Edinburgh

St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour from Edinburgh

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St Andrews and Fife Small Group Day Trip from Edinburgh

8 hours 30 minutes
Mobile ticket
Offered in: English

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Overview

Travel from Edinburgh to St. Andrews and Fife on this day trip from Edinburgh. Cross the Forth Road Bridge into the Kingdom of Fife and pass by the coastal villages of East Neuk. Then pay homage to the town of St. Andrews, home to Scotland's oldest university and the Old Course where golf is routinely played. Driving in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach, see Falkland and the Lomond Hills. Enjoy a small-group tour, limited to 16 people, for a memorable and personalized experience.

Full-day small group tour to St. Andrews and Fife by mini-coach
Cross the Forth Road Bridge
Fishing villages of East Neuk
Plenty of time in St Andrews, home of golf and Scotland's oldest university
Falkland Palace
Small-group tour with a maximum of 16 people for a more personalized experience
Enjoy privileged, personalized attention from your driver/guide on this small group tour
Travel in a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach

What's Included

Professional driver/guide
Transport by top of the range Mercedes mini-coach
Small Group (max 16 people) for a more personal experience

Gratuities
Hotel pickup and drop off
Food and drinks, unless specified
Admission fees

Meeting and Pickup

Meeting point

Bus Station
Edinburgh EH1 3AY, UK
Please meet your Rabbie's guide inside the Edinburgh Bus Station, Gate J and Gate K, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh, EH1 3DQ (Check in closes 15 minutes prior to departure)

Start time

09:45 AM

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

This small-group day trip to St. Andrews starts in central Edinburgh, where you’re picked up in the personalized comfort of a top-of-the-range, 16-seat Mercedes mini-coach. Your guide narrates and makes plenty of stops, allowing for more intimate knowledge at each Scotland destination.

Traversing the Forth Road Bridge over the Firth of Forth, you’re treated to views of the Forth Rail Bridge, a cantilever railway bridge and UNESCO World Heritage Site. Enter the peninsular Kingdom of Fife, surrounded by the Firth of Tay and the North Sea, and listen to anecdotes about the photogenic coastal villages of East Neuk.

Make a stop in the harbor-side town of Anstruther before descending upon St. Andrews, a medieval town and 1,000-year-old capital of the Scottish Church. You have free time to stroll around the University of St. Andrews—attended by Prince William and the country’s oldest university—and see where golf is played at the Old Course.

Use your complimentary discount card her at local restaurants, shopping, and attractions.

On the return drive to Edinburgh, head to Falkland, a village dominated by the imposing Falkland Palace once belonging to Scotland’s royal family. Cross the Lomond Hills and see where Mary Queen of Scots was imprisoned at Loch Leven.

Winner of the Inaugural Scottish Thistle Award for Sustainable Tourism, October 2007.

Forth Bridge

10 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Anstruther Harbour

30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

St. Andrews

2 hours 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Falkland Palace & Garden

1 hour • Admission Ticket Not Included

Additional Info

Confirmation will be received within 48 hours of booking, subject to availability
Min. age 5 years old. We do not accept children under the age of 5 years.
Check in closes 15 minutes prior to departure
Not wheelchair accessible
Luggage Allowance: You're restricted to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person on our tours. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) plus a small bag for onboard personal items.
Near public transportation

Most travelers can participate
In order to retain the integrity of the tour and try to ensure that all our customers have the best possible experience, we do cap bookings from any one party to 8 passengers.
For your optional St. Andrews Castle and St. Andrews Cathedral tickets, please book in advance, using the link printed on your voucher.
Due to safety inspection and possible maintenance work, St Andrews Cathedral is closed until further notice.
Please note that tours stops and timings are flexible and for reference purposes only.
This tour/activity will have a maximum of 16 travelers

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.

Cut-off times are based on the experience’s local time.
This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund.

Frequently Asked Questions

The answers provided below are based on answers previously given by the tour provider to customers’ questions.

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Q:What is the departure point for the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:The tour departs from Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square, Edinburgh EH1 3DQ

Feb 2023

Q:Is parking available near the departure point for the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Parking can be difficult to find in the center of town. It is highly recommended that you take advantage of the excellent public transportation that is available.

