being the home of Harry Potter to find out more). However there is a place in Scotland where there are sometimes sunny days - Dundee. The city of Dundee is probably Scotland’s hottest or sunniest city. This modern and dynamic city is becoming a very popular destination for those who visit Scotland due to its large number of museums for all types of ages, its historic ships, plenty of culture with theatres and its architecture. 

Dundee is Scotland's fourth-largest city which lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay that feeds into the North Sea. Its population density makes the city the second-highest in Scotland. Dundee established itself as an important east coast trading port in the late 12th Century and rapid expansion was brought on by the Industrial Revolution, particularly in the 19th Century when Dundee was the centre of the global jute industry (a long, soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads).

Things to do in Dundee

The city was officially recognised by the United Nations as a UNESCO City of Design – the first in the UK to be awarded the honour – because of its wonderful reputation for being a hub of creativity, exploration and innovation over the years to a wide range of fields and that is one of the reasons why there are many landmarks to visit and many activities to do.

Things to do range from going back in time at its fun museums to stepping on board its floating attractions. You can’t miss the RRS Discovery, the vessel that took explorer Captain Scott on his first polar expedition to Antarctica. This ship was designed and built in the city’s shipyards and was the first vessel made for scientific research. You need to take a tour around the vessel, including all the quarters below deck, to find out more information about Scott’s ground-breaking expedition, which is very interesting.  

In Dundee, there is also a great selection of shops since its streets are packed with architecture, cosy cafes in which you can try mouth-watering cakes, cool cocktail bars (like the Boozy Cow) and atmospheric booksellers. Dundee offers its visitors and its inhabitants a bit of everything and I think it probably is a very comfortable city to live in Scotland, with plenty of culture and history.