By Car: For a short stay, drivers can park anywhere along streets in the town center (pay-and-display, coins or Ring Go parking app, 2-hour limit, free overnight and Sun morning). For longer stays, you can park for free along certain streets near the center (such as the small lot near the B&B neighborhood around Murray Place, and along The Scores), or use one of the pay lots near the entrance to town. Parking near the Murray Place B&Bs tends to be full until midafternoon—if so, pay for parking nearby, then move your car to a free spot near your guesthouse for the night.

By Train and Bus: The nearest train station is in the village of Leuchars, five miles away. A taxi from Leuchars into St. Andrews costs about £20. Or take a 10-minute bus ride right into St. Andrews (bus #99, direction: St. Andrews, £5.10, tap-to-pay as you board; buses meet most trains—see schedule at bus shelter or at stagecoachbus.com; while waiting, read the historical info under the nearby flagpole). St. Andrews’ bus station is near the base of Market Street—a short walk from most B&Bs.

• Golf Events: Every five years, St. Andrews is swamped with about 100,000 visitors when it hosts one of golf’s biggest events, the British Open (officially called The Open Championship; next in July 2027). The town also fills up every year in early October for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Unless you’re a golf pilgrim, avoid the town at these times (as room rates skyrocket).
• School Term: The University of St. Andrews has two terms: spring semester (“Candlemas”), from mid-January through May; and fall semester (“Martinmas”), from mid-September until December. St. Andrews has a totally different vibe in the summer, when most students leave and are replaced by upper-crust golfers and tourists.
• Sand Surfing and Adventure Activities: Nongolfers may enjoy some of the adventure activities offered by Blown Away—including “land yachting” (zipping across the beach in wind-powered go-carts), kayaking, and stand-up paddle boarding. Brothers Guy and Jamie McKenzie set up shop at the northern tip of the West Sands beach (hours vary—call first, +44 7784 121 125, blownaway.co.uk).
• Theater: The Byre Theatre regularly hosts concerts, shows, dance, and opera. Check their website or stop in to see what’s on (tickets free to about £25, Abbey Street, +44 1334 475 000, byretheatre.com).
• Walking Tours: Town and golf historian Richard Falconer offers informative daily walks with themes including the Old Course (with lots of anecdotes from his days as a caddy and a photo on the course), and a history-packed town walk (£15-17; daily at 10:00, 12:00, 14:00 and 16:00; tours vary in length, must book ahead, standrewstours.com, richard@standrewstours.com). Walking Tours in St. Andrews offers daily 11:00 and 14:00 town tours for £12; a private £45 evening walk at 17:00 culminates with a cocktail at a rooftop bar with a view of the Old Course (+44 141 474 0746, walkingtoursin.com/standrews).

  Volunteers from the St. Andrews Heritage Museum lead free guided town walks (Fri-Sat afternoons, book online, standrewsmuseum.com, museum@stapt.org.uk).

You’re looking at the mecca of golf, a view worth ▲ or more if you’re a golfer. The 18th hole of the world’s first golf course is directly in front of you.

The game we now know as golf has been played here for at least 600 years—likely starting on the West Sands, as the land in front of you was covered in gorse bushes and favored only by sheep. Those natural features—sandy soil and bunker-like depressions where sheep sheltered from the wind—later became standards for golf courses across the world. Even the name “links” is derived from an old Scots word for sand dunes.

The land itself has belonged to the people of St. Andrews since 1123, a fact they still take advantage of: On Sundays there’s no golf, and the course is busy with townspeople strolling and picnicking between the greens.

The gray Neoclassical building to the right of the 18th hole is the clubhouse of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club—“R&A” for short. In contrast to the egalitarian history of the Old Course, R&A is a private club with membership by invitation only. It was men-only until 2014, but now—finally!—women are also allowed to join. The Old Course Shop (to your left, across the street from the 18th hole, next to The Open—the oldest golf shop in the world) is a great spot to buy a souvenir for the golf lover back home. Even if you’re not golfing, watch the action for a while. (Serious fans can walk around to the low-profile stone bridge across the creek called the Swilcan Burn, with golf’s single most iconic view: back over the 18^th hole and the R&A Clubhouse.)

