The mile-long Isle of May, 6 miles southeast of Anstruther, is a spectacular nature reserve. Between April and July the island's cliffs are packed with breeding kittiwakes, razorbills, guillemots, shags and more than 80,000 puffins. Inland are the remains of the 12th-century St Adrian's Chapel, dedicated to a monk who was murdered on the island by the Danes in 875. Several boats operating out of Anstruther harbour offer trips to the island.
Isle of May
Fife
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
29.86 MILES
Edinburgh Castle has played a pivotal role in Scottish history, both as a royal residence – King Malcolm Canmore (r 1058–93) and Queen Margaret first made…
27.87 MILES
Built on Clydeside, the former Royal Yacht Britannia was the British Royal Family's floating holiday home during their foreign travels from the time of…
28.87 MILES
The Scottish Parliament Building, on the site of a former brewery and designed by Catalan architect Enric Miralles (1955–2000), was opened by the Queen in…
24.53 MILES
The three masts of Captain Robert Falcon Scott's famous polar expedition vessel the RRS Discovery provide a historic counterpoint to the modern…
29.5 MILES
Edinburgh's Royal Botanic Garden is the second-oldest institution of its kind in Britain (after Oxford), and one of the most respected in the world…
28.78 MILES
This palace is the royal family's official residence in Scotland but is more famous as the 16th-century home of the ill-fated Mary, Queen of Scots. The…
24.53 MILES
The centrepiece of Dundee's revitalised waterfront is this stunning building designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma. Opened in late 2018, it houses an…
28.8 MILES
The rocky peak of Arthur’s Seat (251m), carved by ice sheets from the deeply eroded stump of a long-extinct volcano, is a distinctive feature of Edinburgh…
Nearby Fife attractions
5.82 MILES
The village’s history and involvement with the fishing industry are outlined in the Crail Museum, which also provides tourist information.
5.95 MILES
This excellent museum covers the history of the Scottish fishing industry in fascinating detail, including plenty of hands-on exhibits for kids. Displays…
6.85 MILES
St Fillan’s Cave was used as a chapel by a 7th-century missionary who reputedly possessed miraculous powers – apparently, when he wrote his sermons in the…
7.74 MILES
This distillery opened in 2015 and uses Fife-grown barley to create a distinctive Lowland whisky – it takes a minimum of three years' maturation to create…
8 MILES
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…
8.07 MILES
Cambo Estate, 2.5 miles north of Crail, is the country seat of the Erskine family. Its walled garden, with an ornamental stream running through the middle…
7. St Monans Heritage Collection
8.18 MILES
Situated on the harbour, St Monans Heritage Collection is a small gallery devoted to the history of the St Monans fishing industry through a collection of…
9.17 MILES
An authentic example of Lowland Scottish domestic architecture, Kellie Castle has creaky floors, crooked little doorways, superb decorative plasterwork…