ST. ANDREWS is probably second only to Edinburgh as the most visited town in Scotland. Most come to visit The Home of Golf as it is the headquarters of the sport's governing body and the site of the world's most famous course, the Old Course.…Read More

ST. ANDREWS is probably second only to Edinburgh as the most visited town in Scotland. Most come to visit The Home of Golf as it is the headquarters of the sport's governing body and the site of the world's most famous course, the Old Course. There is much more to the town than golf. It is the seat of Scotland's oldest university and was once the ecclesiastical capital of the nation.
It is also a popular seaside resort.

St.Andrews is 13 miles south of Dundee and 55 miles north of Edinburgh. The nearest train station is at Leuchars, 5 miles away, on the main Edinburgh to Aberdeen line.
There are frequent bus services from Stirling, Dundee and Edinburgh.
If you are driving, parking can be difficult.


The Cathedral was founded in 1160 and was the largest ecclesiastical building ever built in Scotland, and the second largest in Britain. It is in ruins now but is still impressive. The Cathedral was not destroyed by the English (for a change), the Scots managed this one by themselves during the Reformation in the 16th century.

Nearby is St. Rule's Tower which affords excellent views although it is a bit of a climb.
St. Rule, legend has it, brought some of the bones of the apostle Andrew here in the 4th century and they were enshrined where the cathedral was built. This led to the town attracting pilgrims from far and wide.

The Castle was built in the 12th century as the stronghold of the bishops of St. Andrews and has been the scene of many blood-stained incidents. Not much of the castle remains but there is an excellent exhibition in the visitor centre which brings the history of the castle to life.

The University was founded in 1410 and is the third oldest in Britain after Oxford and Cambridge. Many of the buildings of the university date from the 15th and 16th century.

Three streets; North St., Market St. and South St. fan out from the Cathedral maintaining the medieval street plan. These are the main shopping streets and are linked by narrow alleyways, or "closes".
The best way to explore the town is by getting a map and a guide at the tourist office and simply wander around. There are interesting and historic sites around every corner.

As you would expect from a town that is popular with tourists and has a large student population there is no shortage of restaurants, cafes and bars.

The best restaurant in the area, and indeed, one of the best in Britain, the Peat Inn is located 7 miles south of the town.It is VERY expensive but exceptionally good. More of that another day.

Many of the hotels have good restaurants and there are many cafes such as Brambles, The Merchant's House and The Victorian. These are good for lunches and light snacks. Littlejohn's is good for steaks and burgers. The New Balaka Bangladeshi is one of the best curry houses in Scotland.

The best pubs, particularly for bar meals, are; The central Bar, Featherie and Firkin, Ma Belle's and the Dunvegan. These pubs are always busy and have the best atmospheres.

My personal favourite is the 400 year old Castle Tavern. It is a traditional pub that is located between the castle and the cathedral. Cheap and cheerful, the regulars are very friendly and it's very welcoming. The food is mainly snacks so the ales, whiskies and atmosphere are the attractions here.

St.Andrews has plenty of accommodation in all grades, from horrendously expensive luxury hotels to simple, inexpensive B&B's. The university rents rooms from June to September and there are also caravan parks and campsites. Holiday flats and houses are also available.
During the summer booking should be made in advance. If you plan to visit when the Open is on you may have to book YEARS in advance and prices go through the roof !

Although St.Andrews is a major tourist resort it still has the feel of a small town and is worth visiting even if you hate golf.
If you like golf, this is heaven. If you don't like golf there is still plenty to do.
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The county (or The Kingdom) of Fife is located between Forth and Tay, north of Edinburgh and south of Dundee. The prime destination in north Fife, and in fact in the whole of the Kingdom is undoubtedly St Andrews, a small town on the north-east…Read More

The county (or The Kingdom) of Fife is located between Forth and Tay, north of Edinburgh and south of Dundee.

