The Wiltshire Travel Guide looks at visitor attractions, places of interest for travellers and offers useful tourist information. The county of Wiltshire is located in the South of England and is known for offering a bit of everything, be it impressive historic homes, landscaped gardens, churches, countryside, world heritage sites and more. The county is a scenic one and its landscape is likely to please visitors, the countryside here is a delight and known for being a walkers and cyclists paradise. There is a peaceful air to the beautiful countryside here and the calm atmosphere makes it very conducive as a place to enjoy a break.
Overview and Attractions
The huge stone circle at Avebury is one of many ancient sites in Wiltshire, add to this the famous Stonehenge and Silbury Hill the largest man made mound in Europe and you have a place that is a history fans paradise. Few places in the UK have such a variety of ancient sites for tourists to visit.
Salisbury Cathedral is one of the UK's best loved cathedrals and its traditional sight is a majestic one evoking thoughts of all that is good of traditional buildings and the ancient towns. The cathedral building is noted for the use of dark purbeck marble in its columns. The cathedral has a sparse, uncluttered elegant feel to it, a highlight are the 13th century cloisters that exhibit a Geometric style. The spire is one of the best known sights in Salisbury, standing at over 400 feet high.
For those that like to explore and wonder around, there are many attractive villages you may find on your trips, including Castle Combe which is thought of as among the prettiest villages in England and was the setting for the film Doctor Dolittle. Lacock is another pretty village the village has been purchased by the National Trust and is now maintained aimed at conservation. Lacock also has an abbey and is home to Francis Fox-Talbot, one of the innovators responsible for the modern photography. There is also a museum of photography outside the gates of the Abbey. This charming village makes for an enjoyable trip.
Longleat House is set within 900 acres of parkland landscaped by the famous Capability Brown. The house is thought of as one of the best examples of high Elizabethan architecture in Britain and among the most beautiful stately homes in the UK. In 1949 the house became the first to open its doors to the public on a fully commercial basis, a very radical idea at the time. Then in 1966 Longleat opened the first Safari Park outside of Africa, at the time there was a huge furore caused by this, nonetheless it went ahead, another pioneering move. The drive through safari park has proved to be a big hit and the Longleat Safari Park remains one of the country’s leading wildlife attractions.
Longleat has a wide array of attractions to suit visitors of all ages these include the Safari Boats for a sea-lion escorted cruise, enjoy a fun-packed ride on the Longleat Railway, Longleat Hedge Maze and the Adventure Castle with these attractions in addition to the impressive house and safari park, it does represent a great day out for the whole family to enjoy.
Stonehenge is a truly world famous site located in Wiltshire, this impressive prehistoric monument is of outstanding importance, has been designated a World Heritage Site. Stonehenge is surrounded by remains of ceremonial and domestic structures some of these are thought to be older than the monument. Most of these features including earthworks, burial mounds and the other circular 'henge' monuments are accessible both by road or footpath.
Stonehenge's orientation on the rising and setting sun has always been one of its great features and there has been much debate and discussion this. Some feel those that built it came from a sun-admiring culture, whilst others say the circle and its banks were part of a huge astrological calendar, this is open to debate and interpretation. There is a gift shop for those souvenirs. An audio tour available is available in several languages.
Stourhead Gardens were made by a well to do English banker who had been buying artworks in Italy when he inherited the Stourhead estate. The Temple of Flora at Stourhead was made in 1745 and the grotto subsequently in 1748. In 1754 the lake and the Pantheon were made. The Pantheon is based on the one in Rome whilst the planned walk through the estate is based around the journey of Rome's founder, Aeneas. Thus the Italian influence is there to see, Gothic features were added, and the Stourhead woods were given more exotic species in the twentieth century.
Walkers will enjoy the excellent walks that can be done along the Kennet and Avon Canal, here the towpath has been turned into a waterside trail. For those in search of longer walks the Ridgeway Path that starts near Avebury and stretches north-east into Buckinghamshire is worth a look. The Ridgeway has been used as a trail for many years and it passes close by to a number of ancient sites.
Those with an interest in the arts can visit the Salisbury Playhouse that is located in the Grade II listed St Edmunds Church building. The arts centre provides a welcoming environment presenting to the public the best touring theatre, family events and dance, it also has regular film screenings and music gigs for fans of music. There are workshops throughout the year, these are popular and include sessions in dance, drama, pottery and visual arts and crafts among others. The gallery space contains a wide range of exhibits and there is a café and bar on site too. This provides an ideal meeting and eating point throughout the day.
The Haunch of Venison is located in the heart of Salisbury’s medieval city. Housed in a charming building that is full of history and character, visitors can enjoy food and drink here, there is a bar and restaurant on the first floor, it is a popular place and has built up a fine reputation. The restaurant's has a contemporary design, the atmosphere is relaxed yet formal. The menu is eclectic and features both modern and old favourites.
Alchemy @ The Chough is a bar and restaurant located in Salisbury city centre. There is a vibrant bar/lounge, where you can relax on the sofas and enjoy the food and drink on offer. Alchemy, the restaurant is an impressive Elizabethan dining room with decor oozing luxury and comfort, it is a popular venue for special occasions and private dining. The live music on offer varies from jazz, blues to rock and pop. Traditional roast fans will like the Sunday roasts on offer.
Wiltshire is plenty of attractions for visitors from historical to modern there is much to see and do in this historic part of England. Perhaps most famous for Stonehenge, the world heritage site, Wiltshire does have some charming places to visit in addition to its attractive countryside. The county is well known as a beautiful county and a visit here will confirm why, there are a number of villages with their own character in the region and visitors can enjoy exploring the area and experiencing the friendly atmosphere.
Disclaimer: The information given in on this website is given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge. If there are any discrepancies in no way do we intend to mislead. Important travel details and arrangements should be confirmed and verified with the relevant authorities.