The sparkling ‘Granite City’, the epic north east coastline, the majesty of Royal Deeside and the wild beauty of The Cairngorms National Park – welcome to a remarkable corner of Scotland. Despite all its wonders, Scotland’s north east is a surprisingly undiscovered part of the country, but there are so many attractions that are sure to capture your heart, if the beautiful scenery doesn’t do it first. With its sparkling buildings, it boasts one of Scotland's most enchanting skylines, while the city's Old Town has a magical air of time gone by. A fantastic range of first-class restaurants and a vibrant nightlife combined with a thriving cultural calendar and shops galore all help make Scotland's third largest city a modern and lively destination that's well worth the trip.

What to do

• Set amongst the magnificent scenery of Royal Deeside, Balmoral Castle is the private residence of The Queen Victoria
• Aberdeen’s Maritime Museum houses a unique collection covering shipbuilding, fast sailing ships, fishing and port history.
• Scotland’s only dedicated Castle Trail lets you discover the dramatic stories of 17 of Aberdeen shire’s most famous castles.
• Aberdeen Art Gallery houses one of the finest art collections in Britain with paintings, sculpture and graphics from the 15th century to the present day