The 16 Best Things to Do and See in St Andrews, Scotland

Now in ruins, St Andrews Cathedral dates back to 1158 and was once the HQ of the Scottish Medieval Catholic Church. This beauty took over a century to build and was the largest holy place of worship ever to grace Scotland. Its ruinous state kicked in when the Scottish Reformation led to the demise of Catholic mass. Today, a museum exists filled with ancient curiosities and cool facts.

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Overlooking a rocky stretch of beach known as Castle Sands, the historic St Andrews Cathedral ruins are a sight to behold. Once the largest church in Scotland, the cathedral was a destination for religious pilgrims in the medieval era, and it remains impressive-looking even as a ruin. Entrance to the ruins and graveyard is free, but it’s worth shelling out a few pounds for a ticket to the cathedral’s museum, which includes entry to St Rule’s Tower – and the view from the top of the tower is unbeatable.

Academic or not, a trip to St Andrews isn’t complete without a tour of its renowned university. A prestigious learning institution loved by all who attend it, the University of St Andrews is ranked as the UK’s third best university after Oxbridge and hosts students from every corner of the earth. Founded between 1410 and 1413, this hub of ingenuity is home to some of the most magnificent architecture made for exploring, including the incredible late Gothic St Salvator’s Chapel.

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The St Andrews Brewing Company, a local craft brewery, is adored by both students and locals for its range of Fife-made ales, stouts and IPAs. The brew pub, located on South Street, is a cozy and welcoming spot for a pint of oatmeal stout or a glass of Thistly Cross Cider. The beer hall upstairs gets lively on weekend evenings, with students sitting around the tables to sip their drinks and chat with friends.

A must-visit attraction, St Andrews Castle is deeply woven into the historical fabric of St Andrews. These ruins bask above Castle Sands Beach on a rugged patch of land. Over the centuries, the castle played witness to many faces — some royalty, others prisoners, many of religious standing. It was destroyed multiple times during the Wars of Scottish Independence before being rebuilt again. The bottle prison below became notorious as a place to avoid at all costs. Today, these whispering ruins cannot help but paint a colourful picture of a place that once was.

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Jannettas Gelateria has been consistently hailed as the best ice cream shop in Scotland since it was first opened by Italian immigrants in 1908. Over a century later, it is still owned by the founder’s family, and the gelato is still as delicious as ever. Go full Scottish with Irn Bru gelato – Scottish tablet flavour – or keep it traditional with a chocolate-based scoop or a fruity sorbet; it’s impossible to go wrong.

Iconic to a T(ee), Swilcan Bridge is perhaps one of the most recognizable bridges in the world — to golfers that is! Sitting unassumingly between the first and 18th fairways on the Old Course, this tiny stone structure is featured in countless famous photos with all the golfing greats. Built some 700 years ago, this golfing relic may be replicated in Florida’s World Golf Hall of Fame but St Andrews has the real deal. A cracking Instagram-op!

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The Byre Theatre, founded in 1933 and recently purchased and renovated to its former glory by the University of St Andrews, offers a full calendar of theatre, dance, comedy, music and other productions year round, from professional touring companies to community theatre to student productions. Enjoy a glass of wine at the Café Bar, and then make your way into the 216-seat auditorium for a memorable experience.

Located in St Salvator’s Quad, this historic chapel was founded by Bishop Kennedy in 1450 and has a storied history: during the Scottish Reformation, the chapel tower was used by Catholic forces to fire upon the castle in an effort to reclaim it from the Protestants, and the chapel is also the location of the pulpit where John Knox preached his famous three-day sermon. Today, the stunning Late Gothic building is the university’s main chapel, and it also hosts the St Salvator’s Chapel Choir.

The most famous of St Andrews’s three beaches is West Sands, immortalized in the opening scene of the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. The flat expanse of beach is easily accessible from the town centre and runs parallel to the Old Course. Queue up the film’s famous score on your playlist and head over for an early-morning walk or run – where you’ll share the sand with dog walkers, joggers and occasionally students taking riding lessons – or show up in the evening to bask in the sunset reflecting on the water and the sound of students having impromptu beach barbecues in good weather.

For avid golfers, playing the Old Course is the ultimate dream, and fortunately getting a tee time is easier than commonly thought; golfers with a suitable handicap can apply by contacting the reservations department online or by phone. Golf game not up to par? It’s still worth taking a stroll along the cart paths to see the famed course as well as the other six courses in the links, or doing a wee round of mini-golf at the Himalayas Putting Course. And of course, don’t forget to stop by the famous Swilcan Bridge on the 18th fairway for a photo.

MUSA or the Museum of the University of St Andrews is packed to the gunwales with eye-catching curiosities related to the university and its riveting heritage. This five-star visitor attraction plays host to over 112,000 artefacts, along with a splendid array of interactive activities and collections across all four galleries. A gem in its own right, the viewing terrace is an oasis of awe-inducing panoramic views of St Andrews Bay. Recommended by Tori Chalmers.

Still going strong since the good old fishing days, St Andrews Pier and accompanying harbour are riddled with historical memories and steeped in tradition. Every Sunday, university students and staff adorned in academic regalia take a stroll down to the pier after the chapel service subsides, a ritual ingrained in university life for decades. Whether kissed by Scottish sunshine or watched by moody skies, this picture-perfect pier is a purveyor of stunning views.

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A flourishing wonderland, St Andrews Botanic Garden features 18 acres of untainted natural beauty in the form of a mindboggling 8000 native and exotic plant species. Between the cloaks of kaleidoscope colours, mesmerizing ponds, sculptural greenhouses, and happier-than-can-be wildlife fluttering about, this stunning horticultural paradise welcomes wanderers, plant enthusiasts and those looking for a moment’s respite.

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Perfectly placed by the prestigious St Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club clubhouse — another must-see spot in a golfer’s tour of the town — the British Golf Museum is a hub of all things golf from its birth all the way through time. Home to Europe’s most impressive and vast spread of golfing memorabilia, this in-depth museum holds the key to 17,000 objects and a magnificent rooftop café.

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What better place to brush up on local history than the St Andrews Museum. Housed in a stunning Victorian building, the story of St Andrews is shared through the range of compelling collections, each of which contain age-old objects worth ogling over. Although small in size, this museum offers free admission and deserves credit for its dedication to the town’s heritage. Don’t overlook the homemade goodies from the café and arty shop finds either.

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