More about: Day Trips to Stonehenge from London
A trip to Stonehenge, about 130 kilometers west of London, is one of the most amazing experiences you should have during a trip to England. Little is known about its origins, only that it dates back to the late Neolithic period, but the most famous prehistoric monument in Europe is wrapped in a magical halo that causes real fascination to those who have the opportunity to contemplate it.
Although you can take the train or bus to visit Stonehenge on your own, considering how far it is from London and how difficult it is to get there by public transport, my advice is to take an organized tour to Stonehenge in a comfortable bus, which will make things easier for you. I tell you what are the best options:
Stonehenge Day Trip from London
The organized tour to Stonehenge with the best price
Perfect if you want to make the most of your visit to one of the most famous monuments in England optimizing your time and in the most comfortable way possible. Includes audio guide and time to explore the site at your leisure.
I 100% recommend you to make time during your trip to the British capital to make this full day trip to Stonehenge and see in person the most famous megalith in the world. It is an amazing place that will impress you!
Ahead of you is a two-hour drive to Salisbury Plain, an uninhabited and lonely treeless wasteland where this ancient monument, thousands of years old, is nestled.
The best thing about this tour to Stonehenge is that it offers the convenience of an organized tour with the independence provided by the audio guide, so you can explore the famous megalith, the museum and the reconstruction of a Neolithic settlement at your own pace and with total peace of mind.
Recommended if... you want to enjoy this mystery of humanity to the fullest but don't want to invest too much time or money during your trip to London.
Oxford, Windsor and Stonehenge Day Trip from London
Visit Stonehenge with stops in Oxford and Windsor
Perfect to discover Stonehenge in one day and also include two essential destinations such as Oxford and Windsor, with expert guide and transportation included.
If you are looking for a tour that combines the magic of Stonehenge with other must-see sights, this tour to Stonehenge, Oxford and Windsor is your best option. You'll enjoy a full day exploring one of humanity's most enigmatic monuments with an expert guide.
You'll learn about the mysteries of Stonehenge, theories about its construction and historical significance, before continuing on to Windsor Castle, the official residence of the British monarchy, and strolling through the elegant university town of Oxford.
A perfect tour to make the most of your day, with air-conditioned transport included and the possibility of adding entrance fees for an even more complete experience.
Recommended if... you want to visit Stonehenge and take the opportunity to see other historical destinations on an organized tour from London.
Stonehenge, Bath, Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon Day Trip from London
Explore Stonehenge and other unique corners of England
Ideal for discovering Stonehenge and combining it with the beauty of Bath, the landscapes of the Cotswolds and the history of Stratford-upon-Avon in a day trip.
This tour to Stonehenge, Bath, Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon is perfect for those who want to make the most of their day visiting some of England's most iconic sites. Begin your adventure at Stonehenge, exploring the imposing monoliths and unraveling their mysteries with an expert guide.
The journey continues to Bath, where you'll enjoy free time to wander its Georgian streets, relax in its cafes or explore its famous crescents. Afterwards, you will cross the Cotswolds region, with its picture-postcard scenery and charming traditional villages.
The tour ends in Stratford-upon-Avon, William Shakespeare's hometown, where you can stroll along the Avon River or discover the places where the famous playwright was born and lived.
Recommended if... you are looking for a complete excursion from London that combines history, landscapes and culture in a single day.
We compare the options
Visit Stonehenge the easy way
A tour designed for those who want to focus on Stonehenge and enjoy this unique site in total comfort and without detours.
Stonehenge, Oxford and Windsor in one day
Combine a visit to Stonehenge with two must-see destinations such as Windsor Castle and the historic university town of Oxford, with transportation included.
Stonehenge, Bath, Cotswolds and Stratford-upon-Avon
A perfect tour to discover Stonehenge and explore other emblematic corners of England such as Bath and Shakespeare's birthplace.
When to visit Stonehenge?
Declared a World Heritage Site by Unesco, this monument is worth visiting at any time of the year but there are particularly special moments such as the summer and winter solstices (when the sun reaches its highest point in the sky and crosses the axis of the monument with precision, sneaking between its rocks).
During the summer solstice, groups of Druids accompanied by a diverse public come to Stonehenge to practice rituals with a magical background in which they celebrate the union between the sun and the Earth. It is a most curious event!
How long does it take to get to Stonehenge from London?
This prehistoric monument is located almost 2 hours from the British capital. The journey from central London to Stonehenge usually takes between 1 hour and 45 minutes and 2 hours, depending on traffic and the type of transport you choose.
If you opt for an organized tour to Stonehenge, such as those departing from Victoria Station, the journey is comfortable and direct, as the tour buses go without intermediate stops to Stonehenge. In addition, you forget about having to coordinate connections or worry about schedules.
In case you prefer to go on your own, you can combine train to Salisbury and then a bus or cab to the site. The total journey is similar, but requires a little more planning.
Whichever option you choose, the distance is perfect for a day trip from London, allowing you to enjoy this magical place without the need for an overnight stay outside the city.
