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
Balmoral Castle
Aberdeenshire
Seasonal Apr-Aug plus winter tours; interior access limited
Crathes Castle
Aberdeenshire
16th-century tower house with painted ceilings and gardens
Castle Fraser
Aberdeenshire
One of Scotland's largest tower houses; East Wing apartment bookable
Fyvie Castle
Aberdeenshire
Preston Tower Apartment sleeps 12 within the castle
Drum Castle
Aberdeenshire
Medieval tower plus mansion; holiday cottage in courtyard, not castle
Craigievar Castle
Aberdeenshire
Pink tower house; interior visits by guided tour
Braemar Castle
Aberdeenshire
Community-run; reopened after conservation; seasonal from April
Huntly Castle
Aberdeenshire
Gordon palace-castle; currently no visitor toilets
Delgatie Castle
Aberdeenshire
Open daily Jan-Dec; holiday suites inside castle
Tolquhon Castle
Aberdeenshire
Ornate 1580s courtyard mansion-castle; seasonal opening
Kildrummy Castle
Aberdeenshire
13th-century shield-shaped castle; seasonal opening
Corgarff Castle
Aberdeenshire
Tower within star-shaped wall; seasonal opening
Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse
Aberdeenshire
Guided tours via Museum of Scottish Lighthouses; Wine Tower closed
Craigston Castle
Aberdeenshire
Tours May and September; grounds anytime; exclusive-use stays
Glenbuchat Castle
Aberdeenshire
Currently closed for conservation; exterior views only
Leslie Castle
Aberdeenshire
17th-century Z-plan tower house built for William Forbes of Monymusk, restored by the Leslie family from 1979.
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 carries the strongest public rating of any castle 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 is 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 Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse, Craigston Castle, Glenbuchat Castle and Leslie Castle you get the grounds or a booked tour rather than free run of the building.