The prime destination in north Fife, and in fact in the whole of the Kingdom is undoubtedly St Andrews, a small town on the north-east coast of Fife. St Andrews is an ancient Scottish centre of Christianity, a location of the oldest university in Scotland, known more recently as the birthplace of golf. Despite being rather overrun with tourists and day-trippers,

St Andrews is a place eminently worth visiting and easily affording a day or two days exploration itself.

St Andrews has two decent beaches, the East Sands near the harbour which are smaller and perhaps a bit more cultivated, and the West Sands, a magnificent expanse of sand along the Duke's Course. You can see the golfers on the course as you walk by.

Historical St Andrews focuses on the glorious ruin of a huge cathedral church on a high cliff above the sea. The tombs are doted around, the whole site is enclosed within walls, and covered in grass. It's old, venerable, slightly spooky and yet immensely refreshing as well. The site entry is free, but there is a small museum which charges entry fee, allowing also the visitors to climb up 108ft high St Rule's tower, affording a wonderful panorama of the whole of St Andrews and a large swathe of the country around it.

Further along the high-cliff path (called The Scores) from the East Sands towards the golf courses and the West Sands is the St Andrews Castle (available as a joint ticket with the Abbey Museum and the tower). It's now another of those superior ruins Scotland does so well, with the history dating to 10th century and a long-standing role as the seat of bishops and archbishops of St Andrews and thus the principle centre of the Scottish Church. It's now a fascinating visitors attraction, with informative displays and evocative remains of the walls, towers, dungeons and even underground tunnels .

Fans of golf will be interested in visiting the British Golf Museum, a rather bunker-like structure at Bruce Embankment, and some might even want to play at THE Old Course at St Andrews or at least have look at the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse.

Apart from attractions, St Andrews is a very pleasant place to walk about, with an affluent and civilised feel similar to exclusive areas of larger cities. It has a good theatre (The Byre), which houses a very pleasant bar/cafe (and the play area upstairs is THE place to shove your children in while you relax with a coffee or a drink after a day traipsing beaches, streets and ruins.

Nearby across the river Eden is RAF base Leuchars, and each September they put on an air show, reputedly one of the best in the UK and worth aiming for if you are into military aircraft.Close

It was golf, of course, that took us on our first trip to Scotland—and more specifically to St. Andrews. For many years, I had marked the special occasions of our lives by presenting Himself with gifts from St. Andrews: a golf towel and…Read More

It was golf, of course, that took us on our first trip to Scotland—and more specifically to St. Andrews. For many years, I had marked the special occasions of our lives by presenting Himself with gifts from St. Andrews: a golf towel and logo ball from a shop featuring Scottish gifts, ball markers, a framed production of the 1895 Open, a miniature cast of the Royal and Ancient. Eventually, the goal became to present him with St. Andrews itself, an opportunity to play the sacred greens of the world’s most famous golf course. To accomplish that feat, I saved frequent flyer miles from business trips and from our telephone rewards plan. I moved through the daunting world of timeshare exchanges, and I planned incessantly. Finally, in 1998, it all came altogether, and we were ready to go. Scotland, here we come!

Actually playing the Old Course at St. Andrews, however, was another matter. Players do not simply reserve a tee time and show up as arranged (excepting, of course, through expensive golf packages). To play the Old Course, players typically enter a lottery for the next day’s play and hope for the best. If their names are drawn, they show up at the designated time. But the lottery is an option only for players teeing off in groups of two, three, or four. As a single, the only remaining option is to report to the Starter’s Box and ask to be assigned a spot with a group of less than four.

Thus, our planning complete, the final dates of our first pilgrimage to Scotland came to be governed by the calendar and by our best guess at maximizing the opportunity to play the Old Course. We finally decided to travel during late April and early May. We reasoned that this time of year would be warm enough to enjoy the outdoors but early enough to avoid the hoards of fellow tourists who descend on St. Andrews during the summer months. We also reasoned that the best opportunity to grab a vacant spot would be on a weekday. We even prepared for disappointment: If the Old Course proved unattainable, Himself would play another of St. Andrews’ fine courses—perhaps the New Course or the Jubilee.

