St Andrews Castle

Didn’t actually go in as it’s a ruined castle and didn’t want to pay the admission but can see it in its entirety from a distance and impressive against the water. It’s a short walk to the cathedral which has more places to explore. A must-​see if going to St Andrews (second to the Links & Old Course).
There’s also 3 parallel streets (North St, Market St & South St) that make up the town center which with lots of shops, restaurants and bars. We tried an Indian /​Thai on North Street but were shortly disappointed. Another thing to note is you have to pay for public toilets (30p) which was annoying so we skipped it and went for an early lunch! The Visit Scotland place recommended walking along from the street where the castle is off to the golf course but there actually isn’t that much to see. I’d say the walk is worthwhile from the cathedral to the castle then going off on to market Street towards the golf course and then along the beach. Wonderful place to visit especially if you get good weather!

We literally stumbled across this castle when out exploring St Andrews. As members of Historic Scotland we don’t need to pay for admission but didn’t have our cards with us. The lovely Michelle kindly phoned the admin office to check our names and let us in with out having our cards.
I’m giving the castle ruins a 5 star rating for the simply awesome mines you can explore under the castle! They are not for those who don’t like confined spaces, can’t squeeze through tights gaps or if you aren’t wearing trainers or decent shoes, but we loved them. They fitted a hand rail and a ladder to access the lower parts but be prepared to do a bit of scrambling! The history of the mines is quite fascinating to read about and then to be able to explore them was brilliant. I think they should advertise this fact better as we nearly missed the mines.
The castle itself is mostly a ruin but Historic Scotland have added lots of info boards /​plaques to highlight what the remains used to be part of. There are lots of benches around the site and large central grass area that would be good for kids to run about and have a picnic on a nice day.
We really enjoyed our visit, I’m sure the mild, sunny weather helped. I’d definitely go back for another visit the next time I’m in St Andrews.

This is a pretty but ultimately unspectacular castle ruin, with a capital «R» in «ruin.»
Certainly not worth paying for to get into. From the side (see my photo) you will get a pretty good impression of what to expect. And when you’re walking along the front and side of the castle, that’s pretty much everything you need to see.
Spend more time at St. Andrew’s Cathedral, which is much more impressive, and free (if you’re not a total dork). The beach view from the castle is the same as from other parts of the promenade anyway.
Scotland has so many spectacular and important castles to offer which will be worth your while and money. This isn’t one of them.

Definitely check this place out if you’re in the area. St. Andrews is a decent day trip from Edinburgh or Glasgow, and even if you’re not interested in golf, the castle + cathedral (short walk between them) are really, really cool. I liked that it wasn’t in pristine condition — it is a ruin — because there’s more room for imagination than at other sites. Didn’t go very far into the tunnel, but it’s a definite highlight.

The castle was undergoing construction when we visited. It was a neat castle, but not a lot to see because a lot has crumbled down. Has a kid friendly museum inside, but no tours available. Use your Scotland Heritage pass to get in.

This was one of our favorite castle ruins in our trip around Scotland. What bumps it up to the top of the list is that it’s a couple blocks away from the cathedral ruins — two for one! Now, it’s not two for one in price but the cathedral grounds are free to roam around. The castle costs — but it’s worth it for the tunnel alone.
The other important fact is that this is the only castle ruin we’ve visited here in Scotland that has been quite mobility friendly for my mother who has to use a walking stick for stability. There are nice, even pathways and limited stairs. There’s enough to see to be enjoyable without having to climb a bunch of extra stairs if you don’t want to.