The north-east basked in spring sunshine yesterday with temperatures on a par with Spanish sun spot Malaga.
The tourist season got off to a flying start as clear blue skies brought crowds flocking to the region’s attractions to celebrate Easter Sunday.
Just days after flurries of snow blasted the region, the mercury hit 19C in the Deeside town of Aboyne and 18C in Aberdeen, making it hotter than Athens, Valencia and Rome.
Forecasters say the fine, settled spell is likely to continue for the next few days.
Forecaster Robin Steel, of the Met Office, said: “The whole of the north-east has had some really cracking weather for Easter.
“Certainly it looks like it will be around about the same for Easter Monday.
“All in all I think it will be a lovely sunny couple of days.
“I mean, you’d be happy with 19C in June or July far less April.
“There will be a wee bit more cloud about on Tuesday, so temperatures might be a bit lower, but it will still be a fine day.
“Overall I think it will be really quite nice and sunny across the whole of the north-east and will stay quite warm over the coming days.”
Thousands flocked to National Trust for Scotland properties to take part in Easter egg trails yesterday.
Drum Castle property manager Alison Burke said about 3,000 people turned up.
She said: “It was probably the best Easter Sunday the castle had ever had.
“Unfortunately it was so busy that at one point we had to start turning people away because we just had so many cars on the estate.
“The weather really brought people out.”
At Haddo Country Park, 1,500 hand-painted Easter eggs were hidden across the scenic grounds.
Around 4,000 people took part in the free event, organised by Oldmeldrum Rotary Club, which included several egg races down the Scots Mile, outside Haddo House.
A spokesman for the group said: “This is the busiest I have ever seen it.”
“It was a great day, 4,000 folk, weather was fantastic, happy face.”
Easter egg trails will continue at a host of National Trust for Scotland properties today, including Craigievar Castle, Drum Castle, Crathes Castle, Fyvie Castle, Haddo House and Leith Hall.