Overlooking the course at the base of the seaside street called The Scores is the big red-sandstone Hamilton Grand, an old hotel. Town legend says the Hamilton Grand was built to upstage the R&A Clubhouse by an American upset over being denied membership to the exclusive club. Since then it’s been university dorms and, more recently, luxury apartments.

Between Hamilton Grand and the beach is the thoughtfully presented R&A World Golf Museum (described later, under “Golfing in St. Andrews”), topped by the recommended glassy Niblick Restaurant & Bar.

• Now turn your back to the golf course and walk up through the park toward the obelisk (along The Scores). Stop at the top of the bluff.

The broad, two-mile-long sandy beach that stretches below the golf course to your left is the West Sands. It’s a wonderful place for a relaxing and/or invigorating walk (beware the aggressive seagulls). Or do a slo-mo jog, humming the theme to Chariots of Fire—this is the beach on which the characters run in the movie’s famous opening scene.

Look at the cliffs on your right. The sea below was once called “Witches’ Lake” because of all the women and men pushed off the cliff on suspicion of witchcraft.

The big obelisk is a martyrs’ monument, commemorating those who died for their Protestant beliefs during the Scottish Reformation. (We’ll learn more about that chapter of St. Andrews history farther along this walk.)

The Victorian bandstand gazebo (between here and the Old Course) recalls the town’s genteel heyday as a seaside resort, when the train line ran all the way to town.

• Just opposite the obelisk, across The Scores, is the Seaton House Hotel (with the recommended Ondine Oyster & Grill restaurant). Facing the hotel, look to the left for the Gillespie Terrace sign on the rock wall and walk down the tiny alley called...

St. Andrews’ street plan typifies that of a medieval pilgrimage town: All main roads lead to the cathedral; only tiny lanes, hidden alleys, and twisting “wynds” (rhymes with “minds”) such as this one connect the main east-west streets. Follow Gillespie Wynd as it winds through the back gardens of the city’s stone houses. If you’re tall enough, peek over the walls and notice how the medieval platting gave each landowner a little bit of street front and a long back garden.

• The wynd pops you out onto North Street. Head left, and walk past the cinema toward the church tower with the red clockface on the corner of North Street and Butts Wynd. For some reason, the metal street sign often goes missing.

The tower with the red clock marks the entrance to St. Salvator’s College, a centerpiece of St. Andrews University. If you’re a student, be careful not to stand on the “PH” initials in the reddish cobbles in front of the gate. These mark the spot where 24-year-old St. Andrews alum and professor Patrick Hamilton—the Scottish Reformation’s most famous martyr—was burned at the stake. According to student legend, as he suffered in the flames, Hamilton threatened that any students who stood on this spot would fail their exams.

Now enter the grounds by walking through the arch under the tower. (If the entrance is closed, you can go halfway down Butts Wynd and enter, or at least look, through the gate to the green square.) This grassy square, known to students as Sally’s Quad, is the heart of the university. As most of the university’s classrooms, offices, and libraries are spread out across the medieval town, this quad is the one focal point for student gatherings. It’s where graduation is held every July, where the free-for-all shaving-cream fight of Raisin Monday takes place in November (see sidebar on here), and where almost the entire student body gathered on the wedding day of their famous alumni couple Prince William and Kate Middleton for a celebration complete with military flybys.

To your right, on the outside wall of St. Salvator’s Chapel, under the arcade, are display cases holding notices and university information; if you’re here in spring, you may see students nervously clustered here, looking to see if they’ve passed their exams.

Go through the simple wooden door and into the chapel. Dating from 1450, this is the town’s most beautiful medieval church. It’s a Gothic gem, with a (re-created) wooden ceiling, 19th-century stained glass, a glorious organ, and what’s supposedly the pulpit of reformer John Knox.