So it was that on a Friday in early May 1998, we presented ourselves at the Starter’s Box for the Old Course at St. Andrews—golf cap and camera in hand. The starter examined Himself’s letter of recommendation from his home course, collected the hefty greens fee (currently £110), and told him to expect about a 2-hour wait. Meanwhile, it was off to the practice green for him and a bit of close-in exploring for me. I would not walk the course at St. Andrews. That would be too much of a distraction given the number of players on the course and the nature of the foursome. But I would hang around for the tee-off to capture this historic moment for posterity—and for the golf buddies back home.

Note that the Royal and Ancient Clubhouse itself is striking to look at, but it is off limits to most visitors. Instead, the Visitors Clubhouse, a new and very comfortable facility, provides locker rooms, pro shops, a restaurant and lounge, and just about anything else visiting golfers might need to facilitate their game.

While Himself warmed up and practiced his putting skills, I sat in the shadow of the Royal and Ancient in close proximity to a handful of other golf widows. I particularly noticed a tiny woman, probably Japanese, who beamed with quiet satisfaction when her husband’s name was called and his tee time assigned. Joining three other players about to tee off, he glanced quickly in her direction to make sure she saw, and I imagined that their route to the Old Course quite likely mirrored ours in many ways, though the details surely differed. Lacking the demure qualities of the Japanese couple, when Himself’s turn came, I ran forward with camera poised to capture the moment. Then I followed his progress through the first hole by means of a footpath next to the first fairway. That done, I set off for 4 hours on my own in St. Andrews.

For the non-golfer with curiosity and a bit of time to spare, St. Andrews is easily accessible on foot and chock full of possibilities. My first objective was the castle, and my path from the Old Course to the castle took me up a street called The Scores and past several private golf-related association headquarters and clubhouses. It also took me past St. Salvator's, one of three colleges comprised by St. Andrew’s University. Students bustled busily between classes and lounged contentedly in the spring sunshine.

I wandered through the ruins of St. Andrews Castle, which dates to the 12th century and once served as the residence of the bishops and archbishops of St. Andrews Cathedral. Perched on a cliff above the North Sea, the castle is an impressive landmark. Its 24-foot high "bottle dungeon" hewn from the rock below the castle's northwest Sea Tower is grim evidence of how the lords of the church maintained their rule—as are the letters "GW" embedded in the pavement of The Scores in front of the castle, marking the spot where George Wishart was burnt for heresy in 1547. During that same year, Cardinal David Beaton, the last sitting bishop of St. Andrews, was himself put to death by religious reformers. It all serves as a reminder that in St. Andrews the transition from Catholicism to Protestantism was violent and bloody.

Adjacent to the castle stand the ruins of the great cathedral at St. Andrews. Construction on that magnificent edifice began in 1160 and ended in 1318, when it was consecrated in the presence of Robert the Bruce. The cathedral no doubt replaced a lesser house of worship. Indeed, tradition holds that St. Regulus arrived in the area that is now St. Andrews during the 4th century, bringing with him the new Christian religion and the relics of the Apostle Andrew. (Historians generally credit St. Columba with exporting Christianity from Ireland to Scotland in the 6th century.) Regardless of the accounting, by the 13th century there were several churches, an abbey, and a priory associated with the cathedral—and the relics of St. Andrew were the objects of pilgrimage safeguarded in high alter itself.

In 1472, the cathedral at St. Andrews was the Archbishop’s seat and thus officially the spiritual center of Scotland. By 1559, it had been largely destroyed by fervent reformers who regarded it as a Papist affront to their new, "pure" faith. For centuries, its stones were mined as a source of building materials for the adjacent town. Still, the Romanesque east front, a section of the west front, portions of the aisle, and a gatehouse survived more or less intact. And even as ruins, they are magnificent.

