Stonehenge Admission Ticket Salisbury

The stone circle of Stonehenge

Stonehenge was built in stages from around 3000 BC, when a circular ditch and bank were dug, to around 2500 BC, when the great stones were raised. The outer circle of huge sarsen stones, some weighing around 25 tonnes and joined by horizontal lintels with woodworking-style joints, came from the Marlborough Downs about 25 kilometres to the north. The smaller bluestones were carried an astonishing 240 kilometres from the Preseli Hills in Wales.

The monument is aligned with the sun: on the summer solstice the sun rises over the Heel Stone, and at the winter solstice it sets between the tallest stones. Whether it was a temple, a calendar or a place to honour ancestors, Stonehenge remains one of the great mysteries of the ancient world and, together with Avebury, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The visitor centre and the Neolithic houses

Your visit begins at the visitor centre, opened in 2013 about 2.4 kilometres from the stones so that the landscape around the monument could return to grassland. Inside, a 360-degree film places you in the middle of the circle through the seasons, and the exhibition displays hundreds of archaeological objects, from flint tools and pottery to gold jewellery, found in the surrounding burial mounds.

Outside, a group of reconstructed Neolithic houses shows how the people who built Stonehenge may have lived, based on remains excavated at nearby Durrington Walls. You can step inside the thatched, chalk-walled huts, and at weekends volunteers often demonstrate ancient skills. A full-size sarsen stone on a wooden sledge invites you to imagine how the giant blocks were moved.

Planning your visit: hours, tickets and the best time

Stonehenge opens from 9:30, with closing times that vary by season, and your ticket includes a specific entry slot, so arrive a little before it. From the visitor centre, a shuttle bus runs to the stones in about ten minutes, or you can walk through the open landscape in around 30 minutes, passing ancient burial mounds. At the circle, a roped path keeps visitors a short distance from the stones while giving clear views from every side.

Is Stonehenge worth visiting? Seeing the stones in their wide, open setting is unforgettable, especially in soft morning or evening light. The best time to visit Stonehenge is early on a weekday, or in late afternoon when coach groups have left. Wear sturdy shoes and windproof clothing, as Salisbury Plain is exposed in all seasons.

Salisbury and the surrounding area

How to get to Stonehenge: the site lies off the A303 near Amesbury, about 15 kilometres from Salisbury and around two hours by car from London; parking is not included in this ticket. From Salisbury railway station, a regular tour bus links the city with Stonehenge, and taxis are available. Many travellers also join a Stonehenge day trip from London that includes transport.

Salisbury itself is a lovely cathedral city. Its thirteenth-century Gothic cathedral has the tallest church spire in Britain, at 123 metres, and its Chapter House displays one of the four surviving original copies of Magna Carta. Just north of the city, the hill fort of Old Sarum preserves the ruins of an earlier settlement, a perfect addition to your visit.