Salisbury Guide
Studded with medieval buildings and crouching under the spires of its 13th-century cathedral, Salisbury lures in visitors with its tranquil streets and proximity to Stonehenge. Steeped in old-world charm, the city boasts a lively contemporary arts scene, while still embracing its rich history.
Crane your neck to take in the gothic spires of Salisbury Cathedral before digging out regional ceramics, costumes and archaeological finds in the Salisbury and South Wiltshire Museum. The Iron Age mound of Old Sarum is where William the Conqueror once called the shots, while nearby the standing circle of Stonehenge holds court on Salisbury Plain.
Whizzing along on two wheels between Old Sarum and Salisbury Cathedral makes sightseeing all the more fun. The new seven-mile circular cycling route, The Golden Way, meanders through the city’s green spaces linking these two sights.
Independent bookshops and boutiques are tucked away down Catherine Street and Fisherton Street, while the 800-year-old Charter Market overflows with food and clothes stalls. Lovers of all things organic can pick up home-grown Wiltshire delights at the Farmers’ Market. Both the riverside Wilton Shopping Centre and the central Old George Mall are hotspots for high street bargain hunting.
Head to the regal Queen Elizabeth Gardens for a picnic before ambling down to Long Bridge to gaze at Constable’s famously unchanged view of the tremendous cathedral. Feeding the noisy ducks on the River Avon keeps kids happy at Winston Churchill Gardens, while tennis, crazy golf and bowls keep up the competitive pace at Victoria Park just north of the city.
Catch the rising curtain at the region’s only producing theatre, Salisbury Playhouse, and get an all-round attack of the arts in summer at the Salisbury International Arts Festival. Salisbury Arts Centre is the city’s focal point for dance, modern and classical music, poetry readings, art house cinema and more.
In warm weather, eateries spill out onto the cosmopolitan Market Square while a smattering of tea rooms and cafés dot the High Street and St Thomas’s Square. Traditional long-standing pubs on Catherine Street and Winchester Street dish out hearty meals and local brews in 14th-century buildings.
Looking up at Salisbury Cathedral provides an interesting ant’s perspective of the world, but perhaps more breathtaking is the 225-foot-high view of the city from the base of the spire, reached by a tiring 332 steps. It’s undoubtedly worth it, so get climbing!
