Balmoral Castle is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and a residence of the British royal family. It is near the village of Crathie, 9 miles west of Ballater and 50 miles west of Aberdeen.
Balmoral Castle is the Scottish holiday home to the Royal Family. The grounds, gardens and exhibitions are now open daily, until the 11th August 2024. Admission charges apply.
Balmoral Castle has been the Scottish home of the Royal Family since it was purchased for Queen Victoria by Prince Albert in 1852, having been first leased in 1848.
Enjoy a relaxing visit to the grounds at Balmoral. After your tour you can visit the Mews Gift Shop, where you will find a wide range of gifts, both Scottish and Royal. You can also purchase hot and cold refreshments in the Restaurant, where the menu celebrates a wonderful range of local and Scottish produce.
We recommend that you set aside at least one and a half hours for your visit to Balmoral, to give you time to visit the grounds, gardens, gift shop and the coffee shop.
Directions
Balmoral is located off the A93 mid way between Ballater and Braemar. Parking is available in car parks at Crathie, just a short walk from the gates to the Estate.
Balmoral is in a rural location, with limited public transport available.
The nearest airport and railway stations are in Aberdeen, approximately 50 miles east of Balmoral.
Stagecoach Bluebird operate a bus service from Aberdeen to Braemar. The bus stop for Balmoral is located at Crathie./The Explorer/
