St Andrews has become my second home. I spent 5 years studying and working in this amazing town, and it was hard to say goodbye. Yes, it’s the home of golf, but there are definitely plenty of things to do in St Andrews besides golfing. It may be small, but it boasts some incredible views, charming shops, and most importantly – perfect ice cream.
If you’re visiting Edinburgh, St Andrews is the perfect choice for a day trip, as it takes just over an hour by train to get to. It’s one of the best places to visit in Fife as well – especially if you love history. Below is an extensive list of what I believe to be the best things to do in St Andrews.
Things to do in St Andrews
Walk on top of the Pier Wall
If you’re lucky enough to be at the pier on Sunday morning, you’ll witness the procession of students in their red gowns walking from the town centre to the pier. When you get to the end of the pier you can climb the ladder and walk along the top of it. If it’s not too windy, this is one of the best things to do in St Andrews by far.
Walk along the beautiful Old Course on Sunday
If you’re not a golf connoisseur, walking along the Old Course is still an amazing experience. Although you can’t walk on it while people are golfing, there’s no golf on Sundays so feel free to roam wherever you want. Don’t miss the chance to take a photo on the famous Swilken Bridge or in front of the clubhouse too. The Old Course is one of the main attractions in St Andrews, and draws celebrities and people from all over the world to it.
Reenact Chariots of Fire on West Sands
Only a short walk from town, and running parallel with the Old Course, West Sands is perfect to walk along on a nice day. It’s also where the opening scene to Chariots of Fire was filmed, so feel free to reenact it if you want.
Lunch at the Old Union Coffee Shop
The Old Union Coffee Shop is one of the most budget friendly places to eat in St Andrews. It’s located near the entrance to the Quad and it’s a popular spot for lunch among students. The menu is very reasonably priced and all of the food is made fresh to order. I’d recommend grabbing a toastie or a wrap along with a hot drink to warm you up if you’re visiting town when the weather is less than favourable.
Enjoy the beach at sunset
If you’re only spending 24 hours in St Andrews, you may not be able to do this, but walking along the beach at sunset is absolutely beautiful and very calming. The town has a few beaches to choose from, but my favourite is West Sands.
Explore the ruins of St Andrews Castle
Although only a ruin now, St Andrews Castle is steeped in history and played a prominent role during the Reformation. It’s situated on top of a cliff so it provides amazing sea views. You can also venture into the mine and counter-mine underneath the castle.
If you’re tall (like me) prepare to crawl though, and potentially get a little wet. This is one of the best things to do in St Andrews, so don’t miss out.
Walk down to Castle Sands
Just below the castle is a small, less busy beach that’s very popular with students – Castle Sands. When the tide is out you can climb along the rocks that begin to show and get some pretty nice photos, or have a little picnic on the beach. There are also a couple of natural swimming pools that appear, so if you’re brave enough and want to do a unique thing in St Andrews, you can take a dip here.
Cross over the PH symbol & enter the Quad
St Salvator’s Quad is the heart of the university. As well as the many classes taking place within its walls, it’s also the location of the famous Raisin Weekend foam fight. Upon entering it from North Street, you may notice the initials PH in the stone path.
It’s considered bad luck for students to walk on it, so don’t be alarmed if someone suddenly jumps in the air. If you aren’t a student you’re safe! While you’re in the Quad, don’t forget to pop in to see the beautiful chapel too.
Marvel at East Sands
Another beach? Why not! East Sands is situated along the Fife Coastal Path, and is just a short walk from the pier. It’s also the location of one of the university’s famous traditions – May Dip.
Discover the Fife Coastal Path
You can pick the Fife Coastal Path up from East Sands. It’s a beautiful trail along the sea. I’ve walked along part of it and the views looking back at St Andrews are incredible. There are numerous points of interest located along the coastal path to go with the breathtaking views, so make sure you do some research beforehand so you don’t miss out.
St Andrews Cathedral
St Andrews Cathedral is by far one of the main attractions in the town. It was once the largest and most important in Scotland, and now sits as a ruin. Nevertheless, it’s still very impressive to walk around.
