Five Reasons To Visit St Andrews

by Rebecca Winward (August 2012)

It's often said that if you're a keen golfer then there are 11 reasons to visit St Andrews - otherwise known as the Old, New, Eden, Castle, Jubilee, Strathtyrum, Balgove, Duke's, Kingsbarns, Torrance and Kittocks Courses. However, though this is a small town that thrives on golf tourism - along with its other 'industry', the famous University of St Andrews from which our future King and Queen both graduated - there are many other reasons to pay St Andrews a visit. It's a lively, charming place which is bursting with things to see and do, and boasts plenty of both high-end and budget restaurants and bars, thanks to a wonderful mixed clientele of impoverished students and affluent golf tourists. Here's a few of my favourite reasons to visit...

Kohler Waters Spa

Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa, St Andrews

The Kohler Waters Spa is a world-class retreat offering a treatment menu that takes luxury to a new level. My personal favourite is the RiverBath with Massage - a cleansing body exfoliation, followed by hydro-massage, completed with a soak in a whirlpool bath with chromotherapy, and finished off with an indulgent 50-minute massage - though the pampering selection also includes hydrotherapy, facial, and massage treatments, plus manicures, pedicures and more.

St Andrews Botanic Garden

The Canongate, St Andrews

A real hidden gem, the St Andrews Botanic Garden features around 8,000 species of ferns, herbaceous plants, shrubs and trees - all of which thrive in the particular climate of St Andrews. The site is split into specific areas, including heath, herbaceous, woodland, rock and water gardens, as well as the 'order beds', which will be of special interest to those in the know about plant classification.

Fairmont St Andrews

St Andrews

Enjoying a unique coastal setting just outside the 'auld grey toon', the Fairmont St Andrews offers everything you could possibly want from a high-end resort, including a choice of sumptuously decorated rooms, suites and self-contained 'Manor Homes', six different places to eat with tempting menus (plus in-room dining), and a luxury spa - not forgetting two golf courses ranked 25 and 37 in the Golf Weekly ratings 2012.

The Peat Inn

near St Andrews, Cupar

Okay, so this one's a short trip out of the town itself, but I can assure you it's worth the 15-minute taxi ride from St Andrews. The Peat Inn has enjoyed the highest reputation for fine dining for many, many years, and boasts three AA Rosettes, as well as a myriad of other awards and accolades. It's an intimate setting for a romantic meal, and the impressive wine list and to-die-for menus will exceed the expectations of even the most exacting gourmet.

British Golf Museum

Bruce Embankment, St Andrews

You didn't think I'd write about St Andrews without shoehorning in a golf-related attraction did you? Well, in my defence this one will amuse the whole family, rather than just the die-hard fans, and it is after all our national museum on the subject. Here there's the opportunity to find out about the lively history of this sport that's become an obsession for many, and there's plenty of hands-on activities for children too.