Where to stay in Saint Andrews
Where Is St. Andrews Located?
Saint Andrews is a seaside town with a wide bay in the Kingdom of Fife, on the east coast of Scotland along the North Sea. It’s located just over an hour north of Edinburgh and half an hour southeast from Dundee. If you’re traveling by plane, Edinburgh is the closest major airport.
What Is St. Andrews, UK Known For?
Intellectual and elegant, Scotland’s oldest university town and the “Home of Golf,” Saint Andrews was established in the 4th century as a pilgrimage and shrine to patron Saint Andrew on a site where the Gothic cathedral ruins still stand between the water and town center. The University of St. Andrews is one of the foremost universities in the UK, dominating much of the town’s activity since the 15th century. Golf has been played here since its early years on one of seven courses. Since 1754, the town has been home to the international headquarters of golf, St. Andrews Royal and Ancient Golf Club. Old Course is the oldest operational golf course in the world.
A Quick Guide to St. Andrews, UK
- St. Andrews Links: The majestic and legendary club of St. Andrews Links manages seven courses where the 18-hole game was standardized. It has served as the scene of many famous moments in golf since the 14th century. Here, you will also find Swilcan Bridge, a 700-year old stone sheep’s crossing at the 18th hole on Old Course that is iconic and picturesque. Immediately adjacent to The Links and made famous by Chariots of Fire is West Sands Beach. The two-mile stretch of beach is covered in soft and fluffy sand, and enshrouded in cool and misty air.
- St. Andrews Cathedral: Built in 1158, St. Andrews Cathedral was once the largest cathedral in Scotland and the seat of the Medieval Catholic Church. The ruins of this once mighty cathedral contain an educational museum filled with artifacts found on-site and computer renderings of the cathedral at its peak. Climb the tower for a small fee to truly appreciate the sheer scale of the area.
- St. Andrews Castle: Built in the 13th century and overlooking the sea, St. Andrews Castle was once the home of the town’s bishops and archbishops. The building has also served as a fortress and state prison. If you are comfortable in tight spaces, the structure includes a mine and countermine siege tunnel, as well as a bottle-dungeon carved from one block of stone. It’s highly recommended to get the audio tour from the gift shop and, for best value, buy a joint ticket with the cathedral and museum. Conveniently, the castle is easily walkable from both St. Andrews Cathedral and St. Andrews Links.
- St. Andrews Botanical Garden: West of the town center is the 18-acre jewel that is St. Andrews Botanical Garden, with roughly 8,000 species — including alpine plants, desert plants, and tropical exotics, both in open air and under glasshouses. During some parts of the year, you can also visit the seasonal butterfly pavilion.
Popular Destinations Near St. Andrews
- Lindores Abbey Distillery: A journey to the birthplace of whiskey would be incomplete without a visit to a distillery known as “The Spiritual Home of Scotch Whiskey.” Lindores Abbey Distillery is a friendly, knowledgeable, and modernized enterprise on a 500-year-old-site found 20 miles west of the city, on the way to Perth. If gin’s more your thing, have a tour and a tasting at Eden Mill, just a jaunt north of The Links in Guardbridge.
- Scotland’s Secret Bunker: Buried 100 feet underneath a farmhouse in the middle of a field lies Scotland’s Secret Bunker, a 24,000-square-foot Cold War nuclear bunker on two levels, with a radio studio, switchboard, dormitory, cafe, and two cinemas showing informative films. All the public spaces have been preserved and furnished as they were when the facility was fully operational. Six miles away from this secret bunker is Kellie Castle, a fortified 14th century castle.
Best Neighborhoods in St. Andrews
- Historic Core: The town’s three main streets — North, Market, and South — all converge near the cathedral, forming the Historic Core. This area includes the aquarium, cathedral, castle, and Holy Trinity Church. Pleasantly walkable with its proximity to the university are a wide variety of shops, bars, and restaurants.
- South of Town: Bounded by South Road to the north and City Road to the West, this district is exactly where you think you’ll find it: south of the historic town. Here you will find sights such as The Byre Theater, The Bell Pettigrew Museum of Zoology, East Sands, and St. Andrews Beach. The area is dotted with inns, shops, restaurants, and other local commercial needs.
- Kinburn Park & Canongate: A quieter suburb abutting The Links and historic town center is Kinburn Park & Canongate. It’s conveniently located near St. Andrews Museum, the Botanical Garden, and the location of the university science and medicine buildings.
Home-types in Saint Andrews
Saint Andrews has a variety of property types for you to consider when booking a trip. Here are the most popular property types in Saint Andrews:
- House: 277 vacation rentals
- Hotel: 60 vacation rentals
- Bed and Breakfast: 26 vacation rentals
Points of interests in Saint Andrews
Saint Andrews has several popular points of interest for you to check out when visiting the area. Here are the most popular points of interest in Saint Andrews:
- Blackfriars Chapel: 364 vacation rentals
- The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews: 364 vacation rentals
- The St Andrews Preservation Trust Museum: 364 vacation rentals
- St Salvators Chapel: 364 vacation rentals
- St Andrews Harbour Trust: 364 vacation rentals
- Wardlaw Museum: 364 vacation rentals
- West Sands Beach: 364 vacation rentals
- St Andrews Museum: 364 vacation rentals
- British Golf Museum: 364 vacation rentals
- St Andrews Aquarium: 364 vacation rentals
Popular rental amenities
Price trends in Saint Andrews
Nearby destinations
Edinburgh Ambleside Windermere Alnwick Glasgow Saint Andrews Inverness Newcastle upon Tyne Aberdeen Aviemore Arbroath Bowness-on-Windermere Keswick Gateshead Nairn Stonehaven Anstruther North Berwick Dundee Pitlochry Pittenweem Lossiemouth Seahouses Paisley Stirling Perth Sunderland Berwick-upon-Tweed Dunfermline Barnard Castle Penrith Ballater Whitley Bay Kirkcudbright Hexham Morpeth Bamburgh Aberfeldy Beadnell Kielder
