Long a residence of the Douglases of Morton, this impressive structure exhibits several architectural phases, from tumbled 12th-century masonry with oyster shells poking from the mortar to a 17th-century painted timber ceiling. Most charming of all is the elaborate 16th-century doocot (dovecote) at the far end of the gardens. Be sure to pop into the beautiful Romanesque church of St Fillan's, next door to the castle.
Aberdour Castle
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
8.27 MILES
Edinburgh Castle has played a pivotal role in Scottish history, both as a royal residence – King Malcolm Canmore (r 1058–93) and Queen Margaret first made…
14.82 MILES
Many years may have passed since Dan Brown's novel The Da Vinci Code and the subsequent film came out, but floods of visitors still descend on Scotland's…
25.58 MILES
Hold Stirling and you control Scotland. This maxim has ensured that a fortress of some kind has existed here since prehistoric times. You cannot help…
25.99 MILES
'So thanks to all at once and to each one, whom we invite to see us crowned at Scone.' This line from Macbeth indicates the importance of Scone …
6.91 MILES
Built on Clydeside, the former Royal Yacht Britannia was the British Royal Family's floating holiday home during their foreign travels from the time of…
Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art
7.72 MILES
Edinburgh's gallery of modern art is split between two impressive neoclassical buildings surrounded by landscaped grounds some 500m west of Dean Village…
8.59 MILES
The Scottish Parliament Building, on the site of a former brewery and designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1955–2000), was opened by the Queen in…
7.12 MILES
Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden is the second-oldest institution of its kind in Britain (after Oxford), and one of the most respected in the world…
Nearby attractions
1.76 MILES
Known as the 'Iona of the East', the island of Inchcolm (meaning 'St Columba's Island') lies east of the Forth bridges, less than a mile off the Fife…
4.87 MILES
If the kids are tiring of historic buildings, a trip here might make them feel more kindly towards Fife. Situated at North Queensferry, beneath the Forth…
5.21 MILES
With its moored yachts, stately swans and whitewashed houses spilling down the hillside at the mouth of the River Almond, Cramond is the most picturesque…
5.25 MILES
Alongside the River Almond in Cramond, opposite the cottage on the far bank, is the Maltings, which hosts an interesting exhibition on Cramond’s history.
5.86 MILES
Lauriston Castle has one of the most remarkable Edwardian interiors in Scotland, with elements dating back to the 16th century. Gifted to the nation in…
5.87 MILES
On the pretty, terraced High St is the small Queensferry Museum, tracing the town's social history down the centuries. Highlights include a handwritten…
7. Andrew Carnegie Birthplace Museum
6.39 MILES
The cottage where the great American industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie was born in 1835 is now a museum. Carnegie emigrated to the United…
6.45 MILES
Newhaven was once a distinctive fishing community whose fishwives tramped the streets of Edinburgh’s New Town selling caller herrin (fresh herring) from…