During my exploration, I noticed that students and instructors from the university could be seen sprawled in small clusters amid the ruins of the cathedral. They were obviously taking advantage of the spring sunshine and spectacular surroundings to provide an appealing setting for their studies. The Dean's Court is located immediately across from the ruined cathedral, and on the grounds of nearby St. Mary's College, a rose bush said to have been planted by Mary Queen of Scots still blooms—after nearly five centuries.

The precinct walls reflecting the earthly boundaries of this ancient ecclesiastic seat have also survived largely intact. A total of thirteen towers and four gateways, including the impressive Pends Gate are in good repair. The well-preserved precinct district and the town's medieval layout give St. Andrews much of its character.

The compact town center is neat and pretty, and virtually every building is "listed." Private homes, shops, and churches are often positioned at odd angles and fronted with ancient wooden doors. Several homes showcase tiny front gardens filled with flowers. The town center's three main streets—North, South, and Market—all run west to east, like wagon spokes leading toward the cathedral, and all are connected by a network of narrow alleyways. Sections of cobblestone pavement lend to the overall ambiance, inviting visitors to stop here or there to eat, drink, or shop.

My exploration of the old town was a joy, and 4 hours sped by quickly. Rejoining Himself at the Old Course, I arrived in time to photograph his conquest of the Swilken Burn Bridge and to witness his 30-foot par putt on the 18th green. All in all, it had been a remarkable day: He came away with from his challenge of the Old Course with a respectable 85, and I left with a heightened appreciation for history and traditions of St. Andrews—traditions that extends well beyond the boundaries of its famous links. And we both fulfilled a shared dream.

The best way to see and get the true flavor of St. Andrews is to walk it. The town is not that big and there's a lot to see, especially some very old historic architecture. Visit this website for a very good map to use…Read More

The best way to see and get the true flavor of St. Andrews is to walk it. The town is not that big and there's a lot to see, especially some very old historic architecture. Visit this website for a very good map to use as a guide: www.saint-andrews.co.uk/Tour/tourmap.htm#here.

Start as we did, walking from the Old Course Hotel, up towards the 18th hole and the Royal and Ancient Golf Club. The R & A is not open to the public except on St. Andrews Day, but the architecture is very interesting to look at and lots of people like to be photographed in front of it. Continue to the east and behind the R & A to Bow Butts, a grassy area that used to be an archery range. Located here are three sights of interest - Martyr's Monument, obelisk of Martyrs' Monument, erected in memory of four St. Andrews martyrs ... Patrick Hamilton, Henry Forrest, Paul Craw and Walter Myln; who were each burned at the stake for their beliefs; the British Golf Museum and the Sea Life Center. 

From there, walk over to take a look at the Best Western Scores Hotel (76 The Scores), where many of the world's famous golfers have stayed before they were famous.

Since it was fall, as we walked by Hamilton Hall at St. Andrews University, we saw parents unloading the belongings of their children who were students there. The residence hall has now been converted into 115 luxury timeshares named the St. Andrews Grand. Now there's a time share worth having.

Continuing up The Scores, you will see the University Library and other buildings. You will then come to the Castle Visitor's Centre. Stop in here to buy tickets for the castle and cathedral. (More about that in separate entries.) After touring the castle, cathedral, walking down to a beach below the castle, climbing St. Rule's Tower, and locating graves of famous golfers in the cemetery, it might be time for a wee bite to eat. We had lunch at a restaurant a friend had told my husband about (see entry for Number 33) on South Street.

After lunch, I tried very hard to photograph the ruins of Blackfriars Chapel on South Street. I did not have success due to some buses being parked obstructing a clean view. (Photo Tip: Shots of historic sites are much more interesting if they are devoid of any modern things and also have no modern people in them.) Blackfriars Chapel is all that remains of a once large monastery on the site which now includes Madras College, a high school. The Blackfriars were established in St. Andrews by Bishop William Wishart and were known for their white robes with black crosses.

