Things to do in  Aberdeen

Boasting conical-roofed turrets, towers, and battlements, this pink-hued Scottish Baronial-style tower house is one of several properties said to have inspired Walt Disney’s Cinderella Castle. Constructed in 1626, the property is replete with original features, precious artworks, and historical artifacts including armor and weapons.

Set among the wooded countryside of Aberdeenshire, the 16th-century Crathes Castle is known for its ties to Robert the Bruce. The tower house’s interior features original painted ceilings, portraits, and antique furniture, while the 593-acre (240-hectare) estate encompasses walled gardens and parkland threaded by marked trails.

The origins of Drum Castle, one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses, can be traced back to the 14th century. Home to the Irvine family for more than six centuries, Drum Castle, Garden & Estate—now owned by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS)—features a medieval grand hall, a Jacobean mansion house, a Victorian-era library, and an ancient oak forest.

If you love historic castles set in the scenic Scottish countryside, Fyvie Castle should be at the top of your list during your trip to Aberdeenshire. Built in the 13th century, it has been the ancestral home of five different noble families. Explore the towers of an authentic medieval castle, and learn about the collections of art and antiques displayed in each room.

See the history of Scotland come to life at Haddo House, the family estate of the Gordons. Built in the 1730s for William Gordon, the Earl of Aberdeen, in a Georgian style, discover an interior filled with grand portraits, unique furniture pieces, and historical stories to tell. Outside, enjoy the terraced garden and Haddo Country Park.

Designed in the Scottish Renaissance style, Pitmedden Garden is a celebration of local flora and a faithfully restored piece of Scottish history. It’s also home to a specially curated 21st-century take on a traditional stately garden and has more than 40,000 plants within its 100-acre (41-hectare) grounds during the height of summer.

Set among Victorian gardens and woodlands, the 18th-century House of Dun is a Georgian house adjacent to the Montrose Basin nature reserve. It’s home to the Hutchison and Stirling collections of paintings and furniture, including works by prominent Scottish artists. It was originally built for David Erskine (Lord Dun), and was home to generations of Erskines until 1947.

Just north of St. Andrews’ town center, the ruins of St. Andrews Castle sit on a windswept headland overlooking a beach. Dating from around 1200, the castle was the main residence of St. Andrews’ bishops and archbishops, and the main administrative center of the Scottish church in medieval-era Scotland.

A Georgian mansion dating back to 1740, Duff House was designed by renowned Scottish architect William Adam. The country manor is known for its ornate baroque exterior and estate of landscaped gardens. It was refurbished by the National Galleries of Scotland in the 1990s and is now a destination for its collection of Renaissance and Scottish art.

Located in Aberdeen’s West End, the Gordon Highlanders Museum is dedicated to what Sir Winston Churchill once described as “the finest regiment in the world.” The Gordon Highlanders were active from 1794 to 1994, and the independently run military museum is committed to preserving and sharing the legacy of the historic infantry unit.

The tiny residential community of Footdee—or “Fittie” as it is pronounced locally—offers a peek into Scotland’s maritime heritage. The former fishing village still displays its historic character, with narrow cobblestone streets lined with stone cottages, which face inward, backing the North Sea, for protection from storms.

Windswept, desolate, and teetering on the cliff tops of Cruden Bay, Aberdeenshire’s Slains Castle (also known as New Slains Castle) evokes such a forbidding atmosphere it’s easy to believe it provided inspiration for Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Literary association aside, Slains Castle draws visitors with its historic appeal and coastal walks.