Welcome to St Andrews
For a small town, St Andrews has made a big name for itself: firstly as a religious centre and place of pilgrimage, then as Scotland's oldest (and Britain's third-oldest) university town. But it is its status as the home of golf that has propelled it to even greater fame, and today's pilgrims mostly arrive with a set of clubs in hand. Nevertheless, it's a lovely place to visit even if you've no interest in the game, with impressive medieval ruins, stately university buildings, idyllic white sands and excellent guesthouses and restaurants.
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St Andrews activities
St Andrews and Fife Small Group Day Trip from Edinburgh
Your day trip takes you across the famous Forth Road Bridge, giving you a great view of the spectacular Forth Rail Bridge, until recently the longest cantilever bridge in the world. Once over the bridge you'll enter the Kingdom of Fife, an isolated peninsula surrounded by the waters of the Firth of Forth, the Firth of Tay and the North Sea. The highlight is the area known as East Neuk. The small fishing villages hugging the coastline here were infamous as a paradise for smugglers. You'll then stop in Anstruther before traveling to the medieval town of St Andrews, the capital of the Scottish Church for almost 1,000 years and home to the oldest university in Scotland (600 years), attended by Prince William. St Andrews is most famously the home of golf, with the Old Course just off the town center. You will have several hours to explore this famous town. From St Andrews, you'll take a pleasant drive through central Fife to Falkland. Falkland Palace dominates this old village, and was one of the main residences of the old royal family of Scotland. Returning to Edinburgh you will cross the Lomond Hills and pass Loch Leven, where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned. The Scottish Highlands and Islands are Europe's last great wilderness! This personalized tour is as close as you can get to touring in your own car, with the added benefit of gaining intimate knowledge of Scotland. Traveling in a small group means you can take lots of stops and reach "out of the way" places, giving you more time off the bus to discover the real Scotland. Winner of the Inaugural Scottish Thistle Award for Sustainable Tourism, October 2007.
St Andrews, Dunfermline, and Fife Private Tour from Edinburgh
Leaving Edinburgh we travel north to South Queensferry. The town is named after the 11th century QueenMargaret who dedicated her life to the people, and particularly the church, earning her the name ‘Saint Margaret.’From South Queensferry we drive over the Forth Road Bridge, giving us a spectacular view of one of Scotland’s greatest man-made landmarks – the Forth Rail Bridge. At over a mile and a half long, the bridge was until recently the longest Cantilever bridge in the world. Once over the bridge, we enter into the Kingdom of Fife.We now head towards one of Scotland’s ancient Capitals, Dunfermline. Here we visit the ancient ruins of Dunfermline Abbey, the burial place of (amongst others) ‘St Margaret,’ her husband King Malcolm Canmore and King Robert ‘The’ Bruce. Central Fife was very poor until the discovery of coal, while the towns and villages along its coastline were rich from all the trade across the North sea, causing King James VI to describe the area as a ‘Beggar’s mantle fringed with gold’. The golden fringe he referred to was the East Neuk, Fife’s easternmost stretch of coastline and home to a string of picturesque villages, each with its own distinctive character and charm. One of these is Lower Largo and best known as the birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the real-life Robinson Crusoe. Our next stop in the little fishing village of Anstruther, where you can check out its old cobbled streets, take a walk along the seafront to the harbour or try the award winning ‘best fish & chips in Britain’.From Anstruther we continue north to the medieval town of St Andrews. St Andrew is the patron Saint of Scotland, and legend has it that some of his bones were washed up on the Fife coast. The shrine became a place of worship for Christian pilgrims from far and wide and the town developed into the religious capital of Scotland, complete with the largest cathedral in Scotland. Founded in 1160, the cathedral was devastated by fire and later by religious reformers but the ruins provide a fascinating insight into what it once must have been like.Today St Andrews attracts another type of pilgrim, as the home of golf and the Mecca for all golfers – the ‘Old Course’. The course was founded in 1754. And we don’t forget St Andrews University, which is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and the third oldest university in the English-speaking world (following Oxford and Cambridge). St Andrews was founded between 1410 and 1413, when the Avignon Antipope Benedict XIII issued a papal bull to a small founding group of Augustinian clergy. Also dating from this period is the once mighty castle perched on its rocky headland overhanging the sea. We have around 2.5 hours to explore this amazing little town.
