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The Kingdom of Fife (www.visitfife.com) as it calls itself – it was home to Scottish monarchs for 500 years – is a tongue of land protruding between the Firths of Forth and Tay that has managed to maintain an individual Lowland identity quite separate from the rest of the country. Though southern Fife is part of Edinburgh's commuter-belt territory, eastern Fife's rolling green farmland and quaint fishing villages are prime turf for exploration, and the fresh sea air feels like it's doing you a power of good. Fife's biggest attraction, St Andrews, has Scotland's most venerable university and a wealth of historic buildings. It's also, of course, the headquarters of golf and draws professionals and keen slashers alike to take on the Old Course − the classic links experience.
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Fife.
Palace
Falkland Palace, a 16th-century country residence of the Stuart monarchs, is prettier and in many ways more impressive and interesting than the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh. Mary, Queen of Scots, is said to have spent the happiest days of her life here ‘playing the country girl' in the surrounding woods and parks, and James V, James VI and Charles II all stayed here on various occasions. Don't miss the world's oldest surviving real tennis court, dating from 1539.
Ruins
All that's left of one of Britain's most magnificent medieval buildings are ruined fragments of wall and arch, and a single towering gable, but you can still appreciate the scale and majesty of the edifice from these scant remains. There's also a museum with a collection of superb 17th- and 18th-century grave slabs, 9th- and 10th-century Celtic crosses, and the late-8th-century St Andrews Sarcophagus, Europe's finest example of early medieval stone carving.
Museum
This fascinating – and chilling – monument to Cold War paranoia was built in the 1950s to serve as one of Britain’s regional command centres in the event of a nuclear war. Hidden 30m underground and encased in nearly 5m of reinforced concrete, it houses two levels of austere operations rooms, communication centres, broadcasting studios, weapons stores and dormitories, filled with period artefacts and museum displays. The bunker is 3 miles north of Anstruther, off the B9131 to St Andrews.
Historic Site
More large house than palace, the 17th-century residence of local laird Sir George Bruce features an interior largely unchanged since his time. The decorative wood panelling and painted timber ceilings are of national importance, particularly the allegorical scenes in the Painted Chamber, which survive from the early 1600s. Don't miss the recreation of a 17th-century garden at the back, with gorgeous views from the top terrace.
Museum
This excellent museum covers the history of the Scottish fishing industry in fascinating detail, including plenty of hands-on exhibits for kids. Displays include the Zulu Gallery, which houses the huge, partly restored hull of a traditional 19th-century Zulu-class fishing boat, redolent with the scents of tar and timber. Afloat in the harbour outside the museum is the Reaper, a fully restored Fifie-class fishing boat built in 1902.
Distillery
Of the many new distilleries popping up all over Scotland, this one – opened in 2017 – has a unique historical claim. It's a stunning modern building (made using local stone and timber) that stands beside the ruins of Lindores Abbey, the site of the earliest written reference to Scotch whisky, which dates from 1494.
Ruins
Dunfermline Abbey was founded by David I in the 12th century as a Benedictine monastery. The abbey and its neighbouring palace were already favoured by religious royals: Malcolm III married the exiled Saxon princess Margaret here in the 11th century, and both chose to be interred here. More royal burials followed, none more notable than that of Robert the Bruce, whose remains were interred here in 1329.
Castle
The castle is mainly in ruins, but the site itself is evocative and has dramatic coastline views. It was founded around 1200 as a fortified home for the bishop of St Andrews. After the execution of Protestant reformers in 1545, other reformers retaliated by murdering Cardinal Beaton and taking over the castle. They spent almost a year holed up, during which time they and their attackers dug a complex of siege tunnels; you can walk (or stoop) along their damp, mossy lengths.
Museum
This museum and art gallery showcases Kirkcaldy's history as a trading port and producer of linen, canvas and linoleum (floor covering); the kids will have a ball as there are plenty of hands-on attractions. There’s also an impressive collection of Scottish paintings from the 18th to 20th centuries, including works by the Scottish Colourists, William McTaggart and Jack Vettriano. The museum is a short walk east from the train and bus stations, and also houses a tourist office.