Royal residence with stunning grounds and gardens















"Just off one of the main roads through the area, Balmoral Castle sits within reach of park visitors and is notable as a favorite summer residence of the late Queen Elizabeth II, making it an accessible historic detour on a Cairngorms itinerary." - Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel Lydia Mansel is a writer with more than eight years of experience editing and writing for both brands and online publications—with a particular focus on travel, fashion, and lifestyle. She’s also the founder of the travel site justpacked.com. Travel + Leisure Editorial Guidelines

"Balmoral Castle in Scotland was a favorite of Queen Elizabeth. Every summer during her reign, Queen Elizabeth and other members of the royal family would decamp to Balmoral, her estate in the Scottish Highlands."

"Balmoral Castle is the place where Queen Elizabeth II passed away on Thursday, September 8, 2022. It is located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland."

"If there is one place in the world that the Queen does let herself take a proper holiday and fully unwind, it’s in the Scottish Highlands. More specifically, at Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, which has been a royal residence since 1852. The Queen has visited Balmoral every summer since she assumed the throne in 1952, and it’s here that she is said to be at her most relaxed. “I think Granny is the most happy there,” revealed Princess Eugenie in the Our Queen at Ninety documentary. “I think she really, really loves the Highlands. Walks, picnics, dogs—a lot of dogs, there’s always dogs—and people coming in and out all the time.” Balmoral has always been a place of refuge for her, as it was for the late Prince Philip—somewhere they could come together to enjoy the wild, remote landscape and practice their favorite outdoor pursuits, such as riding and walking. So it came as no surprise that it was here that she returned to last summer, in the wake of her beloved husband’s death." - Luciana Bellini

"Long associated with the royal family since Queen Victoria bought the castle, it draws tourists and is open to the public from April to mid-July." - Elise Taylor