Stroll around Sally’s Quad counterclockwise. On the east (far) side, stop to check out the crazy faces on the heads above the second-floor windows. Find the university’s shield over the door marked School 6. The diamonds are from the coat of arms of the bishop who issued the first university charter in 1411; the crescent moon is a shout-out to Pope Benedict XIII, who gave the OK in 1413 to found the university (his given name was Peter de Luna); the lion is from the Scottish coat of arms; and the X-shaped cross is a stylized version of the Scottish flag (aka St. Andrew’s Cross). On the next building to the left, facing the chapel, is St. Andrew himself (above the door of the building labeled Lower & Upper College Halls). In the corner, on the other end of the building, find the tree planted by royal alums William and Kate.

• Exit the square and make your way back to Butts Wynd. Walk to the end; you’re back at The Scores. Across the street and a few steps to the right is the...

This free, recently updated museum is worth a stop, with four galleries. In “Scotland’s First University” you’ll see a 16th-century diploma and, during graduation season, the 1413 papal bull (document) founding the university. There are also exhibits on student life. The “Enquiring Minds” gallery focuses on scientific equipment and specimens; examine the wooden chest holding a display of butterflies. “Reformers and Innovators” introduces the people and ideas inspired by St. Andrews. And “Expanding Horizons” uses maps, astrolabes, and artifacts from other cultures to highlight the university’s global reach. For a great view of the West Sands, climb to the rooftop terrace.

Cost and Hours: Free; Mon-Fri 11:00-19:00, Sat-Sun 10:00-17:00; 7 The Scores, +44 1334 461 660, st-andrews.ac.uk/museums.

• Leaving the museum, walk left toward the castle. The turreted stone buildings along here (including one fine example next door to the museum) are built in the Neo-Gothic Scottish Baronial style, and most house academic departments. About 100 yards farther along, the grand building on the right is St. Salvator’s Hall, the most prestigious of the university residences and former dorm of Prince William.

Just past St. Salvator’s Hall on the left are the remains of...

Overlooking the sea, what remains of the castle is an evocative empty shell—another casualty of the Scottish Reformation. With a small museum and good descriptions, it offers a quick king-of-the-castle experience in a striking setting.

Cost and Hours: £11, cheaper online; daily 9:30-17:30, 10:00-16:00 in winter; +44 1334 477 196, historicenvironment.scot.

Tours: The included audioguide (scan a QR code or borrow a headset) is more entertaining than informative. It explains the story of the castle and the siege (as told by several of the castle’s historical figures).

Visiting the Castle: Your visit starts with a colorful, kid-friendly exhibit about the history of the castle. Built by a bishop to entertain visiting diplomats in the late 12th century, the castle was home to the powerful bishops, archbishops, and cardinals of St. Andrews. In 1546, the cardinal burned a Protestant preacher at the stake in front of the castle. In retribution, Protestant reformers took the castle and killed the cardinal. In 1547, the French came to attack the castle on behalf of their Catholic ally, Mary, Queen of Scots. During the ensuing siege, a young Protestant refugee named John Knox was captured and sent to France to row on a galley ship. Eventually he traveled to Switzerland and met the Swiss Protestant ringleader, John Calvin. Knox brought Calvin’s ideas back home and became Scotland’s greatest reformer.

Next, head outside to explore. As these are ruins, you’ll see a few signs telling you what might have been—an oven here, a turret there. The most interesting parts are underground: the “bottle dungeon” (named, as you might guess, for its shape), where prisoners were sent, never to return (peer down into it in the Sea Tower—at the far-left end of the complex facing the water); and, if it’s open, the tight “mine” and even tighter “counter-mine” tunnels (follow the signs; crawling is required to reach it all—go in as far as your claustrophobia allows). The besieging pro-Catholic Scottish government dug a mine to take (or “undermine”) the castle—but was followed at every turn by the Protestant counter-miners. The mine, counter-mine, and other parts of the site are sometimes closed off due to falling rocks or structural repairs; check the website for updates.

Nearby: Just below the castle is a small beach called the Castle Sands, and an often-submerged concrete “swimming pool” frequented by university students.

• Leaving the castle, turn left and continue along the bluff on The Scores, which becomes a pedestrian lane leading directly to the gate to the cathedral graveyard. For a quick detour, continue along the cliffside path, passing the ruins of St. Mary on the Rock on your right, for a view of the...

