Dundee Self-Guided Audio Tour: Hidden Stories

Walk Dundee's hidden corners and decide for yourself what the city really is

Made in Dundee is a self-guided audio tour you navigate using GPS and the VoiceMap app on your smartphone, walking a 3km route through Dundee's landmarks and lesser-known spots. The audio plays automatically at the right moment and place, and works offline once downloaded. The tour takes just over an hour without stops, though you can pause whenever you choose, and it's built for first-time visitors and locals alike who want to move beyond the standard tourist trail.

Step-by-step itinerary

Self-guided audio tour of Dundee

• Start 3km walk in Dundee
• See Desperate Dan statue
• Pass by McManus Museum
• View carvings in fountains
• Learn about James Caird's legacy
• Visit Slessor Gardens
• See Lemmings statues
• Complete audio tour

The experience

You arrive in Dundee with a free afternoon or a morning to yourself. Rather than follow a group or a printed map, you download the VoiceMap app, load the Made in Dundee tour, and set out on your own schedule. The GPS triggers audio at each stop: no need to hunt for plaques or wonder if you're in the right spot. You'll stand in front of the Desperate Dan statue and learn why D.C.Thomson, headquartered here, publishes 200 million magazines and periodicals every year. You'll pass the McManus Museum, which is free to enter if you want to step inside, and find the four carved fountains representing earth, fire, air and water, each one paired with a quote from a local poet or author.

The tour moves you through stories that don't make the standard guidebook: James Caird's sister, who inherited his fortune and funded Caird Hall; Mary Slessor, the first woman on a Scottish banknote and the first female magistrate in the British Empire, whose name lives on in Slessor Gardens; and the Lemmings statues, remnants of the 1991 video game that sold over 15 million copies and was built here by DMA Design. You'll also encounter the world's worst poet and learn why Winston Churchill swore never to return to Dundee. The audio plays at exactly the right moment, so you're not reading ahead or falling behind. You move at your own pace and stop whenever something catches your attention.

Because the app works offline, you don't need mobile data once you've downloaded it, and the tour stays accessible long after your visit. You own lifetime access to it, so if you return to Dundee or want to revisit a particular stop, the audio and maps are already yours. The whole walk covers just over an hour without pauses, which means it fits into a morning or an afternoon without eating the rest of your day.

What’s included

• Lifetime access to the Made in Dundee audio tour.
• VoiceMap mobile application.
• offline access to audio, maps and geodata.
• GPS-triggered audio that plays automatically at each stop.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery day

AgesAdult (6 and older) · Under 6: can't be included in the booking

GroupUp to 10

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends at a different place from where it starts.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 15 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by VoiceMap Audio Tours

Is this one for you?The tour runs just over an hour without stops, leaving the rest of your day free for lunch, museums or other neighborhoods. You move at your own pace and pause whenever you choose, so it works whether you have a single afternoon or a full morning to explore Dundee on foot.

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Top questions

What's the Desperate Dan statue and why is it in Dundee?

Desperate Dan is the star of The Dandy comic, one of Dundee's most famous characters. D.C.Thomson, the publisher that created The Dandy, is headquartered in Dundee and produces 200 million magazines, newspapers and periodicals every year, making it one of Scotland's biggest publishing houses.

Can I enter the McManus Museum during the tour?

The McManus Museum is a stop on the tour and it's free to visit. It has displays on Dundee's history and also functions as an art gallery, so you can step inside if you want to explore further, though it's not required to complete the audio tour.

How long does the tour actually take?

The audio takes just over an hour without stopping, but you control the pace entirely. You can pause at any point to linger at a sight, take photos, or grab a coffee, so the total time depends on how many stops you want to explore.

Do I need mobile data or a data plan to use this tour?

No. The VoiceMap app works offline once you've downloaded the tour, maps and audio before you start walking. You'll need GPS to trigger the audio at the right locations, but you don't need an internet connection or mobile data.

Who was Mary Slessor and why is she on a Scottish banknote?

Mary Slessor was the first female magistrate in the British Empire and became the first woman on a Scottish banknote in 1997, featured on the Clydesdale £10 note. Slessor Gardens in Dundee are named after her.

What happens if I want to take the tour again later?

You have lifetime access to the Made in Dundee tour, so once you've purchased it, the audio, maps and offline data remain yours. You can walk it again anytime without buying it again.