It was an absolute dream to experience the Stonehenge, of course. A famous archaeological monument and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1986, its function remains a mystery. Or maybe functions? Scholars are debating whether it was used as a burial site, a religious site, or an astronomical site. Some legends even point to it as healing stones. During our first visit in the U.K. way back in 2019, we alloted a day to visit these standing stones, along with the beautiful Salisbury city and its cathedral located nearby.

We relied on public transportation that time, taking the train from London to Salisbury. The monument is located on Salisbury plain in Wiltshire. From Salisbury, we bought our tickets for the Stonehenge tour. We had to take a bus from Salisbury to the Stonehenge Visitor Center. The tour bus was included in our ticket.

The whole tour was comfortable, although we were a crowd of tourists. At the visitor center, we received our tickets. The visitor center also houses a museum, but we decided to go to the monument first in order to make it to the bus’s departure. Visitors had to walk from the Visitor Center in mixed gravel and wooden pathways. The surrounding green fields were very refreshing! There were signs and plaques containing information about the history of the monument. Apparently, it was built and rebuilt many times.

Given the right angle, it was possible to take photos like the ones above. But in reality, the place can be very crowded:

The museum showcases the history of the Stonehenge, with texts and artefacts found from earlier excavations.

There was also a cafe at the Visitor Center, so we bought some lunch before heading back to Salisbury city center. It was a strange and funny experience to ride on a vehicle that drives on the left side.

We still had some time so we decided to explore Salisbury a bit. The medieval city was teeming with history and culture! It has many churches and beautiful old buildings – and friendly people! First, we checked out the Church of St. Tomas, dating back to the 13th century and known for its doom paintings. Surrounding it were medieval buildings and many shops and restaurants.

In the church, we met an old local who happily shared a conversation with us, especially with my husband. We walked together to the Cathedral, a city icon. He shared history and culture of the city. We had a picture with him with the cathedral in the background, but my husband doesn’t want his pictures online, and I respect that. Nevertheless, seeing that picture and the picture of them walking side by side on the street make me smile. What a friendly local!

The cathedral looked amazing! The facade was beautifully Gothic, and the interior had high ceilings, a narrow and elegant nave, and sophisticated arches. I also liked the courtyard, which was peaceful to look at. The Cathedral was first built in the 1200s, and the 123 meter spire was added in the early 1300s. The cathedral also houses one of the four surviving first copies of the Magna Carta. Anyway. imagine getting married here or something..

The old man walked with us back to the city center, then, we parted ways. Here’s more shots from Salisbury:

Salisbury is worth a visit! I feel like there was still so much more to learn and experience in the city. But alas, we had to catch the train back to London. For dinner, we shared some delicious multi-toppings pizza and called it a day! More about the vibrant capital city in the next entry. 🙂 ALL PHOTOS AND VIDEOS ON THIS BLOG ARE MINE. Cheers! 🙂 #spreadloveandpositivevibes