Rich in historic castles, royal connections and whisky distilleries, this unique corner of Scotland has hills tumbling down to a dramatic coast with its fishing villages and beaches around Aberdeen, city of flowers.

Aberdeen is Scotland's third largest city. It sparkles with silvery granite and is bright with flowers. Not only in the city's parks but also in every other green space, there are floral displays, which belie Aberdeen's northerly position. City attractions include the Art Gallery, Maritime Museum and Duthie Park & Winter Gardens. Old Aberdeen, dominated by the crown spire of 16th century King's College, is also worth exploring to view St Machar's Cathedral, founded in 1131 and overlooking the colourful displays of Seaton Park.

ROYAL DEESIDE AND THE SPEY

Aberdeen is also the gateway to Royal Deeside, the lovely valley of the River Dee. It was also given Royal approval by Queen Victoria, whose husband built Balmoral Castle as a summer home in the mid 19th century. The area's many attractions go beyond the outstanding scenery framed by birches and Scots pines, to include the Royal Lochnagar Distillery and the Braemar Highland Heritage Centre. In the lower stretches of Deeside, between Banchory and Aberdeen, there are the fine castles and gardens of Drum and Crathes. So many and varied are the area's great, fortified houses and mansions that the sign-posted Castle Trail directs the visitor to the very finest of them. One such masterpiece is Fyvie Castle to the north, a five-towered fortress steeped in five centuries of Scottish history.

There are also many attractions to the north of the River Dee. Tomintoul, the highest village in the Highlands, is reached from Deeside by way of a scenic road winding over the wild heather-clad hills of the Grampians and is on the area's unique Malt Whisky Trail. This is a sign-posted route featuring seven whisky distilleries, each with excellent interpretation facilities for visitors. The trail also passes through the pleasant little towns of Aberlour, with its attractive parkland walks and Craigellachie where you can visit the Speyside Cooperage, demonstrating craftsmanship in barrel making for the whisky industry.

THE NORTH EAST COAST

Elgin is the second largest town in the northeast. Its attractions include the beautiful ruins of a cathedral and Elgin Museum, which features mostly local heritage. Down on the coast at the mouth of the River Spey, the Moray Firth Wildlife Centre offers dedicated dolphin watching from the shore.

Further east, the Macduff Marine Aquarium continues the theme with its displays of marine life. The deepest display tank in Britain can be seen here as well as the unique kelp reef. Moments away, in Banff, Duff House widens the cultural choice of the area, displaying important works of art from the 17th - 19th century. Scotland's Lighthouse Museum, adjacent to the lighthouse at Kinnaird Head in Fraserburgh, returns to the maritime theme. Between the larger ports of Macduff, Fraserburgh and Peterhead, there are some fine stretches of rugged cliff scenery, rich in wildlife.

Golf, fishing and skiing are just some of the activities that can be enjoyed in the beautiful natural surroundings of this comparatively undiscovered part of Scotland. Take the inland road by way of castles galore and the beautiful birch and pinewoods by the edge of the Grampian mountains or follow the Coastal Trail to make the most of the rugged and unspoiled shores.