Inside one of 'UK's prettiest towns for Xmas shopping' and where Will met Kate
Home to 18,000 inhabitants, it has a famous university and is known as the home of golf. Charming St Andrews can be found in Fife on Scotland's West coast and the town was voted one of the prettiest places to do your Christmas shopping this year in the Times.
But what is it really like to live there? We take a closer look...
Property
Demand for student accommodation and holiday homes, the latter fuelled by lockdown in the pandemic, have sent property prices soaring in St Andrews. Many of the area's majestic Victorian villas have been turned into boutique hotels, B'n'Bs and flats.
The town's house prices are more than twice the national average, making them among Scotland's highest. Flats sell for more than £300,000 and terraced homes top £660,000. Step a short distance from the hub of the town and the coast and you can bag yourself a bargain. In the medieval market town of Cupar, just ten miles away, the cost of a home drops to an average of £230,000.
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world (Getty Images/Corbis Unreleased)Golf
Golf has been played on St Andrews Links for 600 years, with people's right to play recognised in the 1552 Archbishop Hamilton’s Charter. The Old Course is aptly named as it is the oldest in the world. Seven courses make up the Links in total, with the Castle Course offering the best views but the Old Course the favourite.
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It is possible to take a tour of the Old Course, to hear some great golf stories and find out more about the history of the game. Fans can visit the World Golf Museum the town and check out Auchterlonies, a renowned family-owned golf shop.
University
Only Oxford and Cambridge are older than the University of St Andrews, which was formed in the 15th century and nowadays attracts many students from overseas. The university has a strong academic reputation, attracting a combined total of 10,400 graduate and undergraduate students each year.
The University of St Andrews is where Prince William met his future wife Kate (Getty Images/iStockphoto)Authors JM Barrie and Rudyard Kipling are among the famous alumni as are Prince William and Kate Middleton, who met and fell in love when they were on the same art history course. Fans of their love story can head to the town's Northpoint cafe, where the pair relaxed between lectures.
Recreation
Food and drink lovers will have a good time living in St Andrews, with artisanal breads, cheeses, beer and whisky among the delicious products on offer. Favourite stop-offs on the high street including J.Mellis Cheese Shop and Toppings Book Shop.
When it comes to the arts, there is a cinema and theatre and ramblers can enjoy the 117-mile long Fife Coastal Path which winds along the North Sea coast. The town's Old Course makes for a picturesque stroll even for non-golf fans as do its two beaches - West Sands and East Sands.
The ruins of St Andrews Castle sit on a promontory above the North Sea coast (Getty Images/iStockphoto)History
History buffs can enjoy the ruins of St Andrews Cathedral, built between 1158 and 1318 and there is a castle which sits on a promontory above the sea, built around 1200. The town is filled with pieces of everyday history too, from marriage lintels above doors, bearing the initials and year a couple wed, to fishermen's homes with raised steps leaving room to house their boats underneath.
Schools
Secondary comprehensive Madras College is ranked an impressive 31st out of more than 3,000 Scottish schools. There is also a private school on offer in St Andrews, St Leonards, which is more than 500 years old and offers both day and boarding options.
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