Aberdeen
Scotland
Ticked off Edinburgh and Glasgow? Shimmy up to Scotland's third-largest city for its granite-hewn architecture - long hailed as the most beautiful in Europe - city surfing and an eclectic creative scene fuelled by vibrant street art and "Made in Aberdeen" collectives such as Look Inside.
Orient yourself with a stroll through the city where brutalist tower blocks rub shoulders with neo-gothic spires, juxtaposing stone columns and Victorian domes. Nip into the (recently refurbished) Aberdeen Art Gallery, before refuelling at Foodstory Café, a centrally located vegan café. Make tracks towards Footdee - affectionately nicknamed Fittie by locals - a teeny tiny fishing quarter filled with 'grammable cottages and onwards to the dunes of Balmedie. It'll take you about three hours. Circle back (or catch the bus) to treat yourself to a scoop of Aberdeenshire ice cream at Mackies 19.2. Classics flavours line the menu as do a few more adventurous options; Brussels sprouts and haggis paired with marmalade pop up seasonally. Call us vanilla but the, eh, vanilla is our go-to scoop. This best-of-both-worlds bothy doubles up as the gateway to Aberdeenshire's natural playground - Cairngorms National Park and Scotland's northern sandy swatches are all within an easy reach