Liverpool or St Andrews?

St Andrews has slightly the better beaches, mainly because they are right there: West Sands, East Sands and little Castle Sands are all a walk from the centre. Liverpool's sand means a Merseyrail ride north to Crosby's iron figures or Formby's dunes, or a trip across the river to New Brighton and West Kirby.

Swimming is a poor reason to choose either. The Irish Sea off Liverpool runs a few degrees warmer than the North Sea, but its far-retreating tide and soft mud make parts of the shore unsafe, while St Andrews' colder water draws a local habit of brisk year-round dipping. Sheltered East Sands is the friendlier spot for children.

Liverpool has more to eat and more variety, though neither is a destination for food alone. A bowl of scouse in a pub, the independent kitchens of Bold Street, the street-food halls of the Baltic Triangle and an old Chinatown give a visitor several different evenings, and the Victorian gin palaces are a pleasure in themselves.

St Andrews offers fewer choices but a stronger sense of place: Fife lamb, East Neuk crab and lobster, and fish and chips eaten by a harbour down the coast. Its cafés and ice cream parlours are charming, but the range runs out quickly and the town is quiet after dinner.

Liverpool has more to see and needs longer. The Three Graces and the warehouses of the Royal Albert Dock frame the Maritime Museum and the International Slavery Museum, William Brown Street adds the Walker Art Gallery and the World Museum, and the two 20th-century cathedrals face each other along Hope Street. The Beatles add a further layer.

St Andrews is older and smaller in scale. Its draws are medieval: the ruined cathedral with St Rule's Tower, the clifftop castle with its bottle dungeon and siege tunnels, and a university dating from 1413, plus the golf heritage of the Old Course. It makes a lovely walk through history, but a day or two covers it.

This is where the two differ most. Liverpool is a party city, with bars and clubs around Concert Square, Seel Street and Wood Street packed at weekends, electronic nights in the Baltic Triangle and calmer local bars on Lark Lane.

St Andrews offers traditional pubs, golfers' lounges and a students' union that is the nearest thing to a club. Outside term it goes to bed early, and anyone wanting a proper night out has to travel to Dundee or Edinburgh.

St Andrews has the stronger outdoors, and it starts at the edge of town. The Fife Coastal Path runs past sea stacks and caves towards the East Neuk, seals haul out on the shore at Tentsmuir, and the Lomond Hills and the Perthshire Highlands are within driving distance for real hill walking.

Liverpool is flat and its green spaces are mostly urban: Sefton Park with its palm house, the Mersey promenade and the ferry. Formby's pinewoods, with their red squirrels, and the Wirral Way are good half-day escapes, but proper mountains in North Wales or the Lake District are around two hours away.

St Andrews is the better base for outings. The pantile-roofed harbours of Crail, Anstruther and Elie are close by, Falkland Palace and Dundee's V&A are each a short trip, and Edinburgh makes an easy full day. Scone, Glamis, Culross and Stirling Castle broaden the list further, though most of them work best by car.

Liverpool's strongest trips are by train: Chester's Roman walls and timbered Rows in under an hour, Manchester's museums, Port Sunlight and Southport's pier. Conwy and Llandudno make a longer day, but after Chester the options thin out.

Liverpool keeps children busier. The free World Museum has dinosaurs, an aquarium and a planetarium, the Museum of Liverpool has its own play gallery, and Chester Zoo and Knowsley Safari Park are within easy reach. The ferry is a cheap thrill, though the weekend crowds in the centre need some planning.

St Andrews is gentler and safer, and small enough for older children to roam. Rock pools on East Sands, the small aquarium, crawling through the castle's siege tunnels and Craigtoun Park's miniature railway fill a few relaxed days, but there is no major attraction and bad weather can cut a beach day short.

Both centres are easy on foot, and Liverpool has a slight edge for anyone without a car. Its docks, Pier Head, Ropewalks and cathedrals sit within about 2km of each other, and Merseyrail reaches the coast at Crosby, Formby and the Wirral frequently. Sefton Park and Anfield mean a bus, and the bus network takes some figuring out.

St Andrews is even smaller, with beaches, castle and Old Course all a short stroll apart. The problem is getting in and out: there is no station, so trains mean a bus or taxi to Leuchars, and much of the countryside is far easier by car.

Liverpool is the place for a proper shop. Liverpool ONE gathers the big British chains and department stores in open-air streets between the centre and the docks, and Bold Street adds vintage clothes, records and independent boutiques. Luxury labels are scarce, however.

St Andrews is an afternoon's browse along its three main streets, with golf gear and Old Course souvenirs, cashmere and knitwear, tartan and good bookshops. It is pleasant but shallow, and serious shoppers go on to Edinburgh.

Liverpool is noticeably easier on the wallet. Hotel rooms are reasonably priced for a British city on most dates, the maritime, slavery and Walker collections are free, and pub meals keep eating out sensible. Big match weekends, the Grand National and major concerts are the times when prices climb.

St Andrews has few rooms and prices them for golfers and visiting university families, with sharp rises at tournaments and graduations. Its sights are modestly priced and lunches can be cheap, but a round on the famous courses is a real expense. Staying in the East Neuk villages helps to spread the cost.

Liverpool is far richer here. Bands play most nights around Mathew Street, Seel Street and the Baltic Triangle, the Cavern Club draws pilgrims to its cellar, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic plays a full season in its art deco hall. The Everyman and the Playhouse make their own theatre, while the Empire takes the big touring shows.

St Andrews has a modest programme built around the university: drama and comedy at the Byre Theatre, choral evenings in St Salvator's Chapel and the odd pub folk session. Much of it falls quiet in the summer break, which is when most visitors come.

St Andrews is the better place to unwind, though neither is a spa destination. Its slow pace, long walks on West Sands and quiet evenings do much of the work, the golf resorts' spas and pools are open to non-residents, and a cold dip off East Sands is a local ritual.

In Liverpool, restful moments have to be sought out: an afternoon in Sefton Park, a slow ferry crossing or a quiet hour in the free galleries. Wellness there mostly means hotel spas, and the centre is loud on weekend nights.