Stonehenge
The months in gold are when the weather, the crowds and the prices work out best.
Stonehenge is worth a stop if you are already travelling through southern England, but it rarely justifies a dedicated trip from London on its own. Plan to spend about two hours at the site. The best weather is from May to August, though this is also when the crowds are largest.
Prices and availability come from GetYourGuide. If you book through one of these we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Allow two hours to see the stones and the visitor centre.
Most people take a train from London to Salisbury, then catch the dedicated tour bus to the site.
Pre-booking a timed entry ticket online is required for normal entry.
The site is highly exposed to wind and rain, and there is almost no shelter near the stones.
What to expect at the stones
You cannot actually walk among the stones during normal visiting hours. A rope barrier keeps visitors about fifteen yards away to prevent damage. This means your view will always include other tourists taking photos across the circle.
The site sits right next to a busy main road, so you will hear traffic noise during your visit. The surrounding landscape is open grassland, which is highly exposed to wind and rain.
These are partner links. If you book through one we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. It does not change which places we pick.
When to plan your trip
May, June, July, and August offer the best chance of dry weather and warm temperatures. However, these summer months bring heavy tour bus traffic, especially midday. Arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid the worst crowds.
The winter solstice in December and summer solstice in June are the only times you can walk inside the circle for free. These events are very crowded and noisy, attracting thousands of visitors.
Common misconceptions
Many visitors assume the ticket price is mandatory to see the stones at all. In reality, a public right of way runs very close to the monument. You can walk up this public path for free, though you cannot access the visitor centre or its shuttle bus.
People also underestimate the scale of the surrounding area. Stonehenge is not isolated. It is part of a much larger prehistoric landscape filled with ancient burial mounds that you can explore on foot.
These search Amazon. If you buy through one we may earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. It changes nothing about which places are on this site or what is said about them.
Hotel and flight search by Trip.com. If you book through one of these we may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you.
Walking up from the free public path nearby costs nothing.
The daily figure is an estimate and does not include flights. The exchange rate is real, and it moves once a day, not by the second.
The background
Stonehenge is a prehistoric megalithic structure on Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England, two miles (3 km) west of Amesbury. It consists of an outer ring of vertical sarsen standing stones, each around 13 feet (4.0 m) high, seven feet (2.1 m) wide, and weighing around 25 tons, topped by connecting horizontal lintel stones which are held in place with mortise and tenon joints, a feature unique among contemporary monuments. Inside is a ring of smaller bluestones. Inside these are free-standing trilithons: two bulkier vertical sarsens joined by a single lintel. The whole monument, now in ruins, is aligned towards the sunrise on the summer solstice and sunset on the winter solstice. The stones are set within earthworks in the middle of the densest complex of Neolithic and Bronze Age monuments in England, including several hundred tumuli (burial mounds). Stonehenge was constructed in several phases, beginning about 3100 BC and continuing until about 1600 BC. The famous circle of large sarsen stones was placed between 2600 BC and 2400 BC. The surrounding circular earth bank and ditch, which constitute the earliest phase of the monument, have been dated to about 3100 BC. Radiocarbon datin
More of Stonehenge
Guides that include Stonehenge
Top Ten Wonders: Best Beaches to Visit in July and Other Sites
10 Best Places to Visit in August for Clear Weather
Top 10 places to visit in August for good weather
10 Best Places to Visit in July for Clear Weather
Where to travel in May: Top Ten Destinations
10 Cheapest Places to Visit in May for Budget Travelers
Questions people ask
Can you touch the stones at Stonehenge?
No, touching the stones is forbidden during regular hours to protect them. You must stay behind a low barrier unless you book a special access tour outside normal opening hours.
How much does it cost to visit Stonehenge?
A standard day trip costs about 150 GBP when including transport from London and entry fees. However, you can view the stones for free from a nearby public walking path.
Is there a way to see Stonehenge for free?
Yes, a public National Trust path runs close to the stone circle. You can walk this path from the nearby road without paying the English Heritage admission fee.
What is the closest town to Stonehenge?
The small town of Amesbury is about two miles east of the monument. Most visitors use the larger city of Salisbury as their base, which is nine miles away.
Is Stonehenge worth visiting in the rain?
The site has no cover, so rainy days can be cold and miserable. If the forecast is bad, wear waterproof clothing and expect heavy winds on the open plain.