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Salisbury Cathedral

Salisbury, Wiltshire, United Kingdom (UK)

Last updated: 19 April, 2024

One of the UK’s most beautiful cathedrals, boasting superb Gothic architecture, also lays claim to having the UK’s tallest spire (123m). It also has the largest cloister, the largest cathedral close, and contains one of the world’s oldest clocks.

The cathedral is also famously home to the best-preserved of the four surviving original copies of the Magna Carta, a highly significant historical document from 1215. The Magna Carta Libertatum was an English legal charter that required King John of England to proclaim certain rights, respect certain legal procedures, and accept that his will could be bound by the law, thus limiting his powers.

‘Tower Tours’ allow you to go inside the spire to see the medieval wooden scaffolding, where guides will explain the medieval construction methods as you climb the 332 steps to the roof space at the base of the spire, 68m up. Tours also include the Magna Carta.

Logistics

Price from: £9

Minimum age: 0

Age suitable: 13+

When: All year around

Getting there & doing it

Trains from London Waterloo take just over an hour to reach Salisbury, or its about a 45-minute drive from Bath, Bristol or the New Forest.

Taxis and local bus services are available from the station to the cathedral.

You can pre-purchase tickets for entry and the Tower Tours on the website, or buy them when you arrive from the ticket office. Tower Tours last 1.5-2 hours, min age 7.

If you also want to visit nearby Stonehenge, the Stonehenge Tour is a hop-on, hop-off bus service that picks you up in Salisbury town centre and runs to Stonehenge from Salisbury Cathedral, via Old Sarum and Amesbury. On the way, you’ll get commentary about Stonehenge and other local history and legends.

When to do it

The cathedral is open all year round, seven days a week, except Sunday morning’s when it’s only open for service. Tower tours run several times a day.

Who to go with: organised tours

Our selection of the best Viator tours of this attraction or activity

Windsor Castle, Stonehenge & Salisbury Cathedral Guided Tour

London

Viator

Thousands of years of British history are waiting to be discovered on this tour to Windsor Castle, Salisbury and Stonehenge! Travel from the capital with an expert guide in comfort and experience these historic attractions in one day. Highlights of the tour: • Entry to Mysterious Stonehenge • Entry to Salisbury Cathedral and see the famous Magna Carta • At Salisbury, guests will be met by a specialist Salisbury Cathedral guide and given an introductory talk before their tour. • Entry to Windsor Castle • Return transportation by luxury coach • Free Wi-Fi On Board Our Coaches* • Enjoy an exclusive 25% discount on guide books at Stonehenge**!

Price £89

Min age 3

Rating 4.30 / 5 [147 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral Private Tour from Southampton

Southampton

Viator

Travel in a comfortable vehicle with a friendly, helpful and knowledgeable driver. We provide a very personal service and are based near Southampton with a very wide local knowledge and offer a very flexible service, if you have any ideas or places you want to visit during this tour, let us know and we will do what we can to accommodate. With 14 years experience we can offer the best in service, with a relaxed and reliable service. Our main vehicle is a Mercedes E350 Sedan. We always supply air conditioned vehicles with bottled water for your comfort and generally supply WiFi where available. We also pride ourselves on our flexibility so if you wish to change your booking please ask and we will do whatever we can to adjust to your requirements.

Price £395

Min age 0

Rating 4.91 / 5 [37 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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Private Tour of Stonehenge and Salisbury Cathedral

London

Viator

Take this fully guided private tour starting at 9am in your own vehicle with AC/Heating, free bottled water and free WIFI and phone chargers. We will visit the amazing and famous Stonehenge for 2 hours and help you explore the entire site and lean all its secrets. Along with helping you take the best possible photos that you can admire you forever. We will then travel a short distance to the very best English pub in the area and enjoy a leisurely lunch for 1 hour. Our final stop is the stunning Salisbury Cathedral and to view its fantastic original Magna Carta signed in 1215 by the King of England John 1st. After this we can take a stroll into the beautiful medieval town itself and walk the banks of the famous River Avon or do some shopping in the many independent English shops for 2 hours. We will then travel back to London and the starting point for approximately 6pm.

Price £750

Min age 0

Rating 4.92 / 5 [25 ratings]

Tour supplied by:

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