City in the Countryside

Salisbury City Guides

Salisbury City Guides are a team of professional Blue Badge Guides based in and around the city of Salisbury.  Tours include a City Walk, Salisbury Cathedral Close Walk, and the Salisbury Classic Ghost Tour.

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Old Sarum

The footprint of Salisbury’s original cathedral remains in the Iron Age hill fort of Old Sarum, which offers stunning views over the Wiltshire plains.

Just two miles (3 km) north of the city, you can discover the fascinating history over 2,000 years of the Romans, Normans and Saxons who made their home in this settlement which appears in some of the earliest records in the country.

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Walking routes

Old Sarum is one of Visit Wiltshire’s top ten walking routes.

These walks have it all: architecture, ancient woods and other timeless landscapes including that which 19th century English painter John Constable depicted in Salisbury from the Meadows.

See the list here

Sarum College guests are welcome to park their bicycles in the covered shed at the back of the building.

The centre of Salisbury is ideal for leisurely cycling as it is fairly flat has several cycle paths for on and off-road routes

The Connecting Wiltshire website offers an interactive journey planner and maps with detailed route information, bicycle hire options and ideas for what to see and do along the way.

Cycle maps and routes

Salisbury is well-served by rail and bus routes.

Salisbury railway

Sarum College is a 15 minute walk from the rail station through Queen Elizabeth Gardens and over the Avon River with the Cathedral spire in view.

The Salisbury rail station has regular train to popular destinations along the coast, and cities such as Bath, Bristol and Winchester.

Salisbury bus service

Salisbury Reds offers multi-day and multi-trip bus tickets for different zones – Salisbury Saver zone and Network zone. Take a look at our network maps to see which zone your journey may be in.

Timetables and maps

Salisbury Reds also operates the Stonehenge Tour from Salisbury city centre and runs to Old Sarum, through the Wiltshire countryside.

There are many private guided tour options as well, including members of the British Guild of Tour Guides

As pronounced by the author Bill Bryson in Notes from a Small Island (1995).

Salisbury Cathedral is set in the largest Cathedral Close in Britain, covering over 80 acres. There are shady trees and plenty of open space for picnics on the grass or one of the many benches dotted around the perimeter.

The Close is home to other visitor attractions within its historic walls which are well worth a visit.

This award-winning museum houses archaeological collections of national importance. Home to the Stonehenge Gallery and displays of pre-history, Romans, Saxons, the medieval history of Old Sarum and Salisbury, and the Pitt Rivers collection. There are regular exhibitions, a gift shop and a coffee shop.

Visit the Salisbury Museum website 

Home of the former Prime Minister Sir Edward Heath. It houses collections of his sailing and musical memorabilia, Oriental and European ceramics, paintings, original political cartoons, bronzes and photographs.

Visit the Arundells website

This National Trust property features notable plaster work, an elegant carved oak staircase, fine period furniture, a collection of 18th century drinking glasses, a charming walled garden and a tea room.

Visit the Mompesson House website

Discover the story of the county infantry regiments of Berkshire and Wiltshire. The riverside garden has views across the water meadows and The Rifleman’s table, a cafe and  tearoom with an unfussy menu of British fare.

Visit Rifles Museum website