Jun 2021

Q:How early should I arrive for the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Check-in closes 15 minutes before your departure time. The tour departs on time, so please do not arrive late.

Jun 2021

Q:Can I bring luggage with me on the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:You may bring up to 14kg (31lbs) of luggage per person. This should be one piece of luggage similar to an airline carry-on bag (approximately 55cm x 45cm x 25cm / 22in x 17in x 10in) and a small bag for onboard personal items.

Jun 2021

Q:What should I bring with me on the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:Be sure to wear comfortable walking shoes and dress for the weather. Bring your camera and spending money for lunch, optional admission tickets, etc.

Jun 2021

Q:Are admission fees included in the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:No. You pay for access to sites such as castles and museums as you arrive. Most of these locations accept both cash and card.

Jun 2021

Q:What type of vehicle is used during the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:The tour is conducted in a 16 seat Mercedes Mini-coach. There are three steps up into the coach – each 150mm in height. There are grab handles on both sides, the step edges are clearly marked and the treads are non-slip.

Jun 2021

Q:Can I bring a wheelchair on the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:The bus is not wheelchair accessible, however, there is storage available for a folding wheelchair or walking frame. Guests must be able to get on/off the bus on their own or with the assistance of a companion as guides cannot assist physically.

Jun 2021

Q:Are restrooms available on the bus during the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:There are no restrooms on board the bus, however, the group does make regular breaks to use the restroom during the tour.

Jun 2021

Q:Can I bring my small child with me on the St Andrews & the Fishing Villages of Fife Small-Group Day Tour?

A:All guests must be at least 5 years old to participate in this tour. If your child is 5 or older, but under 1.35m (4.4 ft.) tall, please notate this in the "Special Requirements" box so a booster seat can be arranged.

Jun 2021

Traveler Photos

Featured review

Lenka_S

St Andrews is an incredibly beautiful place. Our guide Richard included us with a huge amount of information, gave us good tips, explained the way to the sights we wanted to see. And again, St Andrews is a place to be, it must be visited. Most impressed us the cathedral.

Reviews

4.5

1,300 reviews

Total review count and overall rating based on Viator and Tripadvisor reviews

Reviews by Viator travelers.

We perform checks on reviews

Showing 1-10 of 1,300 reviews

St. Andrews a must for golfers

Keith_S, May 2024

For any golfer, to visit St. Andrews is a must. Fife is a very quaint and charming village and sitting in a cafe on the water eating and drinking was very enjoyable.

Relaxing Tour

Saptamita_M, May 2024

Our lady guide was funny knowledgeable and kind. Nice relaxing tour to enjoy with family or friends.

St Andrews WOW

richard_m, May 2024

The tour with Trevor was excellent. He was informative and entertaining. We could had 1 less stop and add more time in st Andrews.

Loved it

Cassandra_H, May 2024

Getting our picture on the famous bridge at St Andrew’s. Walking the town of St Andrew and the view of the ocean

Dave was awesome!

Jonathan_B, May 2024

Dave was a treat and so much fun on the trip. He made our adventure so much better than it could have been had we maybe done the journey on our own.

Lovely day in Scotland.

Laurie_B, May 2024

Our guide’s stories and historical information were interesting and we enjoyed seeing the golf course. Easy drop off and pick up points.

My best day in Scotland

Kathleen_C, May 2024

It’s a tossup between our most entertaining guide and all the marvelous sights and experiences. Both were beyond my expectations.

We had an excellent...

Teresita_L, Apr 2024

We had an excellent driver/tour guide Trevor. He was witty and thoroughly enjoyed the story of Mary Queen of Scots! We will certainly be back in friendly & historic Scotland and book other Viator tours. Thank you

The old course at St....

Kevin_S, Apr 2024

The old course at St. Andrew. I think the stop in Falkland was unnecessary. Eric was very knowledgeable of all the history and has a very nice singing voice.

Great

ADELA_S, Apr 2024

Lovely tour!! Eric so amazing. Learnt a lot. The shuttle was secure,brand new. Everything worked on time.

Beautiful!

MLissa_S, Apr 2024

We went to St. Andrew's and some lovely villages along the way. Our guide J.P. was wonderful! Informative and lots of fun! I would definitely recommend this tour.