We continued along Market Street and down some side streets, stopping in various shops that interested us (OK, mostly me). This enables one to check out not only the shops catering to tourists, but to go off the beaten path into the shops that the locals use. In doing so, you might find that unexpected and unique souvenir. (See Shopping off the Beaten Path entry.)

On the way back to the hotel, we take note of a restaurant called "The Vine Leaf" that we thought we might like to eat at later in our visit. It had a very gourmet menu offering. Unfortunately, they were full for dinner the remainder of our stay.

I spotted a westie napping in the window of an apartment/town-home and take unique photos I might not have caught otherwise.

This walk was almost perfect, except for a brief afternoon rain shower. A reminder that no matter how sunny the sky looks, always carry an umbrella when in Scotland.

Approximately one-half mile walking distance from St. Andrews Cathedral is St. Andrews Castle. Due to the poor weather, we opted to drive over and hope to find parking nearby. We lucked out, getting to park on the side street that runs along side the castle…Read More

Approximately one-half mile walking distance from St. Andrews Cathedral is St. Andrews Castle. Due to the poor weather, we opted to drive over and hope to find parking nearby. We lucked out, getting to park on the side street that runs along side the castle grounds. The admission here was also around £4 or free with the British Heritage Pass.

Once you take care of your admission ticket, there is a short (10-15 minute) walking tour telling the history of St. Andrews and the importance of this castle to the evolution of religion in Scotland. It has been said that St. Andrews was the most religious place in all of Scotland for several hundred years. Pilgrimages during medieval times saw thousands make the trip to this location. St. Andrews Castle is more known about religion than royalty as it was built to serve as the residence of the Archbishops of St. Andrews. The first castle of St. Andrews dates back to approximately 1200. In that time, religious figures played very significant political roles in medieval times. It was the Archbishop of St. Andrews who took part in the coronation of Robert the Bruce in 1306 at Scone Palace, an act that later resulted in his imprisonment.

This castle was also the site of many acts of historical significance including the murder of Cardinal Beaton in 1546. Shortly thereafter, the castle was besieged and later destroyed during the Reformation, leaving it in the ruinous state visitors find today.

As you walk around the grounds and perimeter of the castle wall, you can get a great perspective of the strategic location of St. Andrews Castle. Several of the towers and other areas can be explored. David was especially interested in the bottle dungeon, a deep “hole” where prisoners were thrown down until their death. According to historical accounts, Beaton’s dead body was thrown down there and stored in salt. There is also an interesting siege mine and counter-mine where rooms were dug deep into the rock beneath the castle as hiding places.

There is a lot to see and do in and around St. Andrews. If you are going to be there for any amount of time, we would highly recommend setting aside an hour or so to tour and learn more about St. Andrews Castle and its place in Scotland’s religious history.Close

St. Andrews Cathedral is located right on the shore of the North Sea so the cold northern winds and rains were chilling right to the bones. Many of our photos had rain drops on the camera lens but we were relatively happy with the overall…Read More

St. Andrews Cathedral is located right on the shore of the North Sea so the cold northern winds and rains were chilling right to the bones. Many of our photos had rain drops on the camera lens but we were relatively happy with the overall quality of the pictures we took. As you approach this ruin, you can see and feel the history surrounding you. The walls that remained standing today are exquisite in the detail of the medieval architecture.

Religious worship on this sacred location dates back to the first days of Christianity in Scotland. Several churches had been built and subsequently destroyed. While the ruins of the Cathedral remain and provide a wonderful opportunity to explore, the most intact building on the grounds is the St. Rule’s Church Tower built in the 1150’s. Visitors can walk up the 157 very tightly wedged and narrow spiral steps to the top for what would ordinarily be an outstanding view of the city. On this day, however, the overcast clouds detracted from the viewing distance.

