St Andrews Tours
2014 to 2024
By Richard Falconer
and his group of highly experienced local guides
Celebrating our 10th Anniversary.
Here’s to the next 70,000 explorers coming on Richard’s St Andrews tours!
Six award-winning St Andrews tours, 7 days a week: St Andrews Old Course tour, town & golf tour, history tour, walking tour, ghost tour.
There is also a FREE walking tour at 2pm in July.
All tours subject to availability.
- Up to 5 walking tours a day, March to December
- Tour duration 1.15 hrs to 1.45 hrs depending on the tour.
Details of all tours below
Whisper system for larger groups
Hear your guide better…
Your own wireless audio receiver and ear piece for the duration of your tour.
Recommended by Rick Steves
All tours pre-booking only, no walk-ups
10+ persons contact for group rates
St Andrews Old Course History Tours
Bucket list walking tours with Richard Falconer; author, town/golf historian and 1980s Pro A1 Old Course Caddie.
St Andrews Old Course History Tour for the golfer
75 mins approx**
Timeline of golf and Old Course progression. Find out about adjoining Old Course landmarks, early golfing pioneers and much more.
The tour finishes with a photo shoot on the Swilkan Bridge. (excludes tournament days)
Tour times
March: Daily 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm*
April to September: Daily 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm, 4 pm*
October to December: Daily 10 am, 12 noon, 2 pm*
Sundays through the year – Walk the Old Course fairway – excludes championship / tournament days
Meeting point
Outside Hotel du Vin, 40 The Scores St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. KY16 9AS
Tours end point
By the Jigger Inn, Old Course Hotel
Adults £15 (16+)
Child £13 (age 5-15)
Not suitable for under 2s
** Many often book both the Old Course tour and the history tour.
* Click here to check the booking calendar for availability
St Andrews Golf Heritage Tours - Town and Old Course
Golf and St Andrews are inseparable, so on this tour you will hear about the historical foundations of both amid iconic settings.
St Andrews Golf Heritage Tours
105 mins approx – Not suitable for walking difficulties (walking slowly)
Known as the highlight of many Scottish vacations
Entwining the history of the town with the development of golf, there is something for everyone on this two part tour. Richard created this tour a few years ago to appeal to both the golfer and non-golfer alike, so this tour isn’t all about golf, but there is a lot of golf on this tour!
Section 1: Town/golf history entwined – approx 45 minutes
You will see and hear about Scotland’s oldest university, history of the former Palace the Cathedral, along with elements of golf development, honorary degrees for golfing greats and Nike’s genius.
Section 2: Golf history – approx 1 hour
Within the Cathedral grounds you will visit iconic graves of golfing pioneers: Old and Young Tom Morris, Allan Robertson and Jamie Anderson. It is then a scenic stroll to the Old Course as you hear about the birth of the Open. At the Old Course you will hear the incidental development of the game we know and love, and finish with a photo shoot on the Swilkan Bridge (excludes tournament days).
Tour times
March: Daily 12pm, 2pm*
April to September: Daily 10am, 12pm, 2pm, 4pm*
October to December: Daily 12pm, 2pm*
Meeting point
Outside Hotel du Vin, 40 The Scores St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. KY16 9AS
Tour end point
The tour finishes at the Swilkan Bridge by the 17th green and Old Course Hotel
Adults £17 (16+)
Child £15 (age 5-15)
Not suitable for under 2s
St Andrews Walking Tour
This is the most comprehensive tour of St Andrews. Covering the town centre, the three colleges of the university, plus the Cathedral, Palace and the Old Course.
St Andrews Walking Tour
105 mins
This is the most comprehensive St Andrews walking tour. It includes all the town’s main sights/history and heritage, plus golf/Old Course history and photos on the Swilkan Bridge.
Tour times
March to December: Daily 12pm, 2pm*
Meeting point
Outside The Bothy restaurant, (formerly Doll’s House Restaurant) in Church Square behind Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. KY16 9NN
Tour end point
Swilkan Bridge – Old Course
Adults £15 (16+)
Child £13 (age 5-15)
Not suitable for under 2s
St Andrews History Tours
Explore St Andrews historic quarters as Richard showcases 2000 years of remarkable history. Please note, there is no mention of golf on this tour unless requested.
