Explore the natural wonders of St Andrews
St Andrews is a wonderfully historical town which seems built for exploring. The town centre is still intact and has a strong medieval layout which makes for fascinating walking tours and excursions. If you take your time you will find several delightful old treasures in amongst the streets, buildings and shopping districts. Shopping is best enjoyed at Market Street and South Street. Maps of this ancient town center are readily available to make exploring just that much easier.
St Andrews has a special place in the history as Scotland. Not only is it the legendary holding place of the Apostle Andrew’s sacred relics, but it was also the centre of religious life in medieval Scotland for many years. The famous blue cross that flies on Scotland’s national flag was taken from this patron saint’s saltire cross and St Andrews College has been a notable place of learning since its founding in 1411. St Andrews College may be the third oldest college in Britain, but the town of St Andrews has many other interesting old buildings. The town’s three surviving gateways – The Sea Yett, The Pends and the West Port – are a good place to start. The West Port is the only surviving fortified gateway in Scotland. St Andrew’s Castle, the Cathedral and Church Square are also wonderfully old and sometimes feature historical re-enactments during July and August.
For many golfers, St Andrews is known as the home of golf. The sport has been enjoyed here for well over 600 years and the Old Course is incredibly famous. If you’re an avid golfer, make sure you pop in at some of the local golfing establishments to enjoy a few rounds of golf on this hallowed golfing turf.
One of the best things about visiting St Andrews is that most attractions are within walking distance of each other so you can leave the car at home and enjoy a wonderful day out on foot. However, there are a number of attractions which will take you a bit further away from the city center which may prove a little more exhausting to reach without a car. St Andrews Botanical Garden, Craigtoun Country Park and the Eden Estuary Nature Reserve are great places to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. A short bit of traveling will have you at Falkland Palace, the Fife Folk Museum, the Scottish Fisheries Museum, Kellie Castle, and the Hill of Tarvit as well as many more stunning attractions. Visit St Andrews and prepare to be completely enchanted by the intriguing history of this wonderfully medieval place.