Ahead of you is the pier where university students parade in their robes (see the “Student Life in St. Andrews” sidebar). Beyond the pier are the East Sands, where students take a traditional and chilly morning dip on May 1. Supposedly, doing this May Day swim known as the “May Dip” is the only way to reverse the curse of having stepped on Patrick Hamilton’s initials (explained earlier). If you were to walk down to the pier, you’d enjoy views of the harbor and (behind it) the cathedral and castle ruins.

• Backtrack and enter the cathedral graveyard to stand amid the tombstone-strewn ruins of...

Between the Great Schism and the Reformation (roughly the 14th-16th century), St. Andrews Cathedral (rated ▲) was the ecclesiastical capital of Scotland—and this was its showpiece church. Today the site features the remains of the cathedral and cloister (with walls and spires pecked away by centuries of scavengers), a graveyard, and a sometimes climbable tower. Also on the grounds is a small museum, which may be closed for renovation when you visit.

Cost and Hours: Cathedral ruins and graveyard-free; tower climb and museum-both may be closed, separate entry fees if open—check website; grounds open daily 9:30-17:30, Oct-March Fri-Mon 10:00-16:00, closed Tue-Thu, last entry 45 minutes before closing; +44 1334 477 196, historicenvironment.scot.

Access: Some parts of the site may be enclosed in fences for safety reasons. You’re free to walk anywhere that’s not fenced off.

Background: It was the relics of the Apostle Andrew that first put this town on the map and gave it its name. There are numerous legends associated with the relics. According to one version, in the fourth century, St. Rule was directed in a dream to bring the relics northward from Constantinople. When his ship wrecked offshore from here, it was clear that this was a sacred place. Andrew’s bones (an upper arm, a kneecap, some fingers, and a tooth) were kept on this site, and starting in 1160, the cathedral was built and pilgrims began to arrive. Since St. Andrew had a direct connection to Jesus, his relics were believed to possess special properties, making them worthy of pilgrimages on par with St. James’ relics in Santiago de Compostela, Spain (of Camino de Santiago fame). St. Andrew became Scotland’s patron saint; in fact, the white “X” on the blue Scottish flag evokes the diagonal cross on which St. Andrew was crucified (he chose this type of cross because he felt unworthy to die as Jesus had).

Visiting the Cathedral: You can stroll around the cathedral ruins—the best part of the complex—for free. First, walk between the two ruined but still-towering ends of the church, which used to be the apse (at the sea end, where you entered) and the main entry (at the town end). Visually trace the gigantic footprint of the former church in the ground, including the bases of columns—like giant sawed-off tree trunks. Plaques identify where elements of the church once stood.

Looking at the one wall that’s still standing, you can see the architectural changes that were made over the 150 years the cathedral was built—from the rounded, Romanesque windows at the front to the more highly decorated, pointed Gothic arches near the back. Try to imagine this church in its former majesty, when it played host to pilgrims from all over Europe.

The church wasn’t destroyed all at once, like all those ruined abbeys in England (demolished in a huff by Henry VIII when he broke with the pope). Instead, because the Scottish Reformation was more gradual, this church was slowly picked apart over time. In 1559, Protestant Reformers destroyed the interior of the cathedral, including the precious relics. Then the roof was pulled down to make use of its lead. Without a roof, the cathedral fell further and further into disrepair and was quarried by locals for its handy precut stones (which you’ll still find in the walls of many old St. Andrews homes). The elements—a big storm in the 1270s and a fire in 1378—also contributed to the cathedral’s demise.

The surrounding graveyard, dating from the post-Reformation Protestant era, is much more recent than the cathedral. In this golf-obsessed town, the game even infiltrates the cemeteries: Many notable golfers from St. Andrews are buried here, including four-time British Open winner Young Tom “Tommy” Morris.

Go through the surviving wall into the former cloister, marked by a gigantic grassy square in the center. You can still see the cleats up on the wall, which once supported beams. Imagine the cloister back in its heyday, its passages filled with strolling monks.

