Salisbury (England)

Salisbury cathedral image, photo, picture, sights, point of interest, view, travel guide

Salisbury is a cathedral city in the English county of Wiltshire, in the heart of the West Country.

Get in

By plane

The most convenient airports are:

  • London Heathrow Airport is about 75 miles drive from Salisbury via the M25 (anti-clockwise), M3 (southbound), A303 and A338. There is a RailAir coach service to Woking station, where mainline trains to Salisbury can be boarded; two services an hour give a journey time of just over two hours for the whole journey.
  • London Gatwick Airport is about 100 miles drive from Salisbury via the M23 (northbound), M25 (clockwise), M3 (southbound), A303 and A338. By train, catch a London bound train which stops at Clapham Junction (note that the heavily advertised Gatwick Express does not stop there) from the airport rail station, and change at Clapham Junction for a service to Salisbury; two services an hour give a journey time of just under two hours for the whole journey.

By train

Salisbury has a station on the secondary main line from London to Exeter. From London, travel from London Waterloo rail station; there are two or three trains an hour which take about 90 minutes for the journey. Train times (from any location) can be found on the National Rail Planner or by calling 0845-748-4950 from anywhere in the UK. The station is a five minute walk from the town centre, just head down Fisherton St.

By bus

National Express [1] operate services to Salisbury from cities throughout the UK including London. Advanced ticketing is required.

For those with a special interest in West Country cathedral cities, Wilts & Dorset [2] operate the branded Cathedral Connection between Salisbury and Winchester, taking in some very attractive countryside on route. Despite its branding, this is a rural bus service (number 68) with no need for advance ticketing; it operates six times a day (except Sundays) and takes about an hour and a half for the journey. Timetable details can be found on the website, or by telephoning 336855.

By car

Get around

The bus Station is located just off the Market Square on Endless St. they travel to surrounding villages and towns.

The main taxi rank is in Blue Boar Row, with smaller ones at the train station and Fisherton St.

The city centre is small enough to walk across in a few minutes.

See

  • Salisbury Cathedral [3], tel 555120, open daily 7.15am-6.15pm, suggested entry donation adults £3.80, senior/student £3.30, child £2 - constructed between 1220 and 1258, Salisbury Cathedral has the highest spire in England at 404 feet (123 metres). Cathedral services take place daily and opening times can vary at short notice depending on services.

Do

Buy

The Charter Market is a retail market held twice-weekly on Tuesdays and Saturdays (except the third Tuesday in October) from 8 AM to 4 PM (till 3:30 PM between Christmas and Easter) in Salisbury Market Square. The market consists of 90 stalls plus 10 farmers' stalls.

There are a number of smaller specialist shops and two main shopping centres; The Old George Mall and The Crosskeys.

Eat

Fisherton St has many curry houses and Chinese restaurants. Around the Market Square there are a variety of restaurants.

Drink

There is a large number of pubs in the city centre, the main axis of drinking is Fisherton Street, through the centre and up Milford Hill.

For late night drinking there is the Chapel Nightclub, Spires, The Cathedral and a few other late opening pubs.

Sleep

  • Salisbury Youth Hostel, Milford Hill, telephone 327572. This is a 200-year-old building in secluded grounds and just a short walk from the heart of Salisbury. Open every day; reception open 7:30am-10:30pm. £15 (adult); £11 (under 18).

Contact

Phone

Salisbury's area code is 01722 when dialed from within the UK or +441722 from outside the UK.

Internet

Get out

  • Stonehenge - the ancient monument about 15km from Salisbury. Started in the Neolithic era (about 2500BC) and completed in the Bronze Age. Iconic.