Day Trips from London

Four Easy Day Trips from London

The city of London itself is fabulous. With so much to see and do, you can easily spend weeks exploring the city and barely scratch the surface, but London also works as a great central base from which to explore surrounding cities within England.

Read on to learn of
​four easy day trips from London.

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Cambridge, home of Cambridge University

Cambridge

From London's King's Cross station, take the train to the university town of Cambridge. Much of the city is circled by the River Cam. Go punting along the river, or just walk along and watch the boats pass by. Cambridge also features a number of beautiful old churches and cathedrals, like St Botolph's Church of England. And don't miss the Museum of Zoology at Cambridge University, filled with a large collection of fossils, skeletons, and taxidermy.

​Fastest Route: 1 hour, 3 minutes

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Oxford, home of Oxford University

Oxford

The Radcliffe Camera, Click to Order Digital Prints

Another college town, Oxford is easily accessible from London's Paddington station. Like Cambridge, Oxford is full of old churches, like the University Church of St Mary the Virgin at Oxford University. Entrance to the church itself is free, but if you are up for a climb, spend the 4 pounds to see the amazing views from the top of the tower. The crown jewel of the view is the Radcliffe Camera, home of the Radcliffe Science Library.

We indulged in a lovely lunch at Quod Restaurant on High Street. Have a pint at The Bear, the oldest pub in Oxford, or (and!) at The Eagle and Child, where writers such as J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and others are said to have met to write and talk. If you are, like us, fans of Alice in Wonderland, seek out some Alice-themed treasures at Alice's Shop on St Aldate's, and enjoy a Mad Hatter-themed tea party at Cafe Loco.

​Fastest Route: 56 minutes

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Bath Spa, home of Roman baths

Bath Spa

Travel again to Paddington station to board a train to Bath Spa. Bath Spa is best known for its Roman-style baths, but don't miss Bath Abbey, or more formally The Abbey Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, a Medieval abbey with gorgeous architecture inside and out. Then take a leisurely stroll along the River Avon.

​Unfortunately, we had very little time in Bath, but it is home to several museums, like the Jane Austen Center, the Victoria Art Gallery, the Fashion Museum, and the Museum of Bath Architecture. And with cute souvenir and gift shops galore, you're sure to find some treasures to bring home.

Fastest Route: 1 hour, 26 minutes

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Salisbury, home of the Salisbury Cathedral, and Amesbury, near Stonehenge

Salisbury & amesbury

Salisbury Cathedral, Click for Prints

Stonehenge, Click for Prints

From London's Waterloo station, take the train to Salisbury. From there you can take the bus tour to Stonehenge, a UNESCO World Heritage Site run by the English Heritage group. Though you can no longer walk right up to the massive stones, the views are stunning and the history intriguing.

From Stonehenge, the tour bus will also stop at Old Sarum, site of the oldest settlement in Salisbury, and one of the earliest mentioned in England. The ruins leave much to the imagination, but the views from the top looking down at the town of Salisbury, two miles away, are breath-taking. The breezes are refreshing and make it easy to see why the settlers chose this site for their fortress. 

Leaving Old Sarum, you can take any bus back into Salisbury. The pièce de résistance of Salisbury is the Salisbury Cathedral. The Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary has the tallest spire of any cathedral in the United Kingdom. The cathedral was built over water, and when it was discovered that the added weight of the spire was causing structural damage, a sluice system was arranged to regulate the water levels using a nearby stream. Men check the water levels twice a day to ensure the safety of the structure and its visitors.

The cathedral also has a museum, which houses one of four remaining original copies of the Magna Carta, brought to Salisbury by Elias of Dereham in the 1200's. Sadly, the museum was closed by the time we arrived, but we were able to wander the grounds, including the largest cathedral cloister in Britain. Buildings in Salisbury may not be more than three stories tall, so as to not obstruct views of the cathedral. For this, we are very thankful, as the view of the cathedral from the top of Old Sarum was gorgeous.

​Fastest Route: 1 hour, 22 minutes

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We hope you enjoy these four super-easy day trips from London. Each of the towns has its own unique history and atmosphere, and all are worth exploring.