Overview
Stonehenge was built and rebuilt from about 3000 BC to about 1500 BC. Its large sarsen stones and smaller bluestones are aligned with the midsummer sunrise and midwinter sunset. With Avebury and nearby monuments it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Visitors normally walk around the stones on a path; a visitor centre about 2 km away has an exhibition and reconstructed Neolithic houses.
Best time to visit
Any time of year; arrive early or late to avoid the busiest hours. Large gatherings take place at the summer and winter solstices.
Highlights
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1
The stone circle
Seen from the path around it; special inner-circle access is offered on a few dates.
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2
Visitor centre
Exhibitions about the monument and the people who built it.
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3
Neolithic houses
Reconstructions of homes from the period.
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4
Avebury
A larger stone circle around a village, about 40 km north.
Getting there
Stonehenge is about 15 km north of Salisbury, which has trains from London Waterloo in about 1.5 hours; tour buses run from Salisbury. By car it is about 2 hours from London.
Practical tips
- Opening & tickets
- Opening times, ticket rules and any visitor limits change, so check the official information before you go.
- Time needed
- Two to three hours.
Official information: UNESCO: Stonehenge, Avebury and Associated Sites. Check opening hours, prices and entry rules there before you go.
Map
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