St Andrews day trip from Edinburgh
A day trip to St Andrews from Edinburgh: the ruined cathedral and St Rule's Tower, the castle on the cliff with its bottle dungeon and siege tunnels, St Salvator's quad and chapel, the R&A World Golf Museum, the Old Course and the Swilcan Bridge, a walk on the West Sands, then Market Street, South Street and an ice cream at Jannettas. Every stop has a typical visit length.
How long do you have?
Map: 1 days
St Andrews in 1 day
Day 1
St Andrews Cathedral and St Rule's Tower
Ruins of what was Scotland's largest cathedral on the clifftop, beside the older St Rule's Tower with its climb and views.
St Andrews Castle
Ruined castle of the archbishops on the cliffs, with a bottle dungeon cut in the rock and siege tunnels from 1546-47 to crawl through.
St Salvator's Quad and Chapel
The fifteenth-century chapel and quadrangle of the University of St Andrews, Scotland's oldest university, at the heart of student life.
R&A World Golf Museum
Museum facing the Old Course on the history of golf, from early clubs and balls to the great champions.
Old Course and Swilcan Bridge
The oldest golf course in the world, with the little stone Swilcan Bridge on the 18th hole where champions pose for photos.
West Sands
Long beach of firm sand north of the links, where the running scene opening Chariots of Fire was filmed.
Historic centre of St Andrews (Market Street and South Street)
The medieval town's main streets, with cafés, bookshops, old stone houses and closes running between them.
Jannettas Gelateria
Family ice cream shop on South Street, open since the early twentieth century, with a long list of flavours.
Getting there
From Edinburgh, trains reach Leuchars in about an hour, then a local bus takes about 15 minutes into St Andrews, about an hour and a half in all. Direct buses from Edinburgh take around two hours, and the drive about an hour and a half.
Staying in Edinburgh? This day fits into those city plans, and in the Trip Builder it is one click under each of them.
When to go to St Andrews
May to September brings the longest days and the mildest weather, though rain and wind are possible in any month. The town is busiest at graduation in June and when the Open Championship is played here in July. Winter is cold and dark early, but the town is quiet and lived in by its students.
Plan the rest of your trip
- Where to stay: hotels in St Andrews on Booking.com or Trip.com
- Skip-the-line tickets: museums and sights in St Andrews on Tiqets
- Tours and day trips: things to do in St Andrews on GetYourGuide
- Data on arrival: an eSIM for United Kingdom from Airalo
Some of these are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Tips for St Andrews
- A joint ticket covers the cathedral and the castle; climb St Rule's Tower for the view over the town and the sea.
- On Sundays the Old Course is closed for golf and becomes a public park, the best day to walk out to the Swilcan Bridge.
- On other days keep to the paths and watch for golf balls; the 18th hole and the bridge are by the road along the links.
- Do not step on the initials PH in the cobbles outside St Salvator's Chapel: students say it brings bad luck in exams.
- Bring a windproof jacket: the wind off the North Sea can be cold even in summer.
Make it your own
Open the guide in Andiamo Places to see every stop on a map with walking directions, move places between days, check opening hours for your dates, and add your own finds. After the trip, your photos become a journal and, if you like, a printed photo book.
Guides are made with the help of AI and public sources such as Wikipedia, and may contain errors. Opening hours and prices change, so check before you go. Spotted a wrong photo, a pin in the wrong place, a missing stop or a better one? Write to andiamotravelapp@gmail.com: the e-mail opens with this guide filled in.
Photo credits
- Historic centre of St Andrews (Market Street and South Street): Peter Gordon, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Old Course and Swilcan Bridge: Dannie Calder, CC BY-SA 2.0
- R&A World Golf Museum: Drkirstyross, CC BY-SA 4.0
- St Andrews Castle: Son of Groucho from Scotland, CC BY 2.0
- St Andrews Cathedral and St Rule's Tower: Andy Hawkins, CC BY-SA 2.0
- St Salvator's Quad and Chapel: Andy Hawkins, CC BY-SA 2.0
- West Sands: thejackrustles, CC BY-SA 2.0
Opening hours change; check before you go. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.
