Essential Hotels > Scotland > Fife > St. Andrews

Named after the patron saint of Scotland, St Andrews holds a particularly special place in the history of the country. Formerly known as the centre of religious life in Scotland, St Andrews is these days famous for its historic university and its prestigious role as the ‘home of golf’. And so, despite its small size, the town punches above its weight and is a popular place for the adventurous from all over the world.

Located on the north-eastern coast of Fife, the town revolves around several features; the age-old university, the seven golf courses including the famous Old Course, the harbour and beaches, and the medieval town centre. Old gateways and fortifications still survive and only serve to add to the historic nature of the town, while museums also tell of the area’s past. However, some relics are now in ruins but their memory lives on and they play a part in the tourism and live of St Andrews today.

The game of golf is perhaps the major draw and has acted as a form of Mecca for golf lovers over the centuries. And it is over the centuries; St Andrews has hosted golf since the 1400s and there are no fewer than seven courses around the town today, including the prestigious Old Course. The St Andrews-based Royal and Ancient Golf Club is the law-maker for much of the golfing world meanwhile. The prestige of the town’s golfing haven only heightens when the Open Championships head to the links every five years or so.

The University of St Andrews was founded in 1410-11 and is the oldest such educational institution in Scotland and the third oldest in the United Kingdom. Visitors to the town can look around some of the colleges’ quads which are old and traditional, in keeping with the rest of St Andrews. In 1862, St Andrews became the first university in Britain to enrol a woman student, while 1864 brought the first Students’ Union in the country. More recently, Prince William studied at this top university in the 2000s.

St Andrews is home to award-winning sandy beaches, cliffs with excellent views and a harbour. The castle ruins and the St Rule’s Tower are set at a height and so come complete with vistas of the town. Other places to visit around the town include the 1120-built cathedral, the St Andrews Museum, St Andrews Aquarium and one of the numerous two- or three-rosette-awarded restaurants.