Welcome to Salisbury
Centred on a majestic cathedral that's topped by the tallest spire in England, Salisbury makes an appealing Wiltshire base. It's been an important provincial city for more than a thousand years, and its streets form an architectural timeline ranging from medieval walls and half-timbered Tudor town houses to Georgian mansions and Victorian villas.
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Salisbury activities
Salisbury and Stonehenge Full-Day Tour with Admission Ticket
You begin your tour from your hotel in Salisbury, Salisbury Train Station or the Central Car Park/Coach Park in Salisbury. You hear about the medieval city with all of its history and mystique, spending an hour at the Cathedral to take in the tallest spire and the Magna Carta (subject to opening times). Then you make a brief stop at Old Sarum, the original site of Salisbury. This Iron Age settlement became Salisbury after visits from Saxons, Danes, Vikings, and Normans. Old Sarum offers wonderful views over the city and the surrounding landscape. This is where King John had his garrisons in the early 1200s before the barons rose up against the King, which resulted in the Magna Carta being sealed in 1215. Departing from Old Sarum you now follow the river Avon through the picturesque Woodford Valley. Here you can take in the many thatched cottages and begin to learn the history that surrounds Stonehenge. You now travel through Amesbury, which has been recognised as the oldest continuous settlement in England (as recognized by Guinness World Records) On the way to Stonehenge, you will stop at Woodhenge where you will you will hear theories that start to unravel the mysteries of Stonehenge itself. Arriving at Stonehenge, spend two hours experiencing the new visitor center and exhibition before making your way to the ancient stones. This is a fascinating journey through time to some of Britain's best kept secrets. On completion of your tour, we will return you to your hotel in Salisbury, Salisbury Train Station, Central Coach Park.
Salisbury Museum Entry Ticket
Visit: The Salisbury MuseumThe Salisbury Museum is based in the King's House, a medieval grade I listed building opposite of Salisbury Cathedral. The museum's displays include nationally important archaeology from Stonehenge, fine art including watercolours by JMW Turner and impressive local history.In the stunning new Wessex Gallery of archaeology you can discover 500,000 years of history. Exhibits include the famous Amesbury Archer and the Pitt-Rivers Wessex collection of archaeology. The other galleries reveal the history of Salisbury through costume, fine art, everyday objects and ceramics. The museum also has an exciting programme of temporary exhibitions - for example later this year John Constable's Salisbury Cathedral from the Meadows will be on display at the museum.The museum has a vibrant family events programme, often with family trails over the school holidays. The cafe (open 10am - 4pm Monday to Saturday) offers wonderful home baked meals with outdoor seating that has unrivaled views of Salisbury Cathedral.
Stonehenge Entrance Ticket
Perhaps the world’s most famous prehistoric monument, Stonehenge was built in several stages: the first monument was an early henge monument, built about 5,000 years ago, and the unique stone circle was erected in the late Neolithic period about 2500 BC. In the early Bronze Age many burial mounds were built nearby. Today, along with Avebury, it forms the heart of a World Heritage Site, with a unique concentration of prehistoric monuments.On the site itself, there is plenty to see and do for visitors. Iconic symbol of Britain, a walk around the Stone Circle is the centrepiece of any visit to the Stonehenge and Avebury World Heritage Site. With a history spanning 4,500 years Stonehenge has many different meanings to people today. It is a wonder of the world, a spiritual place and a source of inspiration. You will wander around the Neolithic houses outside the visitor center, step inside to imagine how people lived 4,500 years ago, chat with the volunteers and discover how the houses were built using authentic materials and techniques, based on the evidence of dwellings found nearby.You can also experience the Stonehenge landscape through time with the interactive map. You will see how the environment changed before, during and after the time of Stonehenge, and click on features to learn more about this incredible prehistoric area. Also be sure to watch the seasons pass and take a trip through time with the incredible audio-visual 360 degree view from inside the stones, in the visitor center.The Stone Circle is a masterpiece of engineering, and building it would have taken huge effort from hundreds of well-organized people using only simple tools and technologies. Visit Stonehenge to find out more!
