County guide · The Castle Rolls
Best castles in Aberdeenshire
17 castles survive in Aberdeenshire - more than any other Scottish county - including Balmoral, the King's own Highland estate, and five-towered Fyvie, one of the grandest of them all.
Map
Every castle on this list - 17 in total, 9 you can stay overnight in
Dunnottar Castle
Aberdeenshire
Ticketed clifftop ruin; open year-round, weather permitting
Photo: Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Balmoral Castle
Aberdeenshire
Seasonal Apr-Aug plus winter tours; interior access limited
Photo: Stuart Yeates from Oxford, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Crathes Castle
Aberdeenshire
16th-century tower house with painted ceilings and gardens
Photo: Lucas Kendall, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Castle Fraser
Aberdeenshire
One of Scotland's largest tower houses; East Wing apartment bookable
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Fyvie Castle
Aberdeenshire
Preston Tower Apartment sleeps 12 within the castle
Photo: Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Drum Castle
Aberdeenshire
Medieval tower plus mansion; holiday cottage in courtyard, not castle
Photo: Bill Harrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Craigievar Castle
Aberdeenshire
Pink tower house; interior visits by guided tour
Photo: Colin Smith, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Braemar Castle
Aberdeenshire
Community-run; reopened after conservation; seasonal from April
Photo: neroblackcat, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Huntly Castle
Aberdeenshire
Gordon palace-castle; currently no visitor toilets
Photo: Iain Lees, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Delgatie Castle
Aberdeenshire
Open daily Jan-Dec; holiday suites inside castle
Photo: August Schwerdfeger, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Tolquhon Castle
Aberdeenshire
Ornate 1580s courtyard mansion-castle; seasonal opening
Photo: PaulT (Gunther Tschuch), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kildrummy Castle
Aberdeenshire
13th-century shield-shaped castle; seasonal opening
Photo: Gordon Brown, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Corgarff Castle
Aberdeenshire
Tower within star-shaped wall; seasonal opening
Photo: Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse
Aberdeenshire
Guided tours via Museum of Scottish Lighthouses; Wine Tower closed
Photo: Sagaciousphil, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Craigston Castle
Aberdeenshire
Tours May and September; grounds anytime; exclusive-use stays
Photo: Bill Harrison, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Glenbuchat Castle
Aberdeenshire
Currently closed for conservation; exterior views only
Photo: David Purchase, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons, cropped
Common questions
How many castles are there in Aberdeenshire?
This roll lists 17 visitable castles, fortresses and tower houses in Aberdeenshire.
What is the best-rated castle in Aberdeenshire?
Leslie Castle is among the highest-rated castles in Aberdeenshire on this roll - 5/5 from 55 Google reviews.
Can you stay overnight in a castle in Aberdeenshire?
Yes - 9 of the castles listed here offer overnight stays, including Balmoral Castle, Crathes Castle, Castle Fraser and Fyvie Castle.
Can you reach any castle in Aberdeenshire by train?
One of the 17, Huntly Castle, sits within 1.5 miles of a railway station (Huntly, 0.7 miles). That's a straight-line distance from the station to the castle, so the walk on the ground is longer than the figure.
Can you go inside every castle in Aberdeenshire?
Not all of them on the same terms. 4 of the 17 restrict what a visitor can see. At Glenbuchat Castle the building itself isn't open to visitors, so you see it from the grounds or from outside. At Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse, Craigston Castle and Leslie Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.