Travelling doesn’t always require a car, particularly in St. Andrews. Ours is a small town located in Fife, with a rich history dating back to the Iron Age. 

Most of our visitors come to check out some of our local attractions, such as St. Andrews Cathedral, St. Andrews Spy Mission Treasure Trail, and St. Andrews Museum. 

If you’re looking to maximise your short stay with us, this article is for you. We’ve put together some walkable itineraries that you can follow to enjoy St. Andrews like a local!

Do you need a car in St. Andrews?

You don’t need a car to explore St. Andrews. Most local attractions are within half an hour’s walk of each other, so walking while viewing the town’s charm is more convenient. 

Walking Itineraries in St. Andrews

1. For the History Buffs: St. Andrews Cathedral + Northpoint Cafe + St. Andrews Castle 

This first itinerary is dedicated to the history buffs and royal enthusiasts! Make your way to St. Andrews Cathedral, which will serve as the starting point of your adventure for the day.

Known as the seat of the Archdiocese of St. Andrews, this cathedral is actually the largest one in Scotland. Here, you’ll also find the ruins of an old building from 1158. 

Since soaking in history tends to eat up a lot of brain calories, you may want to take a quick break after and pop over at Northpoint Cafe.

Not only is this spot popular for its mouthwatering bagels and coffee, it’s also been graced by famous and beloved British figures – no less than the William and Catherine, Prince and Princess of Wales!

If you follow the Royal Family like most of us here, don’t miss out on taking photos in this iconic cafe.

After catching your breath, cap off your day in St. Andrews with an exploration of St. Andrews Cathedral.

Yet another one of our town’s globally-renowned attractions, the castle is likewise steeped in history. Did you know that it once notoriously served as a prison and was dubbed “bottle dungeon”? 

2. For the Wildlife & Golf Enthusiasts: The Seafood Ristorante + St. Andrews Aquarium + The R&A World Golf Museum

Our next itinerary would be ideal for golf and wildlife enthusiasts!

For this itinerary, we recommend stuffing your belly with some appetising food in The Seafood Ristorante before kicking off your adventure!

In fact, we’ve tried their specialities: crab risotto and pollock fish dishes. We can definitely say that these made our tummies sing for joy!

Even the views here are superb as you can overlook St. Andrews’ sea while indulging in your meal. If you’re really into seafood, we also recommend trying their North Sea turbot and Shetland monkfish.

After burping – ah, we mean eating – you can then stretch your legs a bit and walk for a minute. This brings you to St. Andrews Aquarium, which is popular for its penguins, marmosets and seals. 

Actually, there are 120 species here – so if you fancy animals and love ocean life, St. Andrews Aquarium is worth stopping by!

To wrap up your fun adventure, take a quick tour of our ever-famous The R&A World Golf Museum – if you’re interested in golf history, that is.

It’s just a couple of minutes’ walk from St. Andrews Aquarium, so we guarantee you won’t tire yourself out going there.

3. For the Golf & Nature Lovers: The Castle Course + Rock & Spindle Restaurant + Rock and Spindle Rock

Here in St. Andrews, golf and fantastic nature come hand in hand – and these places are the star of our last itinerary!

As St. Andrews is the home of golf, our town has lots of golf courses to offer – just like our first stop, Castle Course.

We recommend this because the grassland here is spacious, the views are remarkable and the course itself is splendid.

After a few rounds of golf, stop over at the Rock & Spindle, which is a minute’s walk away. What we love about this restaurant is their handmade burgers, fish and chips and local ales, all of which are sourced from the freshest ingredients.

For the finale, make your way to Rock and Spindle Rock, a towering rock formation located on the coastline of Fife. What’s good is that you can take as many photos as you like and even bring your fur babies for a walk here!

FAQs on St. Andrews