Salisbury, Stonehenge, and Avebury in One Day from Salisbury
The full-day tour starts at 9am from your hotel in Salisbury, Salisbury train station or the Central Car Park/Coach Park in Salisbury. It begins in the Medieval Cathedral City with all of its history and mystique where you enjoy a tour of the City before spending an hour at the Cathedral taking in the tallest spire and the Magna Carta (subject to opening times) before departing at 10.15am for a brief stop at Old Sarum, the original City of Salisbury. This Iron Age settlement became Salisbury after visits from Saxons, Danes, Vikings and Normans. Old Sarum offers wonderful views over the City and the surrounding landscape. This is where King John had his garrisons in the early 1200s before the barons rose up against the King which resulted in the Magna Carta being sealed in 1215. You will depart Old Sarum at approx. 10.40am and follow a narrow riverside road through a picturesque valley with its own history to tell. Here you can take in the many thatched cottages and begin to learn the history that surrounds Stonehenge. Arriving at Stonehenge at 11.10am you will spend two hours experiencing the new visitor centre and the Ancient Stones before heading to Avebury. En route to Avebury you will see the Alton Barnes White Horse (a large chalk carving in the hillside) before passing through Lockeridge (where the Sarcen stones originate that form part of Stonehenge & Avebury). You will also see Silbury hill, the largest manmade mound in Europe and the West Kennet longbarrow (an ancient Neolithic burial mound). If time & weather permit you will walk to the site and actually enter the burial mound. At 2.15pm you arrive at Avebury where your guide will walk you over the site. Here you will try your hand at divining for spiritual leylines. Leaving Avebury at 4.30pm you begin your return journey to Salisbury train station, Central Coach Park or a local hotel (if you are staying overnight). The tour will be completed at 5.30pm.
Salisbury Plain Experience Off-Road Tour
Beginning from your chosen collection point the group will make its way to Salisbury Plain. Upon joining your tour route (which can change due to military activity) you begin to make your way around a circuit of the military firing range, stopping for photo opportunities and chances to explore the local flora and fauna en route. Depending on access you will either make our way across the downland taking in Copehill Down military camp or take a trip through the firing ranges themselves and take a look at the craters and shattered hulks that are used for target practice on the plain. During the tour you will take in spectacular views across Pewsey Vale, seeing the White horses at Westbury, Devizes and Alton Barnes before descending from a height of 221m to the valley floor and hearing the story of the Robbers Stone.A short road journey takes in the villages of Chittern and Tilshead before collecting the tracks again to head across country to Parsonage Down nature reserve. It is here in a secluded little known corner of Wiltshire that you stop for tea and biscuits, listening to the birdsong and perhaps the thrum of an Apache helicopter! You embark once more for a short but very off road trip past Yarnbury Castle (actually an Iron Age hill fort) before returning to your location via Stonehenge and the historic town of Larkhill, birthplace of the RAF and current home to the Royal Artillery.
Private Salisbury Plain Off-Road Tour
Beginning from your chosen collection point the group will make its way to Salisbury Plain. Upon joining your tour route (which can change due to military activity) you begin to make your way around a circuit of the military firing range, stopping for photo opportunities and chances to explore the local flora and fauna en route. Depending on access you will either make our way across the downland taking in Copehill Down military camp or take a trip through the firing ranges themselves and take a look at the craters and shattered hulks that are used for target practice on the plain. During the tour you will take in spectacular views across Pewsey Vale, seeing the White horses at Westbury, Devizes and Alton Barnes before descending from a height of 221m to the valley floor and hearing the story of the Robbers Stone.A short road journey takes in the villages of Chittern and Tilshead before collecting the tracks again to head across country to Parsonage Down nature reserve. It is here in a secluded little known corner of Wiltshire that you stop for tea and biscuits, listening to the birdsong and perhaps the thrum of an Apache helicopter!You embark once more for a short but very off road trip past Yarnbury Castle (actually an Iron Age hill fort) before returning to your location via Stonehenge and the historic town of Larkhill, birthplace of the RAF and current home to the Royal Artillery.