St Andrews

Golf, Ruins and Coastal Magic

St Andrews is a coastal town in Scotland known for its historic university and ancient ruins. The town sits along the North Sea, where sandy beaches meet rugged cliffs. Visitors can explore St Andrews Castle, which dates back to the 1200s or walk the famous golf course that inspired centuries of play. Local shops sell handmade crafts while cafes serve fresh seafood. The climate stays mild most of the year, making outdoor activities possible in summer and winter alike.

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Town in United Kingdom

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$	Cheap
$$	Medium
$$$	Expensive, upscale
$$$+	Very expensive, luxury

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Safety: 8.7

General Safety:	9
Health & medical:	8
Accessibility:	7
Tap water:	10

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5/5

English is universally spoken, and locals are friendly and used to helping visitors. All signage, guides, and services are in English, making it easy for international travelers to get around.

Highlights Attractions Getting there Hotels Tips Travel costs Safety Articles

Last update: 12 Oct 2026

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St Andrews Summary

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Famous for golf and historic university charm. Play legendary golf courses, walk medieval ruins, explore coastal paths and visit museums.

Place score

7.9

Best at:

Golf

Walkable

Spotless

Historic sites

Cosy towns

Personal score

Suited for

👶 8

Families

🧓 8

Seniors

❤️ 9

Couples

🛡️ 8

Travel Beginners

United Kingdom – Quick facts

Guide Etiquette Holidays Other

Power Grid:	230 V, 50 Hz Plug: Type G Type G: Read about power adapters
Currency:	Pound Sterling (GBP)
Cashless info:	Rating 5/5 Cashless payments are widely accepted in the UK, especially in cities. Contactless payments and mobile payment options are increasingly popular, with smaller businesses also accepting cards. Save with a travel credit card
eSIM providers:	Best value: Saily Flexibility: Airalo Read our in-depth comparison

Tipping:	Tipping is customary in the UK, with 10-15% in restaurants. Taxi drivers generally expect a 10% tip or rounding up. Small tips for hotel staff are appreciated.
Public drinking:	Public drinking is allowed in many parts of the UK, especially in parks, festivals, and licensed premises. However, it's banned on public transport or in certain public spaces.
Public smoking:	Smoking is prohibited indoors in all public spaces, including bars and restaurants. There are designated outdoor smoking areas.

Christmas (December)	Christmas is widely celebrated, expect crowded markets and higher accommodation prices.
Bank Holiday (August)	Busy periods, especially in cities and along coastal areas. Many businesses close.
New Year’s Day (January)	A major public holiday with celebrations and closures in some sectors.

Emergency contact:	Emergency Number: 999 or 112 (Police, Fire, Ambulance)
Taxi apps:	Uber, Bolt, Free Now, Ola
Other:	The UK is well-prepared for tourists, with excellent infrastructure. However, be aware of language barriers in remote areas.

Best times to travel

The best times to travel section shows how the months compare for a visit, so you can find the time of year that fits what you want to do.

Background colours of the months:
The colour shows the typical temperature: yellow (hot), green (mild) and blue (cold). How strong the colour is shows the travel season: full colour means high season, soft colour means shoulder season and soft-striped means off season.

Weather symbols:
Each month has one symbol showing what the weather is typically like, such as hot and sunny, freezing or a rainy or snowy season. Use them to quickly spot months that match the weather you want, or to avoid the ones that don't.

Crowdedness:
The people icon shows how busy the place usually is. The more people, the more crowded it gets.

Additional notes:
The grey info boxes point out special things worth knowing, like recurring weather issues or seasonal events.

for St Andrews, United Kingdom

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High season:	June - Aug.
Shoulder season:	April - May, Sep. - Oct.
Crowdedness:	6 (Many tourists)

Tap on a month for more info Hover over a month for more info

Climate details

Main golf season April to October; Old Course tee times are limited, book far ahead or enter the daily ballot

Old Course closed to golfers on Sundays, open to the public for walking

Many cafes, shops and hotels reduce hours or close November to March

Don't miss

⛪ Visit the ruins of historic St Andrews Cathedral
🏌️‍♂️ Play or tour the world-famous Old Course golf links
🏰 Explore St Andrews Castle and its medieval dungeon
🌊 Walk along the golden stretches of West Sands Beach
🎓 Discover the beautiful university buildings and gardens

You've been here?

Why travel to St Andrews?

St Andrews is a dream for history buffs, golf lovers and anyone who appreciates rugged coastal beauty. Wander the haunting ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, climb St Rule’s Tower for panoramic views and explore the secret tunnels beneath St Andrews Castle. The town’s university brings a youthful energy and quirky traditions, while West Sands Beach offers miles of golden sand for bracing walks or a classic Chariots of Fire moment. Don’t miss the Old Course-golf’s spiritual home – even if you’re just snapping a photo at the Swilcan Bridge. Just be prepared for unpredictable Scottish weather (layers and waterproofs are essential) and know that the town can get busy during golf tournaments or university events. Some attractions, like the cathedral and castle, are ruins, so expect uneven ground and bring sturdy shoes.