At the end of the cloister is a small museum (likely closed for renovation), with a relatively dull collection of old tombs and carved-stone relics. Nearby is the sole surviving tower of St. Rule’s Church (the rectangular tower beyond the cathedral ruins that was built to hold the precious relics of St. Andrew about a thousand years ago; you can climb 157 claustrophobic steps for the view).

• Leave the cathedral grounds on the town side of the cathedral. Angling right, head down North Street. Just ahead, on the left, is the adorable...

Filling a 17th-century fishing family’s house that was protected from developers, this charming little museum—worth ▲—is a time capsule of an earlier, simpler era. The restored building shows the lifestyles of the “other side” of St. Andrews—the everyday people and fisherfolk of the 1700s. The house itself seems built for Smurfs, but it once housed four fishing families—about 20 people. The ground floor focuses on how those families lived, while the upstairs traces the history of the town from a pilgrimage site to modern times. Out back is a tranquil garden (dedicated to the memory of a beloved professor) with replicas of local stores—a grocer and a toy shop—and temporary exhibits. Lovingly presented, this quaint, humble house provides a nice contrast to the big-money scene around the golf course at the other end of town.

Cost and Hours: £7.50; daily 10:30-16:30, closed Tue Nov-March; 12 North Street, +44 1334 477 629, standrewsmuseum.com.

• From the museum, hang a left around the next corner to South Castle Street. Soon you’ll reach...

As you approach the top of Market Street—one of the most atmospheric old streets in town—look left for the tiny white house with the cute curved staircase. What’s that chase scene on the roof?

Now turn right on Market Street (which leads directly to the town’s center, but we’ll take a curvier route). Notice how the streets—and even the buildings—are smaller at this oldest end of town, as if the entire city is shrinking as the streets close in on the cathedral. Homeowners along Market Street are particularly proud of their address, and they pooled their money to spiff up the cobbles and sidewalks.

Passing an antique bookstore on your right, take a left onto Baker Lane, aka Baxter Wynd. You’ll pass a tiny and inviting public garden on your right before landing on South Street.

• Turn right and head down South Street. After 50 yards, cross the street and enter a gate marked by a gray facade and a university insignia.

This is the home of the university’s School of Divinity (theology). If the gate’s open, enter the peaceful quad. To get a feel for student life from centuries past, try poking your nose into one of the old classrooms. Walk past the gnarled oak tree in the center to find the scrubby hawthorn tree to the right, purportedly planted by Mary, Queen of Scots.

• Back on South Street, if you need a bite, a string of eateries is just across the street, including the recommended Criterion bar. Or end this walk at charming Church Square—perhaps while enjoying a decadent pastry from the recommended Fisher and Donaldson bakery. If you continue a few more yards down Church Street, you’ll spill onto Market Street and the heart of town.

The Old Course hosts the British Open every five years. At other times it’s open to the public for golfing. The famous Royal and Ancient Golf Club (R&A) doesn’t actually own the course, which is public and managed by the St. Andrews Links Trust. Drop by the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse, overlooking the beach near the Old Course (open long hours daily). They have a well-stocked shop, a restaurant, and a rooftop garden with nice views over the Old Course.

Old Course Tours: 75-minute guided tours visit the 1st, 17th, and 18th holes (£20; daily May-Sept at 10:00, 12:00, and 14:30; April and Oct daily at 12:00 and 14:30; meet at the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse, +44 1334 466 666, standrews.com).

Teeing Off at the Old Course: Playing at golf’s pinnacle course is pricey (£340/person, less off-season) but open to the public—subject to lottery drawings for tee times and reserved spots by club members. You can play the Old Course only if you have a handicap of 36 or better; bring along your certificate or card. If you don’t know your handicap—or don’t know what “handicap” means—you’re not good enough to play here (they want to keep the game moving). If you play, you’ll do nine holes out, then nine more back in—however, all but four share the same greens.