St. Andrews Cathedral was built and rebuilt over several centuries, beginning in the late 13th century. History tells us that the front wall actually blew over shortly after its completion around 1280 and that another major reconstruction was necessary after a disastrous fire in 1378. The most astonishing fact about St. Andrews Cathedral that we learned was that it was nearly destroyed during the 16th century Reformation when a rabbel rouser preacher named John Knox incited a riot causing the mod to rush the cathedral to destroy it. What a shame. Much of the additional damages are attributed to the harsh North Sea weather, which many believe swept away artifacts from this historical site. What stands as ruins today on this site is still very remarkable.

During your visit, it is free to walk the grounds and ruins. If you want to go up inside the St. Rule’s Tower or learn more about this period of time in the museum, you will need to buy an admission ticket (approximately £4 or free with the British Heritage Pass). We enjoyed walking through the two large rooms with archaeological artifacts, some of them more than 1200 years old. I especially found the large tombstones very interesting. The carvings on them were very elaborate, many with skull and crossbones in addition to the person being memorialized.Close

A spectacular display at the end of the summer! This is an unique opportunity to see aircraft from around the world perform precision flying. An official Military Airshow and the largest event of its type in the UK--great aerobatics and definitely worth seeing! …Read More

A spectacular display at the end of the summer! This is an unique opportunity to see aircraft from around the world perform precision flying. An official Military Airshow and the largest event of its type in the UK--great aerobatics and definitely worth seeing! Close

Getting to St. Andrews can be quite tricky. It's easiest to go to the city from Edinburgh. If you have a car, then you should have few problems getting there, but if not, there are a few choices. There are buses that travel straight…Read More

Getting to St. Andrews can be quite tricky. It's easiest to go to the city from Edinburgh. If you have a car, then you should have few problems getting there, but if not, there are a few choices. There are buses that travel straight from St. Andrews to Edinburgh, but they're expensive and run only at specific (often inconvenient) times. Although it will be a little bit more of a hassle, try the train from Edinburgh. You can take a train from Waverly Station to Leuchars. From there, there is a bus service to St. Andrews which takes you by some highland Scottish towns, providing a touch of the traditional life. But, travel on a weekday if possible because the bus service is restricted on the weekend, and also because the St. Andrews information center is closed. Close

Ah, the spa! An invigorating, refreshing and revitalising haven for the non-golfer to be pampered or to wash away the aches earned during a golf game. There are a wide variety of ways to be pampered and restored here. Facials (my personal favorite), massages, hand &…Read More

Ah, the spa! An invigorating, refreshing and revitalising haven for the non-golfer to be pampered or to wash away the aches earned during a golf game.

There are a wide variety of ways to be pampered and restored here. Facials (my personal favorite), massages, hand & foot treatments, body treatments, you name it. I had the best leg waxing of mine life here - totally painless and no hair for at least 3 weeks after. The young lady had a real talent and the perfect flick of the wrist.

The staff is thoroughly trained, very professional and friendly. They see to every need possible.

As you would expect from a top spa, fluffy warm robes, slippers and towels are provided for your comfort.

Also to be enjoyed are the sauna, steam rooms and the tranquil indoor lap pool. What I liked best about the pool - no screaming unruly kiddies running and splashing about. Why? The pool has specific family hours to maintain the prized relaxed atmosphere sought by the adult guests.

Fitness Room and Spa Opening Times 7am-10pm daily (summer) and 7am-9pm daily (winter.

This is a great tradition at St. Andrews. If you are lucky enough to be there on a Sunday when the courses are closed, you'll witness it. People are allowed to walk the courses and walk their dogs as well. Some even bring along a…Read More

This is a great tradition at St. Andrews. If you are lucky enough to be there on a Sunday when the courses are closed, you'll witness it. People are allowed to walk the courses and walk their dogs as well. Some even bring along a picnic to enjoy. If you love dogs, especially the Scottish breeds - Westies, Scotties and Border Collies - this is fun to watch.

Even though no one is supposed to be on the course the rest of the week, during our stay we did see several locals walking their dogs anyway, usually in the mornings, before early tee times allowed for golfers to reach the 17th & 18th tees.