The Mystery of Stonehenge
Thousands of years ago, a giant circle of rocks was erected on the green plains of what would one day become Great Britain. Sourced from quarries up to 150 miles away, the stones weighed up to 45 tons and were carefully arranged in a manner that has kept archaeologists, scientists, astronomers, and many a tourist puzzled ever since. A signal for aliens? A cemetery? An ancient healing ground? A temple for sun worship? Who were the mysterious people that used it, and how did they build it? Arriving at a fantastic new visitor centre, there is plenty for the bucket lister to ponder. With new research and theories uncovered all the time, the one thing we can be certain of is this: Stonehenge is a remarkable, one-of-a-kind destination.
Length of Trip : Spend two hours, a half or full day exploring the area. Open 7 days a week, 9:30pm to 7pm in summer, and 9:30pm to 5pm in winter. Closed Xmas Eve and Xmas Day. Last admission is two hours before closing time.
Cost :
Advanced booking admission fees are £15.50 for adults, £9.30 for children 5 - 15, and £40.30 for a family with up to 3 kids. Walk-up booking fees are £16.50 for adults, £9.90 for children 5 - 15, and £42.90 for a family pass. There is also a £5 refundable parking charge if you're driving in.
Click here for the latest admission prices, parking information and add-ons.
Best time to go : Open year round. Many visitors love the sunsets.
Wheelchair friendly : Yes
Family friendly : Yes
Where to eat :
The on-site Stonehenge Cafe in the Visitor Centre serves soup, vegetarian and traditional pasties, sausage rolls, sandwiches, salads and other sweet and savoury items, using regionally-sourced produce. Try the local Stonehenge Brewery, ice-cream and rock cakes!
Official Site :
English Heritage: Stonehenge
Click here to VisitBritain
Where to Stay :
There are a number of hotels, inns and B&B's around nearby Salisbury. Here's an accommodation guide to suit all budgets.
Getting There :
From London: take the train to Salisbury train station and then take The Stonehenge Tour bus. You can also take a day trip by bus from London or Bath; it's around 2 ½ hours from London and around an hour from Bath.
Leave plenty of time at peak summer weekends when roads into the West Country can be busy.
Watch the video above or click here to learn more about getting to Stonehenge by train, bus, bike or foot.
Wiltshire County Council also has a guide to travelling to Stonehenge that includes walking and cycling routes, as well as busses and trains.
Note from Robin :
English Heritage have created a handy two-hour, half day and full itinerary for exploring Stonehenge. The signage and information available at the lovely new visitor centre is fantastic, but you can also rent an audio guide or download them free on your iPhone or Android device (just visit the App or Play Store). In the Visitor Centre, you can explore a Neolithic house and stare into the eyes of the past, with a recreated face of a 5,000-year old Neolithic man. Take a walk around to get the different views, and try and imagine the effort it took for people to hoist these rocks without any modern equipment. During the summer (June 21) and winter solstices (December 21), admission is free and it's particularly interesting to be at Stonehenge. At sunrise in June, the rising sun aligns perfectly with the stones each year, shining on a central altar. During winter solstice, watch the sunset in the midst of three great stones known as the Trilithon. Both days draw heavy crowds to Stonehenge.
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