St Monans Library

St Monans Library is a proper small-town fixture - the sort of place locals pop into for a quick browse or to pick up a hold, rather than a destination in itself. It's open a few afternoons and mornings a week, which is typical for village libraries in Fife, so check those hours before you go. The space is modest and unpretentious, exactly what you'd expect from a community library serving this quiet East Neuk village just outside Anstruther.

Truth is, if you're staying at one of the nearby caravan parks - St Monans Holiday Park is practically on the doorstep - it's handy for a quick visit on a rainy afternoon. You won't find rare manuscripts or grand architecture here. What you will find is the sort of collection that actually reflects what local people read: fiction, reference materials, kids' books if you're travelling with little ones. It's free to use.

For a proper outing, pair this with a walk around the village itself - St Monans has a working harbour and a church worth seeing - or head to Anstruther for the Scottish Fisheries Museum or a fish supper. The library works best as part of a rainy-day plan rather than a main event. If you're after a few quiet hours with a book while staying at Kilrenny Mill or Elie Holiday Park nearby, it does the job. But don't rearrange your holiday around it.