Reserving a Tee Time: To ensure a specific tee time at the Old Course, reserve a year ahead during a brief window between late August and early September (fill out form at standrews.com). Otherwise, some tee times are determined each day by a lottery called the “daily ballot.” Enter your name on their website, in person, or by calling +44 1334 466 666 by 14:00 two days before (2 players minimum, 4 players max). Lottery results are posted online the same afternoon. Note that no ballots are taken on Fridays, as the course is closed on Sundays—which is traditionally the day reserved for townspeople to stroll.

Singleton Strategies: Single golfers aren’t eligible to reserve or ballot. If you’re golfing solo, you could try to team up with someone (ask your B&B for tips). Otherwise, you can enter the “Singles Daily Draw”: Show up to the Links Clubhouse or the Old Pavilion between 9:00 and 17:00 the day before you want to play, and sign up for the waiting list. Tee times are assigned based on course availability and position on the waiting list.

Other Courses: Two of the seven St. Andrews Links courses are right next to the Old Course—the New Course and the Jubilee Course. And the modern cliff-top Castle Course is just outside the city. These are cheaper, and it’s much easier to get a tee time (£150 for New and Jubilee, £180 for Castle Course, much less for others). It’s usually possible to get a tee time for the same day or next day (if you want a guaranteed reservation, make it at least 2 weeks in advance). The Castle Course has great views overlooking the town, but even more wind to blow your ball around.

Club Rental: You can rent decent-quality clubs around town. The Auchterlonies shop has a good reputation (on Golf Place—a few doors down from the R&A Clubhouse, +44 1334 473 253, auchterlonies.com); you can also rent clubs from the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse (£40).

The St. Andrews Ladies’ Putting Club, better known as “The Himalayas” (for its dramatically hilly terrain), is basically a very classy (but still relaxed) game of minigolf. Tucked between the famous Old Course and the West Sands, the course presents the perfect opportunity for nongolfers (female or male) to say they’ve played the links at St. Andrews—for about the cost of a Coke. It’s remarkable how this cute little patch of undulating grass can present even more challenging obstacles than the tunnels, gates, and distractions of a miniature golf course back home. Flat shoes are required. You’ll see the course on the left as you walk toward the St. Andrews Links Clubhouse from the R&A Clubhouse.

Cost and Hours: £4 for 18 holes. The putting green is open to nonmembers daily April-Oct with variable hours (check website and book online 1-2 days in advance), weekends only in March, closed in winter, +44 1334 466 666, standrewsputtingclub.com.

This museum, which started as a small collection in the R&A Clubhouse across the street, is the best place in Britain to learn about the Scots’ favorite sport. Its interactive exhibits are fascinating for golf lovers and an interesting overview for the casual tourist.

Cost and Hours: £17.50, cheaper off-season; open daily 9:00-18:00, daily 10:00-16:00 in winter; Bruce Embankment—in the blocky modern building squatting behind the R&A Clubhouse by the Old Course, +44 1334 460 046, worldgolfmuseum.com. Tickets are sold online in advance, but it’s just as easy to buy at the door. The Niblick Restaurant & Bar is upstairs (see “Eating in St. Andrews,” later).

Visiting the Museum: The six galleries present the evolution of golf—from the monarchs who loved and hated the sport (including the king who outlawed it because it was distracting men from church and archery practice), to Tom Morris and Bobby Jones, all the way through the “Golden Bear” and Tiger Woods. Along the way, you’ll see plenty of old clubs, balls, outfits, medals, and trophies, and learn about how the earliest “feathery” balls and wooden clubs were made. Videos and immersive experiences invite you into the world of championship golf and allow you to explore courses in remote locations. Finally, you’ll have a chance to design your own environmentally friendly golf course and test your nerve on a winning putt.

In the summer (early June-Aug), some of the University of St. Andrews’ student-housing buildings are tidied up and rented out to tourists. I’ve listed the most convenient options below (website for both: ace.st-andrews.ac.uk). Both include breakfast; neither has air-conditioning.

£ Agnes Blackadder Hall has double beds and private bathrooms; it’s more comfortable but also more expensive and less central (family rooms, North Haugh, +44 1334 467 000, agnes.blackadder@st-andrews.ac.uk).

