That Saint Andrews is one of the most picturesque villages in Scotland is no secret to anyone. One of the main reasons for the popularity of this coastal town of Fife County is that golf was born there as a sport. The other is its prestigious university, founded in 1413 and where in the eighteenth century he would study, for example, Benjamin Franklin and, a couple of centuries later, Prince William and Kate Middleton met while studying. For these and other reasons it is worthwhile to divert to this city on the Scottish East Coast, an hour and a half drive from Edinburgh.
As a curiosity, and although we are not fond of this sport, you can visit the Golf Museum and learn that Queen Maria Estuardo already practiced it in these meadows during the 16th century. The oldest course in the town, and probably one of the oldest in the world, is The Old Course, in St Andrews Links: the first record of a golf game in this place dates back to 1574. While in Scotland stepping on the grass It is not a reason for infringement, putting your feet on this mowed grass is, unless one is playing at that time. The popularity of golf in Saint Andrews is such that many guests of the bed and breakfasts - almost all of them located on Murray Park Street - are early morning golfers, eager to put white balls in holes to the sound of seagulls of seagulls.
Golf aside, there is much to do in Saint Andrews. For example, visit Balgove Larder, a shop and restaurant where products from local farms reign, and of which the country boasts: good cheese, good meat and smoked herring, as well as fresh flowers, candles and wool blankets. The attached shed, Balgove Steak Barn, with long wooden tables, sandy floor and rustic atmosphere, is a perfect enclave to eat a rich cut of meat of the Aberdeen angus denomination , prepared slowly on a charcoal grill.
Not everything is ribeye in Scotland, and less in Saint Andrews, which also offers the best of the sea. Next to its aquarium, which has a sunny cafeteria on the shores of the North Sea, is The Seafood Ristorante, with an extensive menu of fresh fish and seafood, proud to have been named Scottish Restaurant of the Year in 2019. From its rooms Enjoy views of Scotland's most cinematic beach: West Sands, where the most famous scenes of the Oscar-winning film Carros de Fuego, a landmark of the 1980s, were filmed with the Vangelis soundtrack that many will have hummed. Another playable beach in the area is Tentsmuir, around the estuaries of two rivers: the Tay and the Eden. It is part of the Tentsmuir National Nature Reserve, a protected area perfect for observing birds of all kinds and, hopefully, seals resting on the sandbars.
Beware the curse
As the university is a must see, no one will stop approaching its main cloister, that of Saint Salvator (Saint Salvator Quad), which responds to the archetypal image of a British university with a hearth: an enclosure with well-kept lawn and medieval stone buildings Worn by time. On one side of the cloister is the late Gothic chapel, which also bears the name of the saint, and where there are rarely weddings between alumni. Many visitors are also struck by discovering on the ground (in front of the bell tower entrance) the initials PH, made with cobblestones. Legend has it that, if a student steps on them by mistake, they will immediately suspend the course. This curse is because there lies Peter Hamilton, a martyr of Protestantism burned alive in 1528 for bringing Luther's teachings to Scotland.
The university has other charms, such as its own museum (MUSA), famous for its collection of more than 115,000 scientific instruments, and another university college, that of Saint Mary, where Theology has been studied since 1538. It is worth checking out its library, named after King James by King James VI, who founded it in 1612. The great tree that presides over the cloister also has its history: it was planted by Queen Mary of Scotland (1542-1587) during one of her visits to Saint Andrews.
Guide
- Golf Museum
- Saint Andrews Aquarium.
- Museum of the University of Saint Andrews (MUSA).
- Scotland tourist office.
Saint Mary is very close to the lively streets of downtown. Market Street highlights The Central Bar, the pub recommended by all the locals. A few steps away, you can eat new Scottish cuisine at Forgan's restaurant, which serves the region's traditional fish soup - the Cullen Skink - and brews its own beer. To feed the spirit, the perfect place must be found in the nearby Greyfriars Garden Street: it is Topping & Company, one of the most charming bookstores in Scotland. One will not want to leave there for its variety of titles and its leather sofa, but also for the number of famous writers who pass through this place to present their books.
After reading it is necessary to approach the most charming ruins of the Scottish coast: those of the 12th-century cathedral dedicated to St. Andrew and his attached cemetery, of mossy tombstones with semi-transparent inscriptions that will make us think of the futility of life. The adjoining tower of St. Regulus (St Rules) honors the saint who, according to legend, transported the remains of St. Andrew from the Mediterranean to the shores of Scotland. From its 33 meters high there are splendid views.
And at dusk, an excellent idea to be lulled by Scottish comfort, always with its tartan prints either on the carpet or on the walls, is to approach The Russell hotel to scotch in its cozy pub.
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