Great Day Trip from London to Stonehenge & Avebury
Those who are planning their first trip to London should consider making a day trip from London to Stonehenge & Avebury. Both are located in Wiltshire, about 90 miles west of Central London and offer you the chance to see stone monuments that date back to the Neolithic age.
If you are interested in ancient history, you should consider visiting both Stonehenge and Avebury.
They are only a few miles apart and really give you a chance to experience some of the most amazing prehistoric stone circles.
What You’ll See at Stonehenge
The Stonehenge ring of standing stones dates back to the Neolithic and Bronze Age and was built in several stages.
Its creation is still a bit of a mystery, but it is believed to have been constructed from stones that were over 20 miles away.
When you see it in person, you will be amazed at how enormous the stones are and how difficult it must have been to move them from that far away!
While you may have seen photos of people standing near or touching the stones in the past, this is no longer permitted for obvious reasons.
There is a rope barrier around Stonehenge that keeps you about 20 feet away.
When you arrive, you will have the chance to get the audio tour, which will give you historical information along with factual details based on excavations.
Other than the stone pillars of Stonehenge, you can step inside a Neolithic home, witness demonstrations of how people lived and see artifacts from the site in the exhibition center.
You will even be able to get a better understanding of where the ancient stones originally came from and how they were brought to this location.
Stonehenge Tickets
Be sure to purchase your Stonehenge ticket in advance so that you don’t waste time in the lines which can be quite long.
When you purchase your tickets, you will be given a window of time to arrive. This is important.
You will need to arrive during that window.
Stonehenge is FREE with the English Heritage Pass
What You’ll See at Avebury
Avebury is less than 30 miles from Stonehenge and an easy drive, but getting from Stonehenge to Avebury via train & public transportation is another story.
You will need to either drive to see both or take a guided tour.
We really like this Stonehenge and Avebury Day Tour from London.
Visitors to the village of Avebury will be able to see the LARGEST Neolithic circle in the world.
With nearly 180 stones set in one large circle and two smaller circles, it is distinguished as a UNESCO World Heritage site.
At Avebury, you can walk freely among the ceremonial sites, along with other ditches and mounds in the vicinity.
One such mound to see is Silbury Hill. It is the same height as the Egyptian Pyramids, and while manmade, the use for it is unknown.
Another spot to visit is the Alexander Keiller Museum. This museum houses many of the artifacts that Scottish archaeologist Alexander Keiller uncovered in Avebury during the 1930s.
Avebury Tickets
Admission to Avebury is free & the Alexander Keiller Museum is FREE for English Heritage Members.
Parking is not free unless you are an English Heritage member.
Consider Purchasing the English Overseas Visitor Heritage Pass
When traveling to various sites in England, you might find that it is best to purchase the English Overseas Heritage Pass.
For a flat fee, you get entry to over 100 historic sites & 300 attractions.
This certainly pays for itself if you plan on visiting many of the most famous sites in England!
Making the Day Trip from London to Stonehenge & Avebury
London to Stonehenge by Train
You can take the train from Waterloo to Salisbury and then board the Stonehenge Tour Bus that will transport you directly to the Visitor Center.
There are no public bus services that will take you straight to Stonehenge.
London to Stonehenge by Bus
There are many bus tours that make a day trip from London to see both Stonehenge and Avebury.
When you go from London to Stonehenge by bus, the bus picks you up at a central location in London and takes you to both sites.
The nice part of going from London to Stonehenge on a bus tour is that you get a tour guide who can explain everything you see at the sites and can answer any questions you might have.
If you want to take the guesswork out of planning your trip, a bus trip to Stonehenge is the way to go.
Visiting Stonehenge & Avebury allows you to walk back in time to experience some of the greatest wonders of England. If you are visiting London, you really should take the time to see these sites.
If you have more time in Wiltshire, consider taking day trips to the city of Salisbury or the village of Lacock.
Have you been to Stonehenge & Avebury? What was your experience?
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