£ McIntosh Hall is cheaper and more central, but it has only twin beds and shared bathrooms (Abbotsford Crescent, no elevator, +44 1334 467 035, mchall@st-andrews.ac.uk).

££££ Ondine Oyster & Grill, on the ground floor of the Seaton House Hotel just steps from the Old Course, is a Michelin-recommended splurge with oysters on the half-shell, crispy oysters with Buffalo hot sauce, and an emphasis on seafood with the occasional steak (reservations recommended, closed Mon, 76 The Scores, +44 1334 796 700, seatonhouse.com/dine/ondine-restaurant).

££££ The Seafood Ristorante, in a modern glassy building overlooking the beach near the Old Course, is like dining in an aquarium. The Michelin-listed restaurant serves high-end, Italian-inspired seafood in a formal space with floor-to-ceiling windows providing unhindered views (fixed-price meals only at dinner, closed Sun-Mon, reservations a must Fri-Sat and in summer, Bruce Embankment, +44 1334 479 475, theseafoodrestaurant.com, dine@theseafoodristorante.com).

£££ The Dunvegan Bar (aka “Golfers Corner”), part of the hotel of the same name and just around the corner from the Old Course, has billed itself as the 19th hole of St. Andrews for a quarter-century. It serves overpriced, unexciting pub grub, but you’re coming for the atmosphere—and the walls (and ceiling) covered with golf memorabilia (daily, 7 Pilmour Place, +44 1334 473 105, dunvegan-hotel.com). Their simple £££ restaurant, Claret Jug, named for the distinctive Open Championship golf trophy, is in the back, with a calmer ambience and a shorter menu.

£££ Forgan’s, occupying a former golf club factory, is tempting and popular. It’s done up country-kitschy, with high ceilings, cool lanterns, a fun energy, and a little taxidermy. It serves up refined Scottish dishes and offers a tempting steak selection (daily until late, reservations strongly recommended, 110 Market Street, +44 1334 466 973, forgans.co.uk). On Saturday nights after 22:30, they host live ceilidh (traditional Scottish) music; consider reserving a booth for a late dinner, then stick around for the show.

££ Mitchell, a rustic-chic dining room next door to Forgan’s, is a simpler alternative to the upscale restaurants in town. The menu features breakfast, hearty salads, sandwiches, burgers, and, at night, shifts to what they call “Scottish tapas”—locally sourced and creative smaller plates—with a few entrees. The space hosts live music on Friday and Saturday nights. The attached deli serves locally made meats, cheeses, and other organic products for takeaway. Upstairs is their attic cocktail bar, called The Hide (restaurant and deli—long hours daily, The Hide—Fri-Sat nights only, 111 Market Street, +44 1334 466 970, mitchellsstandrews.co.uk).

£££ The Bothy serves dressed-up Scottish cuisine in a stone-and-wood interior or at tables on the square in front (daily, across from Holy Trinity Church at 3 Church Square, +44 1334 477 422, bothystandrews.co.uk).

£££ Little Italy is a crowded Italian joint with all the clichés—a frenetic energy, replica Roman busts, a framed photo of Marlon Brando as “The Godfather,” and even a moped in the dining room. But the food is authentically good and the menu is massive. It’s the town favorite—call ahead to reserve (daily, 2 Logies Lane, +44 1334 479 299, littleitaly.has.restaurant).

Fish-and-Chips: Two places battle for the “best chippy in town” crown. £ Tailend is a local favorite, with a fish-and-chips counter up front and a ££ restaurant with a bigger selection in the back (daily, 130 Market Street, +44 1334 474 070, thetailend.co.uk). £ Cromars is also reliable and serves burgers as well as fish. Order at the counter, then take it to go. You can sit inside (limited seating) or—in good weather—enjoy it at the sidewalk tables (daily, at the corner of Union and Market, +44 1334 475 555, cromars.uk).

Even nongolfers may enjoy a drink at one of St. Andrews’ view bars.

£££ The Niblick Restaurant & Bar, the glassy pub atop the R&A Museum, is named for a golf club used to get out of bunkers and offers reasonably priced drinks with good views of the first tee and West Sands (Sun-Tue 9:00-17:00, Wed-Sat 9:00-22:00, also serves “elevated” pub food, +44 1334 460 191, theniblick.com).