What to bring on a trip to Stonehenge?
This megalithic monument is located outdoors in the middle of a landscape that is not protected from wind or rain. Before going on a trip, I advise you to take a look at the weather forecast for the area to try to choose a day with stable weather.
With the above in mind, my advice is to bring warm clothes because except for the hottest days of summer, the cool (or even freezing!) breeze blows most of the time. Don't forget to pack a raincoat in your backpack in case there is a risk of rain on the day of your visit. Adapting your clothing to the weather on the day of the excursion is essential.
On the other hand, as with any excursion, it is best to wear comfortable shoes to see Stonehenge, as you will be walking for several hours.
Is Stonehenge a monument to visit with children?
Absolutely. The little ones can run around the meadow and be amazed by the size of the rocks while the older ones will have the chance to get closer to history on a fun hike.
In addition, many of the tours to Stonehenge include explanations adapted for the whole family, which makes the visit an educational and entertaining experience. The tour is simple, with no steep inclines, and the natural setting is perfect for children to enjoy the outdoors while learning about one of mankind's oldest mysteries.
But... what really is Stonehenge?
You have probably seen it before in books and documentaries on countless occasions, as it is the most famous prehistoric monument in Europe and one of the icons of Great Britain.
Surrounded by a pit, Stonehenge is a megalithic construction in the form of two concentric rings composed of large vertical stone blocks that form a unique stamp recognizable from miles away.
Little is known about this place, being an enigma for anthropologists and historians around the world. Only that it was built between 3000 and 1500 BC (towards the end of the Neolithic and early Bronze Age) and that it was part of a larger structure that included ceremonial avenues and stone circles.
Everything else is hypothesized, from who built it to its purpose. Some theories suggest that it may have been an astronomical observatory to predict the seasons since at the summer solstice the sun rose across the axis of the megalith.
Others argue that Stonehenge was a religious temple or a funerary monument that was used as a necropolis for notables of the time, as hundreds of burials have been found nearby.
While research continues to try to shed some more light on this mysterious megalithic monument, Stonehenge has now become an important setting where modern Druids perform mystical rituals on the night of St. John.
What will you see at Stonehenge?
My experience visiting Stonehenge
After a pleasant journey of almost two hours through England, the bus left us near the visitor center of Stonehenge and before arriving there we had to go through a security check similar to an airport where they checked our belongings.
Although within the enclosure where Stonehenge is located there is also a museum and a reproduction of a prehistoric settlement, we were clear that the first thing we wanted to see was this legendary megalithic monument. So we headed to the area where you take the free minibus to get there as soon as possible, as it was quite crowded and there were some queues.
I had seen it in pictures many times and imagined it many times but nothing compares to seeing it in person. It is a mixture of excitement and disbelief. I had before me one of the few remaining vestiges of prehistoric times in the world. How could they build something like that with hardly any means?
It makes you want to get as close as possible to feel the rocks and try to unravel this enigma older than the very pyramids of Egypt, but a rope fence limits the distance to keep with the monument and the itinerary to follow.
You have to be satisfied with contemplating it from afar but the visit allows you to go around Stonehenge to take pictures from all angles and enjoy the beautiful green landscape that surrounds it.
Being there you get an idea of why this place was so important for the first civilizations. There is something about it that makes it so special that it's hard to put into words - you have to see it!
Discovering the Neolithic
During the tour, if you pay attention, you will see some signs pointing out other places of interest such as an ancient necropolis or an avenue from 2300 BC that connects the megalith with the Avon River. It is believed that this road connected to a ceremonial route to celebrate the passing of the seasons according to the movement of the sun.
You can learn much more about this at the museum in the visitor center. After the visit to Stonehenge we headed to the starting point to enter the exhibition that delves into the history of this place and its significance as well as the lives of the people who erected this monument thousands of years ago.
Here you can see various prehistoric objects (tools, jewelry, pottery ...) extracted from various archaeological excavations as well as the forensic reconstruction of the face of a man who may have been at Stonehenge 5,500 years ago.
I also advise you to go to the recreation of a Neolithic village that is in this enclosure and that was created from excavations in Durrington dating from that period.
Although on the tour to Stonehenge we have the assistance of an audio guide that explains what we are seeing I think this museum is the perfect complement to better understand this stage of history so unknown to the general public, so I recommend that you spend some time during the visit.
Maybe you're not too much a fan of museums but Stonehenge has a very cool interactive part that always makes the experience more enjoyable. Especially if you are traveling with children.
If you like this tour, you might be interested in
If you have already visited London on other occasions and you want to discover other gems of England, I recommend you to take a look at the article The best excursions from London where you will find some of the most entertaining and interesting proposals to do during your vacation. It will be difficult to choose just one!
In case after the excursion to Stonehenge you want to focus on exploring London to learn a little more history, don't miss the articles about the Tower of London or Westminster Abbey as well as The best excursions and tours in London or The best tourist buses to know the most outstanding corners of the city.