Wiltshire

Tucked away in the Wiltshire woods near Warminster, Longleat is one of England's most impressive Elizabethan estates and the ancestral home of the Marquesses of Bath. Built in the late 16th century by Sir John Thynne and largely designed by Robert Smythson, this grand house sits symmetrically amidst a thousand acres of parkland later shaped by Capability Brown. In a groundbreaking move to protect its future, it became the first stately home to open to the public in 1949.

Today, Longleat is most famous for its safari park, which launched in 1966 as the first of its kind outside Africa. Guests can drive through reserves to see lions, giraffes, rhinos, and monkeys, or visit the nearby adventure park. Inside, the house is filled with lavish interiors, paintings, and tapestries, while the grounds offer beautiful formal gardens and one of the longest hedge mazes in the world.

Known simply as STEAM, the Museum of the Great Western Railway is set in a restored Grade II listed workshop in Swindon. It sits on the site of what was once one of the world's largest engineering complexes, which operated from the 1840s until 1986. The museum pays tribute to the people who built, worked on, and traveled via Brunel's Great Western Railway—fondly called "God's Wonderful Railway"—and opened in its current form in 2000 in the very space where locomotives were once put together.

Inside, you'll find gleaming preserved trains and carriages alongside exhibits that tell the human story of the town and its workers. The interactive elements are a real draw, letting you try a train simulator, work the levers in a signal box, and explore Brunel's massive engineering vision. Conveniently located next to Swindon's Designer Outlet, which also occupies old railway buildings, it's a fascinating place to spend a few hours.

Nestled in the heart of Wiltshire, the historic city of Salisbury sits where several rivers converge in the Avon valley meadows. The city took shape in the early 13th century when the community moved from the exposed hilltop of Old Sarum down to the valley floor; today, its medieval street layout, busy market square, and timber-framed houses are still there. Having served as a market town for eight centuries, Salisbury remains a vibrant regional hub.

The skyline is dominated by the magnificent cathedral, featuring Britain's tallest spire at 123 metres, which can be seen for miles. Inside, you'll find one of the four original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta. Past the cathedral close, visitors can stroll through quaint streets, browse the twice-weekly market, and explore local museums, with the ancient sites of Old Sarum and Stonehenge just a short trip away.

Salisbury Cathedral is a stunning example of Early English Gothic architecture, sitting within a wide green close in the heart of Wiltshire. What makes it unique is that the main structure was built in one continuous stretch between 1220 and 1258, which gives the whole building a consistent look. Its massive spire, added shortly after, stands at 123 metres and is still the tallest in Britain, serving as a landmark visible for miles across the meadows and famously captured in Constable's paintings.

Inside, thin Purbeck marble columns lead your gaze up through the bright, open interior. The cathedral is home to one of the four remaining original copies of the 1215 Magna Carta in the medieval Chapter House, and it houses what is believed to be the oldest working mechanical clock in the world from the 1300s. Visitors can also wander through the lovely cloisters, see the modern font, or take a special tour to climb toward the base of the spire.