Town centre
First-timersBetween the cathedral and the Old Course.
St Andrews town guide
Things To Do In St Andrews
The home of golf, a ruined cathedral on the cliffs and Scotland's oldest university, in a small town on a cold, beautiful stretch of the east coast.
1413
The university founded
600 years
Of golf on the links
10 min
To Leuchars station
The home of golf
St Andrews was the religious capital of medieval Scotland, and the ruins of its vast cathedral still stand on the cliffs above the sea. The university, founded in 1413, is the oldest in Scotland, and its students, in red gowns on special occasions, fill the town in term time.
It is also the home of golf. The game has been played on the links here for six hundred years, and the Old Course is the most famous in the world; remarkably, it is a public course.
St Andrews is small and walkable, with long beaches either side. One or two days is right, with the fishing villages of the East Neuk close by.
Where to stay
The town is small. Stay in the centre, between the cathedral and the Old Course.
West Sands
The beachBy the Old Course.
Map © MapTiler © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Things to do
Things to do in St Andrews
Walk through the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, once the largest church in Scotland, and climb St Rule's Tower for the view over the town and sea.
St Andrews Castle, on the cliffs, has a bottle dungeon cut into the rock and a medieval siege mine you can crawl into.
Walk the West Sands, the long beach from the opening of Chariots of Fire, and past the Old Course and the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient. On Sundays, students walk the pier after chapel.
The East Neuk fishing villages — Crail, Anstruther and Pittenweem — are a short bus ride south along the Fife Coastal Path.
Free things
Free things to do in St Andrews
The West Sands, the pier and the town are free.
Walking across the Old Course is traditionally allowed on Sundays, when it is closed to golf.
Food and drink
Eating and drinking in St Andrews
St Andrews has cafés, pubs and ice cream shops for its students. Anstruther, down the coast, has one of Scotland's most famous fish and chip shops.
A pub meal is £12 to £18.
Nightlife
Going out in St Andrews
St Andrews' nightlife is its student pubs, busy in term time and quiet in the holidays.
A pint is £4.50 to £6.
Getting around
Getting around St Andrews
The town is walkable. The nearest station is Leuchars, ten minutes away by bus, with trains to Edinburgh in about an hour and Dundee in about fifteen minutes.
Buses run to Dundee and along the Fife coast.
Costs
What St Andrews costs
St Andrews is pricier than most of Scotland, especially for beds and during golf events. A careful day is £50 to £65.
Playing the Old Course means a green fee and usually a ballot.
The currency is the pound sterling, and Scottish banknotes are legal tender. Cards work almost everywhere, including contactless on buses.
Safety
Staying safe in St Andrews
St Andrews is very safe.
The cliffs have no railings, and the sea is cold with strong currents.
Emergency number is 999 or 112; for mountain rescue, call 999 and ask for police, then mountain rescue.
Day trips from St Andrews
The East Neuk and the Fife coast.
East Neuk
Fishing villages: Crail, Anstruther and Pittenweem.
Dundee
The V&A and the Discovery.
Fife Coastal Path
Coastal walking past villages and beaches.
What's on
What is on while you are there
Student traditions and golf fill the calendar.
April
Kate Kennedy Procession
Town centre
A student pageant through the streets.
November
Raisin Weekend
Town
A student tradition that ends in a foam fight.
30 November
St Andrew's Day
Town
Scotland's national day, in the saint's town.
When to go
May to September is best. The 2027 Open is due here.
Jan
Quiet
Feb
Quiet
Mar
Spring
Apr
Kate Kennedy
May
Graduation
Jun
Long days
Jul
Golf season
Aug
Busy
Sep
Students return
Oct
Autumn
Nov
Raisin Weekend
Dec
Quiet
Bar height is temperature. Colour is how busy it gets:
quiet
busy
peak
Average highs. The east coast is windy.
What your trip will cost
Pick how you travel. Per person per night, in pounds.
Excludes golf.
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- Beds—
- Food and drink—
- Getting around—
- Doing things—
St Andrews travel questions
The ones we get asked most.
Can anyone play the Old Course?
Yes. It is a public course, though tee times usually go by ballot.
How do I get to St Andrews?
By train to Leuchars, then a ten-minute bus.
Is St Andrews expensive?
Pricier than most of Scotland, especially during golf events.
What is there besides golf?
The cathedral, the castle, the beaches and the university.
How far is Edinburgh?
About an hour and a half by train and bus.
How many days do you need?
One or two.
When is the best time to visit?
May to September.
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