Climb St Rule’s Tower
You can also climb up St Rule’s Tower and get incredible views of the town below. If it’s a clear day, make sure you add this to your list of things to do in St Andrews. It’s quite a climb to the top though so come prepared with comfortable walking shoes.
Grab an ice cream at Jannettas
Everyone’s favourite ice cream stop in St Andrews is Jannettas Gelateria. If the sun is shining, expect a big queue, but it’s worth the wait to taste their award winning ice cream. They have a very large selection of flavours to choose from, and they are all freshly made on site.
Indulge at the The Cheesy Toast Shack
If you’re a fan of cheese toasties, then a trip to The Cheesy Toast Shack is a must. It’s definitely one of the best things to do in St Andrews, regardless of the weather. They have a few loaded toastie options on their menu, but my favourite is the mac n’ cheese toastie. It’s extremely filling so you could easily share it unless you’re feeling very hungry. If you plan on eating it along East Sands, beware of the seagulls!
Chill in The Rule
The Rule has changed its theme more times than I can count, but you can always rely on their breakfast selection and cheap drinks menu. In the summer they open up their beer garden as well.
Take a photo of the Hamish McHamish statue
The town’s famous cat, Hamish McHamish, has become somewhat of an icon over the years. So much so that there is now a statue erected in his honour. There are even books written about him that you can purchase in the local bookshop.
Try the best fish and chips in town
You can’t visit Fife without trying some fish and chips. If you’re visiting St Andrews, Tailend is where you should head to try some award winning fish. You can either order it to take away and sit on one of the benches overlooking the sea (which is what I do), or you can dine in.
Explore the cobbled streets
There are plenty of shops and restaurants around St Andrews, but there are also a lot of charming side streets to walk along. The town isn’t that big, so you can easily locate these smaller streets connecting to the three main ones.
St Mary’s Quad
Once you visit the main quad, make sure you walk over to South Street and stroll around the gorgeous St Mary’s Quad, home to the School of Divinity. If you didn’t know it was here, you’d probably walk past the entrance to it, so add it to your itinerary and stop by for a quick look around.
Hams Hame
The Hams Hame is a very popular spot for golfers, and is located just across from the Old Course. It serves amazing food in a traditional pub setting and quickly became one of my favourite restaurants in St Andrews.
St Salvatore’s Hall
If you take a look around the back of the main quad you’ll see St Salvatore’s Hall, which in my opinion is the prettiest of the student accommodations. During spring and summertime the front of the hall is filled with beautifully coloured flowers as well.
Younger Hall
Younger Hall is the main concert venue in town, and is where the graduation ceremonies take place. So if you happen to be in St Andrews in June, you may be lucky enough to see everyone walking in their graduation gowns and holding their diplomas.
Botanic Gardens
Just a short walk from the town centre are the Botanic Gardens, which have been named one of Scotland’s “hidden gems”. I would say that the best time to visit Scotland would be in the spring or summer, so that you can take full advantage of places like this.
Balgove Steak Barn
And last but certainly not least, Balgove Steak Barn. This is a fantastic restaurant to go to, only a 5 minute drive from the town centre, and is based inside an actual barn. It’s only open during the warmer months, but is perfectly insulated if it gets cold. All of the meat products come from the farm that it’s based at, and there’s also a farm shop and cafe to go in as well on site.
Is St Andrews worth visiting?
Whether you’re spending a week in Scotland or only a few days, you shouldn’t miss the opportunity to visit this picture perfect medieval Scottish town. There are so many amazing things to do in St Andrews, that this list could just go on and on.
You should also check out these locations in St Andrews: The Saint Bar, Gorgeous, The Seafood Restaurant, St Andrews Aquarium, Dervish, The Adamson, Craigtoun Park, The Duke’s Golf Course, Allanhill Strawberry Farm
If you’re wondering where to stay in St Andrews, I would highly recommend staying at one of Scotland’s top luxury hotels, Rufflets St Andrews. And if you’re thinking of doing a road trip in Scotland to visit some of the country’s best castles, here are some helpful money-saving tips. Remember to follow my travels on Instagram and get in touch if you have any other recommendations about things to do in St Andrews!
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