For golf lovers

Laurent_L, Apr 2024

This was a dream come true for this golf lover. I don’t think it would suit everybody. For one, the trip is too long, the 1st stop in a fishing village is ok but do we need 45 minutes there? Second, the small medieval village of Falkland has a palace and is charming but if you don’t visit the palace, it takes 10 min to tour the entire village so a 50 min stop is way too long. Nik our driver and guide was very good . A piece of advice for those wanting the best experience possible at St Andrews. Golfers can’t play the Old Course on Sundays do you literally have the course to yourself and walk it all if you want. Finally, this trip was expensive , we were on a 12+h tour the day before and there was a $10 difference in price only and I already mentioned we could easily have saved an hour on this trip But, for the experience at the Old Course, it was worth it.

The visit to St Andrews...

Antonio_M, Apr 2024

The visit to St Andrews will be remembered, despite the rain we profit the most of the time given to the visit including the Old Course.

A must visit to St Andrews

Michael_S, Apr 2024

A must tour for anyone who wants to visit St Andrews, an excellent tour !! Also a great experience of several fishing villages.

Trip to St Andrews

John_H, Apr 2024

Excellent guide. Driving golf balls at the Old Course. That is all thanks. Will use you again if in Scotland.

Great experience!

Leah_C, Apr 2024

We really enjoyed St Andrews Golf Course and Town Centre. The fishing village Anstruther was delightful and very interesting. Our guide Nick was funny and very informative, had a few stories to tell and answered any questions the passengers had.

Great Day at St. Andrew’s & Fife

John_S, Apr 2024

Our guide, Ally, was outstanding. He was both very knowledgeable and entertaining. I would highly recommend this tour. He absolutely went above and beyond to ensure everyone was totally engaged during our day together.

Fabulous time

Maura_B, Apr 2024

What an excellent trip. Ewen was our guide- he told us Scottish history along the way and also some wonderful stories.

Day trip

GeorgeAnnaMarkham, Apr 2024

We met our guide/driver Trevor of our 16 seater mini-van. It was nice there were only 10 of us in the van. We headed out at 0945 heading over the Forth Bridge toward Elie a small fishing village where we stopped to stretch our legs. We continued on thru St Monans, Pittenweem, to Anstruther where we again stopped. This time we spent about ½ hour walking the small fishing village. One of the key things here was The Wee Couper of Fife – whiskey tasting shop. Just a little hole in the wall place but oh my the whiskey. Once back in the van we headed to St Andrews. Trevor drove us around the town to show us how it was laid out. They have an upper, middle (where all the shops are) and lower streets. He then showed us the only pick up point by the famous old iconic golf course founded in the early 15th century. He then drove us back up into town and dropped us off where we wanted. We had about 3 hrs here to have lunch and tour around. Trevor recommended Cromar’s for fish & chips so we gave it a try. Since this was on middle street we walked back down to lower street and headed towards St Andrew’s Cathedral ruins. Wow right on the North Sea. Unfortunately, a lot of things have been fenced off due to erosion and just not safe. But it was still beautiful. From there we walked down one more street and followed it to St Andrew’s Castle and the University. What a beautiful walk. We walked back up to middle street and went into the visitor’s center and found a street map, Scotland map, and the center had put together a pamphlet on the top sites in the area. We then walked over to the Belhaven pub and had a beer. It was getting time to head back to the van so we strolled along and got back down to St Andrew’s beach where Chariots of Fire had been filmed. Absolutely breathtaking. We loaded up and took off at 3pm heading inland toward Cupar and on to Falkland which houses Falkland Palace. Really cool place, Johnny Cash’s grandparents were from this area and he’d visited a number of times. When he passed away they placed a memorial bench in the gardens in the village. We spent about an hour here and then headed back to Edinburgh around 5pm. As we got closer to Edinburgh, Trevor took us over the bridge to Queensferry town, which lays along the water and you can see all four of the bridges that cross. Got back into town around 6pm and walked back to the hotel. Beautiful day, good weather, awesome countryside, and a great tour guide/driver. Trevor could definitely talk and gave you all kinds of Scotland history and information.

A great day in the country!

Kevin_K, Apr 2024

Great trip, Ewan was a fantastic guide giving us an informative overview on St. Andrew’s and the smaller villages we passed on the way.

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