££££ 18 Bar, above the modern extension to Rusacks Hotel, offers views over both the first tee and 18th hole. If you can get a reservation—and a table on the glass-lined terrace—the up-close view is worth the cost of your overpriced drink (daily, mini putting green, Pilmour Links, +44 1334 466 899, 18standrews.co.uk). To reach the bar, you’ll pass through the 18 Restaurant; it serves afternoon tea and carnivore-friendly dinners with similar views.

££££ Road Hole Bar, on the fourth floor of the Old Course Hotel, overlooks one of the most notoriously challenging holes in all of golf—the Old Course’s 17th, nicknamed the Road Hole. Anyone can sip a drink in the plaid-and-old-money lounge, or on the terrace down the hall, with views of the Old and New courses, plus The Himalayas (daily, no reservations, Old Station Road, oldcoursehotel.co.uk). The hotel’s mod Swilcan Loft restaurant offers views back to Swilcan Bridge to those with deep pockets (reservations required).

Pubs: There’s no shortage in this college town. These aren’t “gastropubs,” but they all serve straightforward pub fare and are open long hours daily. All but Aikman’s have outdoor seating.

Aikman’s, run by Barbara and Malcolm (two graduates from the university who couldn’t bring themselves to leave), features a cozy wood-table ambience, a focus on German beers, live music Fri-Sat, and simple soups, sandwiches, and snacks (daily, 32 Bell Street, +44 1334 477 425). The Keys Bar is a lively family-run pub in the middle of Market Street. It’s a good time any night of the week (daily, 87 Market Street, +44 1334 472 414). The Criterion faces St. Mary’s College, with ample outside seating and high tables hugging a gleaming curved bar inside. Their meaty “Cri-Pie” is justifiably famous (daily, 99 South Street, +44 1334 474 543). Greyfriars, with forgettable food, is in a classy, modern hotel near my recommended Murray Park B&Bs (daily, 129 North Street, +44 1334 474 906).

Coffee: £ Taste, a little café just across the street from the B&B neighborhood, has the best coffee in town and a laid-back ambience that feels like a big-city coffeehouse back home. It also serves cakes and light food (daily 7:00-17:00, 148 North Street, +44 1334 477 959).

Whisky: Luvians Bottle Shop—run by three brothers (Luigi, Vincenzo, and Antonio)—is a friendly place to talk, taste, and purchase whisky. Distilleries bottle unique single-cask vintages exclusively for this shop to celebrate the British Open every five years. With nearly 100 bottles open for tastings, a map of Scotland’s whisky regions, and helpful team members, this is a great place to learn about whisky. They also sell fine wines and a wide range of microbrews (Mon-Sat 10:00-22:00, Sun from noon, 66 Market Street, +44 1334 477 752).

Cheese: I.J. Mellis Cheesemonger, the excellent Edinburgh cheese shop with a delectable array of Scottish, English, and international cheeses, has a St. Andrews branch (Mon-Sat 9:00-18:00, Sun 11:00-17:00, 149 South Street, +44 1334 471 410).

Pastries: Fisher and Donaldson is beloved for its rich, affordable pastries and chocolates. Listen as the bakers chat with regular customers, then try their Coffee Tower—like a giant cream puff filled with lightly coffee-flavored cream. Their number-one seller, the fudge doughnut, is filled not with chocolate but with a wonderfully sweet cream (Mon-Sat 8:00-17:00, Sun 11:00-16:00, 13 Church Street, +44 1334 472 201). A second location is around the corner and down the block at 197 South Street (similar hours).

Gelato: You’ll see many people walking around licking cones from Jannettas Gelateria, which has been in business for more than a century. While waiting in line in the cute pastel parlor, ponder what you want from their range of 50-plus gelato flavors (daily 9:00-22:30, café, 31 South Street, +44 1334 473 285).

Supermarkets: You can stock up for a picnic at Tesco Express or Sainsbury’s Local on Market Street.