Saint Andrews Shore Excursion from South Queensferry
The coach will leave the port at 09:00am, and travel first to Kingsbarns Distillery for a private tour and tasting of these fine local spirits. for those who don't drink there will be time to enjoy a coffee in the distilleries coffee shop and take in the lovely view out over the North Sea.We will arrive in to St Andrews at a touch after 12 noon, where you will have free time to visit the Cathedral ruins, maybe the Castle ruins, and have lunch in one of the many cafes or pubs.You may fancy popping in to the Old Cheese Shop, or the Chocolate Shop which are both just across the road from the coach pick up pointAt 2pm there will be a one hour walking tour on the OLD COURSE for those eager to walk the hollowed fairways. This will take in a few holes, with time to take that all important photo on the Swilcan Bridge.The golf shops are also nearby as is the British Golf Museum, so again free time will be given before we rejoin the coach at 3:45pm, for the trip back to the ship.
St Andrews, Falkland and Fife Villages Tour from Edinburgh
Your day begins in the core of Edinburgh’s old town. From our central departure point we’ll take you through Edinburgh: you’ll gain insight into our capital city’s past before heading towards the Forth Road Bridge to take photographs of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. We’ll then cross over the engineering masterpiece into the Kingdom of Fife. We’ll stop in the pretty fishing villages of Crail and Anstruther, where you can get some wonderful images of the quaint buildings. Next we’ll head to St Andrews; your driver-guide will give you an introduction to this fantastic coastal resort, pointing out the beaches, golf course, castle, cathedral and other highlights of the town. Then you’ll have ample time to explore for yourself. Onwards to Falkland and time to explore the village, used as Inverness in the Outlander series. There will be an option to visit the palace. We’ll then return to Edinburgh via the stunning Falkland Palace and Gardens (own expense), home to the oldest tennis courts in the world! This partially restored Renaissance palace, once home of many Scottish Kings, is the perfect place finish your afternoon in Fife.
St. Andrews Full-Day Tour from Edinburgh
Leave Edinburgh and travel northwest to South Queensferry for a photo stop underneath the imposing Forth Bridge, one of Scotland’s most impressive man-made landmarks. A feat of innovative 19th-century engineering, the bridge was designed to support two railway tracks some 150 feet (46 meters) above the Firth of Forth estuary. Cross the water and travel further north into the region known as the Kingdom of Fife, an area where peaceful countryside is etched alongside stretches of sandy coastline and fishing villages. We then make a stop in the picturesque town of Falkland, used in the filming of Outlander. After roughly two hours on the road, arrive in St Andrews, the capital of Fife and a city at the forefront of Scottish history. Home to Scotland’s oldest university – where Prince William famously studied and met Kate Middleton – the city is also known for its golfing associations and statuesque architecture. Hear of St Andrews’ prestige as a world-class golfing destination and get tips from your guide for all the must-see sights. Whilst in St. Andrews you will have a chance to join a free guided walking tour conducted by your tour guide Hop off your coach and spend the afternoon at leisure, perhaps visiting the ruins of St Andrews Castle or strolling around the city’s cathedral - a site of worship since at least the 700s. If the weather is good, scout out one of the glorious city beaches such as West Sands, or amble around the magnificent St Andrews Botanic Gardens. All entrance fees and meals are at your own expense. Meet your guide at a prearranged time and, after trying a locally made ice cream (own expense), return to your coach for the journey south. Your day trip then finishes with a drop-off in central Edinburgh.
St Andrews and The Kingdom of Fife Day Tour from Edinburgh
Departing Edinburgh the tour will journey to South Queensferry to view the magnificent Forth Road and Rail Bridge where we can enjoy a photo stop and take time to enjoy these impressive structures.Once the tour crosses the Forth Road Bridge we are in The Kingdom of Fife where we enjoy a stop at Dunfermline Abbey where the tomb of Robert the Bruce lies.We continue in Fife, traveling past the beautiful East Coast and through charming villages. At our next stop in Anstruther you will have the opportunity to try the best fish and chips in Scotland.Our highlight of the day will be the time we have to enjoy in St Andrews, the home of golf, filled with history and beautiful coastline scenery.You could spend time at the beach, the golf museum or St Andrews University where Prince William met Kate Middleton. With approximately 2 hours in St Andrews you can enjoy this beautiful and historic town.Our final stop of the day is to stretch your legs and take some photos of the beautiful village of Falkland, nestled between the two Lomond Hills in the Howe of Fife. Fans of "Outlander" will recognise Falkland as the Stand in for Inverness where Claire and Frank honeymoon. Includes several shops and locations from the programme including the fountain Jamie stands at and stares in Claire’s windowYour journey back to Edinburgh will let you enjoy scenic Fife.