🏯Places worth seeing

1 St Andrews Aquarium
2 St Andrews Castle
3 St Salvator's Chapel
4 University of St Andrews
5 St Rule's Tower
6 St Andrews Cathedral (Ruins)

🎡Places for activities

1 The Cheesy Toast Shack
2 St Andrews Cathedral
3 Old Course Starter Hut
4 Wardlaw Museum

🏞️Natural landmarks

1 St Mary's Quad
2 Eden Estuary Centre
3 Pilmour Links
4 Castle Sands
5 Fife coastal path
6 St Andrews Botanic Garden
7 East Sands
8 West Sands Beach

🛍️Shopping

1 Dundee Farmers' Market
2 The Cheesy Toast Shack

🎈Events

St Andrews Golf Week
StAnza Poetry Festival
University Graduation Week
Lammas Market
Christmas Lights Switch-On
May Dip (student tradition)
Open Championship (when hosted)
St Andrews Day Celebrations
Fife Science Festival
Food and Drink Festival

Explore on map

Open map view

Knowledge before you go

Pack windproof layers; coastal weather changes fast year-round.
Walk the compact centre: cathedral ruins, castle cliffs and university streets are close together.
Golf fans should book Old Course-related experiences early; availability is limited in peak season.
Visit West Sands at low tide for huge beach walks and classic views back toward town.

How to travel to St Andrews

St Andrews is about 30 minutes by car or bus from Dundee and less than two hours from Edinburgh or Glasgow. The nearest train station is Leuchars (10 km away), with frequent buses and taxis into town. Edinburgh Airport is the closest major airport, with direct bus and train connections.

Access summary

From Edinburgh Airport (EDI): Direct shuttle or bus, usually 1–1.5 hours.
From Edinburgh city: Train to Leuchars then bus/taxi, around 1.5 hours.
From Dundee: Direct bus or taxi via Tay Road Bridge, about 45–60 minutes.

Check your route from anywhere

Where to stay in St Andrews

St Andrews offers everything from historic hotels and boutique B&Bs to university guest rooms and cozy self-catering cottages. Book well in advance for summer, golf events or graduation weeks, as rooms fill quickly. There are options for every budget.

Hotel recommendations

*by rating and popularity. Commissions have no influence on the rankings.

Fairmont St Andrews - Scotland

9.3

Rusacks St. Andrews

8.7

Hotel du Vin St. Andrews

9.2

Old Course Hotel St Andrews

9.2

Kinnettles Hotel & Spa

The Albany St Andrews

Explore more accommodations

How to get around St Andrews

The town is compact and walkable, with most attractions within a 15-minute stroll. Local buses connect St Andrews with nearby villages and Leven train station. Cycling is popular, especially along the coastal path. Parking is available but can fill up during peak times.

Budget snapshot

Costs compared to home

We calculate the average costs when travelling to destinations and compare those with the living costs at your home. With this you can get an estimate of how expensive or cheap the destination is for you.

To customise this, you can set up which location and price level are used for the calculations in your account settings.

-3 %

Daily expenses in the region are around 3% lower than the average across United States. That means you'll spend around the same on meals and getting around.

Exchange rate trend

The exchange rate price factor shows how expensive or cheap a currency currently is compared to its historical average. It's a quick way to see if a country is currently more or less affordable due to exchange rate changes.

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This place also uses Pound Sterling, so no money exchange necessary.

Travel costs (Data for Dundee, United Kingdom - 17 km away)

To help you plan your trip, we provide estimated daily costs per person (when travelling as a pair) for different travel styles. These numbers give you an idea of what you might spend each day at this destination, including accommodation, food, transport and activities.

Additionally, we also provide average hotel costs for different travel styles to give you an estimate for the accommodation only.

Please note that these are only estimates. The real costs depend on booking times, season and other factors.

Daily cost summary

Travel style categories explained:

Backpacker:
Staying in hostels or budget hotels, cooking your own meals or eating cheap and choosing low-cost activities.

Mid-range:
Staying in mid-range hotels, eating at a mix of restaurants and casual spots and enjoying a variety of activities.

Luxury:
Staying in luxury hotels, dining out at high-end restaurants and enjoying premium experiences without worrying about the price.

	Backpacker	Mid-range	Luxury
💵 Total costs per day, including accommodation	£73	£145	£389
🏨 Accommodation per night, per person	£34	£68	£158
🍝 Food per day	£27	£65	£185
🚕 Transportation per day	£12	£13	£46

Food & Drink

🍽️ Restaurant Dinner, per person	£26
🍛 Lunch Set, per person	£14
🍟 Fast food combo	£7.50
🍝 Preparing your own food, per day	£9.50
☕ Cappuccino	£3.10
🍺 Beer in a restaurant, 0.5 l	£4.20

Transportation

🚌 Public transport ticket	£3
🚕 Taxi Ride, 10 km / 6 mi	£27
⛽ Petrol, 1 l	£1.40

Other

🎞️ Cinema ticket	£9.50
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's consult	£48
🤧 Cold medication	£5
💇 Basic haircut	£9

Safety information overview

General safety

St Andrews is very safe, with low crime rates. Usual precautions apply, especially in busy areas or at night. Watch for slippery paths in wet weather and take care near cliff edges and ruins.

Health & Medical

Excellent medical care is available, with pharmacies and clinics in town. Bring any prescription meds you need. The nearest hospital is in Kirkcaldy, about 40 minutes away.

Accessibility

Most of the town is accessible, but some historic sites and ruins have uneven ground or steps. Beach wheelchairs are available. Many hotels, restaurants and public spaces are wheelchair-friendly.

Tap water

Tap water is safe and widely available. Public fountains are rare, but cafés and restaurants will refill bottles on request. Drinking water is never an issue.