Explore our World Heritage Sites along the Great West Way

Celebrate World Heritage Day this April with a tour of the Great West Way’s breath-taking World Heritage Sites. Between London and Bristol, you will find some of the most famous landmarks and destinations. Embark on your journey this season…

Bath City

Designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site, Bath is home to some of the most impressive architectural sights in the world and has been welcoming visitors for over 2,000 years! Recognised for its strong feature on the big screen, Bath is home to some of the most well-known landmarks in film and TV history including the Royal Crescent, Bath Abbey, and Pulteney Bridge.

Festivals, theatre, and vibrant street entertainment bring life and excitement to Bath all year round. If you’re visiting during the Winter season, Bath offers the perfect destination for a shopping trip with its famous Christmas markets and cobbled streets laced with a range of independent and high-end stores.

Did you know that Bath was founded upon natural hot springs? This has continued to play a key role throughout the city’s history with the Roman Baths Museum and Thermae Bath Spa providing visitors with further insight into this fascinating feature.

The Roman Baths

At the heart of the city centre is the Roman Baths Museum, providing a fascinating insight into the original bathing complex and the great Roman temple of Sulis Minerva. Constructed back in 70AD, this historical attraction is now one of the best-preserved Roman remains in the world! Over 1 million litres of steaming spring water reaching 46 degrees still fills the bathing site each day and here you can walk right by it at The Great Bath, a magnificent epicentre surrounded by ancient pavements, Roman statues, and Terraces.

Credit: English Heritage

Stonehenge and Avebury, Wiltshire

Centrally located along the Great West Way and possibly one of the most famous landmarks to visit on route is Stonehenge and Avebury. Forming part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site, these ancient stones stand magnificently amongst the rolling Wiltshire fields and offer the perfect day out this season.

Stonehenge

Managed by English Heritage, Stonehenge dates back to around 5,000 years and continues to elude many visitors around its mystery and breath-taking display each year. Evolving between 3,000 and 1,600 BC, this prehistoric monument famously aligns with the rising and setting of the sun at both Summer and Winter Solstices.

For your chance to get up close to Stonehenge, be sure to book an inner circle tour on your next visit! Taking place during the early hours of the morning, before opening to the general public, this intimate experience allows you to walk amongst the stones within a small group.

Avebury

40 minutes from Stonehenge is the other half of the UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest stone circle in the World. Avebury was erected 4,500 years ago and consists of around 100 stones, now framing the small town. The site is open daily, and visitors are welcome to walk amongst the stones, as well as explore ancient tombs, avenues and surrounding sights including the West Kennet Long Barrow and Silbury Hill. Avebury is also a great spot for a family picnic so be sure to visit on a sunny day!

Learn more about Avebury’s prehistoric past within two galleries at the Alexander Keiller Museum. The 17^th Century Barn Gallery houses interactive displays, and the Stables Gallery provides a collection of archaeological finds.

Embark on a historical journey along the Great West Way as you travel to these incredible World Heritage sites this season.

Blenheim Palace

Within easy reach of the Great West Way is Blenheim Palace, a World Heritage Site set amongst 2,000 acres of parkland, featuring Grand Cascades, stunning lakes, and monuments.

Landscaped by one of the UK’s most famous landscape architects, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, Blenheim Palace can be famously recognised as the birthplace of Sit Winston Churchill and home of the 12^th Duke and Duchess of Marlborough. Here you can wonder each room, delicately designed in 18^th Century Baroque architecture, home to some of the finest antique collections in Europe. Why not take an audio tour of the State Rooms and admire the portraits, tapestries and exquisite furniture while learning about the 300-year history of this National Treasure.

Learn more about the Great West Way’s World Heritage Sites, as well as many more up and down the country, using UNESCO’s map.