Aberdeenshire is dotted with historic houses and castles, many of them outstanding examples of Scots Baronial architecture. Each one has a fascinating story to tell with countless legends and several royal connections.

Our tour starts with a bang at Drum Castle, where 700 years of history is woven into its battlements. Haddo House showcases the crisp neo-classical style of William Adam, while Fyvie Castle presents a prime example of the more extravagant Scots Baronial form. Castle Fraser is the most elaborate Z-plan castle in Scotland, while Craigievar seems simply to have grown naturally out of the rolling hills. The Royal Family’s late summer residence of Balmoral Castle is the most modern property we visit, though no less fascinating, and of course now sadly remembered as the place where Her Majesty The Queen passed away on 8 September 2022. We conclude at glorious Crathes Castle, every inch the classic Scottish tower house.