St Andrews Castle – The Bishops' Fortress on the Sea Cliff
A few hours.
The route
St Andrews Castle stands on a rocky headland with the sea on three sides, the ruined palace and fortress of the town's bishops and archbishops.
Its stories are as dramatic as its setting, from a murdered cardinal to a bottle dungeon cut into the rock. Afterwards it's a short walk through the old town to Cromars, the fish and chip shop St Andrews is proud of.
Before you go
Book accommodation nearby
If you are staying over: here are ours nearest where the day starts and ends.
Book St Andrews Castle tickets
Book St Andrews Castle tickets online for a date and time on Historic Environment Scotland's page, for about 11am in this day's order: it's open every day, with last entry at 3.15pm from October to March, and online is the best price.
The day
St Andrews
A late morning at the castle above the sea, then a short stroll into the old town for fish and chips.
About two and a half hours
St Andrews Castle
An attraction
The castle has no car park of its own. The nearest is at the Bruce Embankment by the West Sands, about three-quarters of a mile away, so allow a quarter of an hour's walk along The Scores. It opens every day, from 10am to 4pm from October to March, with last entry at 3.15pm, and from 9.30am to 5.30pm from April to September. There are toilets at the visitor centre, and a wooden bridge leads from it into the ruin. Look down into the bottle dungeon, a prison pit cut into the solid rock below the north-west tower. The siege tunnels dug under the walls in 1546 and 1547 are the castle's great rarity, but parts of the castle have been closed for repairs, so check Historic Environment Scotland's page for what's open. The courtyard is grass and the towers are up stone steps. Dogs aren't allowed, except assistance dogs.
About 5 min on foot
Cromars
Lunch
Cromars is on the corner of Union Street, about five minutes' walk from the castle through the old town. It has been voted Scotland's best fish and chip shop in past years, with fish chosen at Peterhead, chips cut each day from Fife potatoes and its own tartare sauce. Eat in, take away, or sit under the heated canopy outside. It's open every day from 11.30am to 8pm from November to March, and to 8.30pm from April to October. It shuts on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. There's a menu for dogs too.
If it rains
A wet day still works with a good coat: the ruin takes about an hour, and Cromars has seats inside as well as under its heated canopy.
Photographs by ARAM and Cromars Fish & Chips via Google