Banff Vacations, Banff Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

Banff lies on the west bank of the mouth of the River Deveron, around 25 miles west of Fraserburgh and 45 miles north of Aberdeen.

Banff's first castle was built to repel Viking invaders and a charter of 1163 shows that Malcolm IV was living there at that time. During this period the town was a busy trading center in the "free hanse" of Northern Scottish burghs, despite not having its own harbour until 1775.

The name "Banff" is uncertain but may be derived from the Scottish Gaelic Banbh or Banbha, a sow, buinne, a stream, or a contraction of Bean-naomh, the holy woman (as is reflected in the town's coat-of-arms)

Currently, the languages spoken in the town and in its vicinity tend to be the Doric dialect of Scots, and English.