Blackfriars

The ruins of Blackfriars in St Andrews are what's left of a Dominican friary that once stood as a proper centre of medieval religious life. You're looking at fragments of walls and architectural bits scattered across a small site right in the town itself - nothing dramatically intact, but enough to fire up your imagination about what it would have looked like five centuries ago.

It's genuinely worth a quick visit if you're already exploring St Andrews, which you almost certainly will be if you're staying at St Andrews Holiday Park or Cairnsmill Caravan Park nearby. The site sits close to the town centre, so you won't be adding much to your itinerary. History buffs will find themselves drawn in, though families with restless kids might find twenty minutes is the limit before they're ready to move on.

The main appeal is how it sits within St Andrews' broader medieval story - you're essentially looking at one piece of a larger jigsaw that includes the cathedral ruins and castle. Go at your own pace, have a wander around the fragments, and read the interpretation boards if they're up. Free to visit, naturally, since there's nothing to fence off.

Pair it with a longer walk through town or combine it with Craigtoun Meadows Holiday Park's proximity to allow a day hitting several historical spots. Don't expect grandeur - expect a quiet moment of contemplation among old stones.