Dundee among Lonely Planet’s top ten European destinations for 2018

The city of Dundee has been named one of the best places in Europe to visit this year by travel guide Lonely Planet.

It is placed sixth on the guide's best in Europe 2018 list which includes Italy's food heartland of Emilia-Romagna, the northern Spanish region of Cantabria, Provence in France and Kosovo.

Once known as the home of "jute, jam and journalism'', Dundee was praised for its growing cultural scene and the transformation of the city's historic waterfront, with the new V&A Dundee due to open in September.

Describing Dundee, Lonely Planet's writers praised a creative scene that "increasingly attracts some of the UK's most visionary talent'', building on its selection by Unesco as the UK's first City of Design in 2014.

Lonely Planet's editorial director Tom Hall said: "While visitors have always been assured of a friendly welcome, Dundee has often been overlooked by travellers to Scotland, but that should be set to change.

"The opening of V&A Dundee is a really exciting moment that marks the city out as well worth a visit, but throw in nationally-important museums and attractions, and its dynamic, creative spirit, and travellers will find a city boasting plenty to discover."

The list is compiled annually by Lonely Planet's European experts to reveal their pick of the most exciting and underrated destinations to visit across the continent.

Others in the top ten this year include Greece's Small Cyclades islands, Friesland in the Netherlands and Vilnius in Lithuania as well as the Vipava Valley in Slovenia and Tirana in Albania.

Malcolm Roughead, VisitScotland chief executive, said: "With the arrival of V&A Dundee, the city is fast becoming the star of the Scottish travel scene and thanks to accolades like this one, more and more people will discover what we have known for some time, that Dundee is a must-visit destination.

"This is an exciting new chapter for tourism in Dundee, the excitement is palpable and the tourism industry is working hard to capitalise on this unmissable opportunity.

"Now is Dundee's time to shine. Now is the time for the world to discover Dundee."

Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the #80 million V&A Museum of Design, Dundee opens on Saturday September 15.

Councillor John Alexander, leader of Dundee City Council, said: "Being on Lonely Planet's definitive list of 10 places in Europe that people should visit in the next 12 months is a tremendous badge of honour and is fitting recognition of the work that so many people have put in over so many years to get us to where we are now."

He added: "We are just over half way through a 30-year masterplan to completely transform the waterfront and re-connect the Tay with the heart of the city.

"We're a thriving cruise ship destination, a hub for creative industries, media and life sciences and a Unesco City of Design that is committed to fairness and social justice.

"Dundee is determined to succeed and our ambitions for the city and its people are sky-high."