The medieval cathedral city of Salisbury is one of the UK’s tourist hot-spots. And it’s not hard to see why. The town centre is home to one of the most magnificent cathedrals in the UK, which also houses one of the best-preserved copies of the Magna Carta, dating back to the year 1215. Less than 10 miles away is Stonehenge, one of the world’s most revered prehistoric monuments. There’s also Old Sarum, a sprawling 29-acre hill-fort that overlooks the Wiltshire countryside, or Longford Castle where you’ll find a priceless, world-famous art collection. The fun isn’t just limited to history, though, with several theatres, art hubs, cultural destinations and one of the UK’s most active racecourses all a short distance from our hotels in Salisbury.
As you’d expect from a medieval market town, Salisbury is a joy to discover on foot, with amazing streets rich in medieval architecture, boutique stores and independent outlets. These buzzing, cobbled streets have given way to a vibrant cafe, pub, bar and restaurant scene that delivers a wide range of tastes and flavours to suit every budget.
Things to do in Salisbury
Shopping
Held every Tuesday and Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm, Salisbury Market is an outdoor affair located in Guildhall Square. The popular market has over 70 stalls where you can pick up everything from freshly-ground coffee to freshly-baked doughnuts, fresh fruit and veg, artisan goods, arts and crafts, jewellery, fashion and more.
Old George Mall is the largest shopping centre in Salisbury with over 40 outlets. As well as a wide range of high-street names including H&M, Marks & Spencer and Topshop, the town-centre mall has a wide range of cafes and restaurants including Cafe Rouge, Byron Burgers, Boston Tea Party and more.
Merging shopping, an antique centre and stand-out cafes and restaurants, all located in a historic courtyard, Wilton Shopping Village is well worth the 10-minute drive from our Salisbury North Bishopdown hotel. The 300-year-old building is home to 12 shops spanning fashion, the outdoors, health and beauty and more, alongside an innovative children’s play area plus a cafe, tea room and restaurant.
Getting around
The Wiltshire town of Salisbury is relatively compact, meaning you can walk from Salisbury Cathedral at the southern edge of town to the Salisbury Arts Centre at the north in around 10 minutes. The main roads in the area are the M27 to the south which crosses into Southampton and the New Forest National Park, and the M4 to the north which connects Bristol to London.
Salisbury Train Station is a short distance to the town centre’s west end. The six-platform station has a cafe, toilets, ticket office and taxi rank and runs regular services to London, Exeter, Cardiff, Southampton and Portsmouth.
If you’re flying into the region, the closest terminal is Southampton Airport. The 25-mile journey takes around half an hour by car or taxi, with a direct train service taking about 45 minutes.
The nearest major airport is Heathrow. The 70-mile journey should take just over an hour by car, with the direct National Express bus service being the quickest and cheapest option at just over two hours. Alternatively, simplify your travel plans by staying at one of our hotels near Heathrow airport the night before you fly.
Shopping in Salisbury
