Welcome on a student tour to Salisbury & Stonehenge. On this tour you will visit 2 amazing places: The Stonehenge World Heritage site and the city of Salisbury.
In January 2014 the new visitor experience opens to the public at Stonehenge, the new visitor site is 2 miles from Stonehenge and brings the 5000 year old monument right in to the 21st century. From the coach park we will make our way to the new visitor centre, here you will find a large exhibition space telling you the story of Stonehenge through imaginative displays and archaeological artefacts. Our stop at Stonehenge will last between 2 - 2.5 hours.
From the front of the centre you can visit the stones by land train, here you will be able to walk around the stone circle and take in the landscape as it was when first built. Stonehenge is one of the oldest prehistoric sites in Europe and is also a UN World Heritage Site. The site was first started in 3100BC and was in use until 300AD some 3500years. No one really knows why the stones were built, how they were built and for what they were used. On returning to the visitor centre you can use the new restaurant for food and drinks before we make our way to nearby Historic Salisbury.
The City of Salisbury is dominated by its 800-year-old cathedral; its tall spire can be seen for many miles and is the tallest in England. The cathedral is also home to one of the original copies of the ‘Magna Carta’ and to one of the oldest working clocks in the world. There is no charge for entering the cathedral as individuals.
The cathedral precinct contains many historic buildings including the house used as a royal court by King Charles II when the plague ravished London, you will also see the building where the composer Handel composed many of his works. Near the cathedral you will find the Salisbury Museum, the museum’s collections span the history and archaeology of Salisbury and south Wiltshire, from prehistoric times to the present day. The Museum is designated by the Arts Council as having archaeology collections of outstanding national importance. Entrance is about £5.
In the city centre you will find the Market Square where a market has been held every Saturday since the 13th century. Around the edge of the market are many cafes and pubs for food and refreshment, including the historic (and haunted) Haunch of Venison pub.
Optionals extras are also available, but they are not included in the tour price.