St Andrews History Tour
90 mins**
Richard brings the town’s history together through research spanning 6 decades. Learn about the unusual, the surprising and the intriguing, alongside forgotten historical details.
Tours incorporate all the major sights of interest including the university, harbour, Cathedral and Palace (Castle). Tours do not include the Old Course or golf.
Tour times
March to September: Daily 12pm, 2pm, 4pm*
October to December: Daily 12pm and 2pm*
Meeting point
Outside The Bothy restaurant, (formerly Doll’s House Restaurant) in Church Square behind Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. KY16 9NN
Tour end point
Beside the Central Bar, Market Street
Adults £15 (16+)
Child £13 (age 5-15)
Not suitable for under 2s
** Many often book both the Old Course tour and the history tour.
* Click here to check the booking calendar for availability
Your guide is Richard Falconer: Author, guide, town/golf historian, a former Old Course caddie, concert promoter, and FSA. Richard is also a book publisher and graphic designer.
As an author, Richard has six published books amounting to 2,330 published pages. His long awaited ‘History of St Andrews’ comes out 2024. This will be followed by a hagiography of Saint Andrew.
St Andrews Ghost Tours
Exclusive, educational, nonfiction tours. With no gimmicks and no stories, this is one of the top Ghost tours in the world for a reason. Availability is very limited. Larger groups (10+), please email date/time and proposed numbers for discount. Strictly no hen parties.
St Andrews Ghost Tours
Exclusive, educational, nonfiction
90 mins
Richard is also a global authority on the paranormal and the local authority for the same.
St Andrews has nearly 400 ghosts, 208 haunted locations
and Richard has published over 2000 paranormal experiences.
Set amid the backdrop of St Andrews extraordinary spiritual history, these nonfiction educational tours explore a wealth of localised testimony as points of reference to explain global phenomena. If this holds your interest, I look forward to taking you on a tour.
Tour times *
April to June: Daily 5:30pm
July to September: Daily 7:30pm
October to December: 4pm
Very limited and exclusive availability.
Meeting point
Outside The Bothy restaurant, (formerly Doll’s House Restaurant) in Church Square behind Holy Trinity Church, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. KY16 9NN
All tickets £16
No concessions
Not suitable for under 5s
Nonfiction books by Richard Falconer
Signed souvenir copies
You can buy Richard’s books along with your ghost tour tickets below. You will then receive signed and personalized copies on your tour. Further details of Richard’s books and ghost tour can be found here.
If you are buying one book, Richard recommends ‘Ghosts’.
Also available on Amazon as softcover/Kindle and through all good bookshops.
For enquiries and small or large group private/bespoke tours, inc large group/coach rates.
email: richard@standrewstours.com
Important info before you book
- Tours do not wait – be on time or contact beforehand about running late
- Participants must have a fluent command of the English language
- Tours not suitable for those with walking difficulties (walking slowly)
- Under 5s free, but not suitable for under 2s (no under 5s on Ghost Tours)
- No luggage dropoff
- Only guide dogs allowed
Booking Calendar
Check availability and book here
Which St Andrews walking tour would you like?
Please note: If the date/time is greyed out, the tour is either sold out or unavailable, so do not contact looking for space unless as an addition to your existing group.
Booking for one person?
The first booking of each tour time is a minimum of two persons, the system then opens for single bookings.
Email your preferred tour and time and we will connect if others book that tour.
Free St Andrews Tours
Discover St Andrews. An excellent way to orientate yourself to St Andrews as you discover all the main sites.
FREE St Andrews Sightseeing Tour
90 mins
An all-round St Andrews tour starting with the Old Course and finishing in the centre of town (excludes Swilkan Bridge). Very limited availability.
Tour time
2pm daily July only*
Meeting point
Outside Hotel du Vin, 40 The Scores, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, KY16 9AS
*Click here to check the booking calendar for availability
St Andrews Tours reserves the right to cancel due to extreme weather/insufficient numbers.
New book release for 2024
History of St Andrews
By your host, guide &
bestselling local author
Richard Falconer
NONFICTION
Covering some 300 pages and fully illustrated
Coming out in 2024
This volume will be available in hardback, softcover and Kindle.
If you would like to be notified when Richard’s book becomes available, click here to email your note of interest.
