{"id":855565,"date":"2026-03-28T07:23:29","date_gmt":"2026-03-28T07:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/855565\/"},"modified":"2026-03-28T07:23:29","modified_gmt":"2026-03-28T07:23:29","slug":"i-visited-scots-seaside-town-90-minutes-from-edinburgh-one-shop-made-the-trip-worth-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/855565\/","title":{"rendered":"I visited Scots seaside town 90 minutes from Edinburgh \u2014 one shop made the trip worth it"},"content":{"rendered":"

With plenty of great eateries, a fascinating history and loads to see, it’s the perfect place for a spring day trip.\"Nicola<\/p>\n

The town is the perfect place for an Easter weekend trip(Image: Nicola Roy)<\/p>\n

The Easter break is fast approaching, and if you’ve managed to get a few days off work and are keen to make the most of it, a staycation could be just the thing. For those looking for excellent food, stunning landscapes, rich heritage and an enchanting atmosphere, there’s one destination that deserves a visit.<\/p>\n

Boasting one of the UK’s oldest universities<\/a>, St Andrews on Scotland’s east coast is genuinely one-of-a-kind. Where else could you stumble upon a 170-year-old pub just moments from an Oliver Bonas? It’s a place I’ve returned to many times, but each time there’s something new to discover.<\/p>\n

On a recent weekend getaway to Lower Largo,<\/a> a small Fife<\/a> village, we decided to spend the afternoon in St Andrews. The journey from Edinburgh takes roughly 90 minutes by car, while from Glasgow it’s about an hour and 45 minutes.<\/p>\n

Whether you’re passionate about the sport or not, St Andrews is widely recognised for its golfing heritage. The Old Course, one of the world’s most famous courses, features an iconic structure that you have to get a photo with, regardless of how many times you’ve visited.<\/p>\n

The Swilcan Bridge, built over seven centuries ago, was our first stop on this trip. Positioned on the course’s 18th hole, strolling onto the green feels surreal, but it provides an ideal photo opportunity. You’re bound to encounter fellow tourists, so you may need to queue for your picture, but it’s worth it.<\/p>\n

\"Caesar<\/p>\n

Lunch at the Jigger Inn was exceptional(Image: Nicola Roy)<\/p>\n

Conveniently situated just a two-minute stroll away is the charming Jigger Inn, which was our next port of call for a bite to eat.<\/p>\n

Steeped in history dating back to the 1850s, the Jigger Inn is a cosy and inviting pub, complete with crackling fires and sweeping views over the golf course.<\/p>\n

Whether you fancy a drink from their impressive selection behind the bar or a sit-down meal, the Jigger Inn has you covered – and we decided to go for the food option.<\/p>\n

There isn’t much better than a caesar salad, chips and a glass of wine, and the Jigger Inn did all of them brilliantly.<\/p>\n

Suitably refuelled, we set off to discover the town itself. While it may not be the largest, with most of the shops and attractions along roughly three main streets, you could quite easily spend hours exploring without getting bored.<\/p>\n

\"St<\/p>\n

The architecture in St. Andrews is stunning(Image: Nicola Roy)<\/p>\n

St Andrews is a truly unique place, with its medieval heritage remaining strikingly apparent as you wander through its streets. The university began teaching in 1413 \u2014 a staggering thought, especially since it continues to flourish as a leading educational institution to this day.<\/p>\n

There’s no question that this is an exceptionally wealthy area. Students from across the globe flock here to study, and this rich multiculturalism only enhances its appeal.<\/p>\n

It’s also, of course, famously the place where William and Catherine first met and fell for one another.<\/p>\n

One of the main attractions stands the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, near the waterfront. Construction began as early as 1158, making it Scotland’s largest church in its heyday. Little remains of the original structure today, having been transformed into a graveyard.<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, many of the graves were cordoned off with ring fencing due to possible structural concerns, though it’s still a hauntingly fascinating spot to wander through.<\/p>\n

\"St<\/p>\n

You can see ancient ruins wherever you go in St Andrews(Image: Nicola Roy)<\/p>\n

With so much happening in St Andrews, it’s easy to forget that the sea is right there. Beyond the Old Course sits the famous West Sands Beach, which famously appeared in that memorable opening sequence of Chariots of Fire.<\/p>\n

Had the weather been milder, it would have made for an ideal walk, but the fierce wind battered us from all directions, prompting us to retreat to the shelter of the town centre.<\/p>\n

St Andrews boasts an excellent range of shops, from high street names like H&M and Jo Malone to independent boutiques and retailers you won’t find elsewhere. As an avid reader, I was eager to visit Topping and Company, a well-known family-run bookseller with several locations throughout the UK.<\/p>\n

\"Topping<\/p>\n

Topping and Company is a must-visit if you love to read(Image: Nicola Roy)<\/p>\n

The team were welcoming and helpful, while the range of books available was exceptional. An entire table of signed first editions sat near the shop’s entrance, and the shelving seemed to extend endlessly into the depths of the shop.<\/p>\n

It’s the sort of place where you could lose yourself for hours, potentially spending a small fortune in the process. Luckily, I showed some pretty admirable self-control by limiting my purchase to a single book.<\/p>\n

Our itinerary had one last essential stop, especially if you fancy something sweet, and it made the whole trip worth it.<\/p>\n

\"Fudge<\/p>\n

Fisher and Donaldson is famous for its fudge donuts(Image: Nicola Roy)<\/p>\n

No visit to St Andrews is complete without dropping by Fisher and Donaldson. This family-run bakery, which set up shop in Fife back in 1919, has built its reputation on a single legendary creation – the mind-blowing fudge doughnut.<\/p>\n

Hailed as Scotland’s best, these indulgent delights feature fresh custard filling topped with irresistible fudge icing. While the bakery stocks various cakes and biscuits, the fudge doughnut beats everything else on offer. We brought some back to enjoy with our coffee later, and unsurprisingly, they vanished in no time.<\/p>\n

St Andrews makes for a lovely day out or even a weekend escape if you prefer a more relaxed pace. It’s wonderful regardless of the conditions, though I’m already looking forward to returning during the warmer months when it’s a bit less chilly.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With plenty of great eateries, a fascinating history and loads to see, it’s the perfect place for a…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":855566,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[8816],"tags":[748,1102,13792,4884,9419,712,16,15],"class_list":["post-855565","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-edinburgh","tag-britain","tag-edinburgh","tag-fife","tag-great-britain","tag-places","tag-scotland","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@uk\/116305606592231530","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855565","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=855565"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/855565\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/855566"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=855565"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=855565"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=855565"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}