Balmoral Castle
The British royal family's private summer residence in Scotland, a Scottish baronial-style castle on the River Dee and a highlight of Royal Deeside.
Balmoral Castle lies on the upper River Dee in Royal Deeside. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert bought the estate in 1852 and rebuilt the castle. It is the private holiday retreat of the British royal family, and Queen Elizabeth II died here in 2022. Visitors can see the gardens, grounds, the stables exhibition, and the ballroom inside the castle. The rest of the castle is closed to the public. Limited summer tours of the castle interior must be booked in advance. It is usually open only from April to July (check the official website), and admission is about £15–20. It is about 70 km from Aberdeen, roughly 1 hour and 15 minutes by car on the A93, or take bus 201 to Crathie. It can be combined with Ballater, Braemar and Loch Muick in a day trip.
Opening hours
Approx. Apr–Jul 10:00–17:00 (check official website)
Nearby sights
- Crathie Kirk
- Royal Lochnagar Distillery
- Lochnagar
- Corgarff Castle
- Loch Muick
- Braemar Castle
- Braemar & Braemar Gathering
- Ballater