Glastonbury

Glastonbury sits on the edge of the Somerset Levels, a low patchwork of willow-lined ditches and wet meadows that, before the land was drained centuries ago, made the town's high ground feel almost like an island. That watery past is inseparable from its reputation: this is the reputed Isle of Avalon, the burial place claimed for King Arthur and Guinevere, and a town that has drawn pilgrims, mystics and searchers for well over a thousand years. The ruined arches of Glastonbury Abbey, once one of the richest monasteries in England, still dominate the town centre, while the green cone of Glastonbury Tor rises above the rooftops, visible for miles across the flat Levels.

What makes Glastonbury unlike anywhere else in the West Country is the layering of identities packed into a few streets. It is a working Somerset market town with a parish church, a war memorial and a Tuesday market, and at the same time it is Britain's unofficial capital of alternative spirituality, its high street lined with crystal shops, tarot readers, vegan cafes and independent bookshops devoted to goddess worship and earth mysteries. Pilgrims come for the Christian history of the Abbey and the healing waters of the Chalice Well; others come for the ley lines, the summer solstice gatherings on the Tor, or simply for a town that has managed to stay resolutely independent in the age of the identikit high street.

Beyond the mythology, Glastonbury is also a practical base for exploring rural Somerset. Wells, England's smallest city, is a short drive away with its extraordinary cathedral and moated Bishop's Palace; Wookey Hole's show caves and Cheddar Gorge are both within easy reach; and the Somerset Levels themselves offer some of the flattest, quietest cycling and birdwatching country in England. The town gives its name informally to the vast Glastonbury Festival, though that event actually takes place at Worthy Farm in nearby Pilton, six miles east, a distinction that catches many first-time visitors out.

Top things to do in Glastonbury

The town rewards slow exploration on foot, with most of its key sights within a mile of the high street.

• Glastonbury Abbey — wander the atmospheric ruins of one of medieval England's wealthiest monasteries, set in 36 acres of parkland, and see the spot marked as King Arthur's grave.
• Glastonbury Tor — climb the steep grassy path to the roofless 14th-century St Michael's Tower for panoramic views across the Somerset Levels; the National Trust manages the site and it is free to visit.
• Chalice Well Gardens — a tranquil walled garden built around a natural spring whose red-tinged, iron-rich waters have been considered sacred for centuries.
• Glastonbury Tribunal and Lake Village Museum — a medieval merchant's house on the high street housing finds from a genuine Iron Age lake village discovered nearby.
• St John's Church — a handsome 15th-century parish church with one of the tallest towers in Somerset and a well-tended churchyard.
• The high street's independent shops — browse crystal and healing shops, second-hand bookshops and artisan cafes that give the town its distinctly bohemian character.
• Wearyall Hill — a quiet hillside on the town's edge linked to the legend of the Glastonbury Thorn, said to have grown from Joseph of Arimathea's staff.
• Somerset Rural Life Museum — housed in a historic farmstead just outside the centre, telling the story of farming and rural life on the Levels.

Getting to Glastonbury

Glastonbury has no railway station of its own, which is part of what keeps it feeling slightly apart from the modern world. The nearest mainline stations are Castle Cary (around 12 miles) and Bristol Temple Meads (around 24 miles), both served by regular trains from London Paddington and London Waterloo respectively, with journeys of roughly two to two and a half hours including a bus or taxi connection for the final leg. First Bus and other operators run services from Castle Cary, Wells and Bristol into Glastonbury bus station, a short walk from the high street. By road, the town sits just off the A39 between Wells and Street, with the M5 accessible via Bridgwater around 25 minutes' drive away, and Bristol around 45 minutes north. Central pay-and-display car parks serve the high street and Abbey, while additional parking is available near the Tor for those planning the walk up. Traffic and parking become considerably busier during the Glastonbury Festival period in June, even though the festival site itself is several miles away in Pilton.

Best time to visit Glastonbury

Spring brings the Chalice Well gardens and the Abbey grounds into bloom, with daffodils and blossom around the ruins and noticeably fewer visitors than summer, making it a good season for a quieter, contemplative visit. Summer is the busiest period, particularly around the solstices when crowds gather on the Tor for sunrise, and during the Glastonbury Festival fortnight in June when the wider area, though not the town centre itself, sees heavy traffic; book accommodation well ahead if visiting in June. Autumn is a favourite among regular visitors, with mist regularly rolling across the Somerset Levels to give the Tor its most atmospheric, otherworldly appearance, and the town's cafes and shops feeling settled and unhurried. Winter is quiet and moody, with short days but a real sense of the town's older, more mystical character, and Christmas markets and the town's own winter lantern-lit celebrations adding some seasonal colour to what can otherwise be a subdued few months.

Where to stay in Glastonbury

The town centre around the high street and Magdalene Street puts guests within walking distance of the Abbey, Tor and every independent shop, and suits visitors without a car who want to soak up Glastonbury's atmosphere on foot. The Chilkwell Street and Wellhouse Lane area, closer to the foot of the Tor and Chalice Well, appeals to those planning an early climb or a peaceful garden visit, with a more residential, less commercial feel. Just outside town, farm-based stays and self-catering cottages set among orchards and paddocks suit families or groups wanting space and quiet, while still being a short drive or cycle from the centre. Those visiting for the wider Somerset countryside, or wanting a slightly grander base, often look towards nearby Wells, whose cathedral and historic streets are only fifteen minutes away by car.

Food and drink in Glastonbury

Glastonbury's food scene reflects its character: strongly vegetarian and vegan, with an emphasis on wholefoods, herbal teas and locally grown produce, alongside a handful of proudly traditional pubs. The Glastonbury Tuesday Market, held in the historic market square, is a good spot for local cheese, cider and seasonal produce, while independent cafes along the high street serve everything from full English breakfasts to raw food and herbal tonics. The George & Pilgrim, a genuine 15th-century coaching inn, remains the town's most historic place for a pint and a Sunday roast, and Somerset's famous scrumpy cider is poured in several of the older pubs. Street food and market stalls appear regularly around the Abbey gates, and the town's bakeries and delicatessens are well suited to putting together a picnic for the walk up the Tor.