Glastonbury Travel Guide: Where to Go in Glastonbury
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Glastonbury travel guide
Glastonbury is one of my favorite places to visit in England. In fact, there was a time when I used to go there every other month! I find the energy of Glastonbury to be deeply relaxing—it’s like I can actually feel my body slowing down, the stress leaving my body. It’s the perfect place for a weekend retreat. That’s why I’ve created this guide of where to go in Glastonbury—there are so many things to do, and the first time I went there, I felt overwhelmed with options. I was only there for one night, so I wanted to make the most of it.
Glastonbury is a land of legends: for centuries it has been associated with the King Arthur, an idea which was promoted by medieval monks who claimed that Glastonbury was the mythical island of Avalon. Christian legends claim that the abbey was founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the 1st century.
If you only have enough time for a day trip, then go through the list below and pick out the top three things that most appeal to you. I list the attractions in order of my favorites. In fact, if I only had time to do three things in Glastonbury, I would visit the following places:
- Chalice Well gardens
- White Spring
- Goddess Temple
Accommodations in Glastonbury
There are many, many places to stay in Glastonbury. Airbnb is full of rooms to rent, and there are plenty of normal B&Bs, too. Try to find a place somewhere near the High Street, Chilkwell Street, or Magdalene Street. The High Street is the center of shopping and dining, and Chilkwell Street leads to the Chalice Well gardens, the White Spring, and the Tor. Use the map below to zoom in and find accommodations.
If you’d rather camp in Glastonbury, the place to pitch your tent or park your caravan is Glastonbury Cottages and Caravanning. They have ten tent pitches available for £15 each per night, and are located on the outskirts of Glastonbury, past the Chalice Well, about a mile and a half from the town center.
Getting around in Glastonbury
This is easy! Glastonbury is a small town, with everything very close together. The shops and restaurants are mostly along the High Street and Magdalene Street, as are other attractions like the Goddess Temple and the abbey. To get to the Tor, the White Spring, and the Chalice Well gardens, just walk up the High Street and turn right.
You’ll definitely get your 10,000 steps in during a day trip to Glastonbury, but it’s all easy town walking—unless you go up the Tor, the big hill on the outskirts of town (that’s it in the photo below). However, the Tor has a paved walkway with stairs leading up to the top, making it an easy little hike.
Keep in mind that a lot of the things to do in Glastonbury are outdoors (such as the Chalice Well gardens, the Tor, the abbey). Be sure to bring a good waterproof jacket in case of rain. Otherwise you’ll be stuck indoors in a cafe, or frantically running from shop to shop with an umbrella. Keep your options open by planning ahead! Also be sure to bring good shoes for walking.
Also keep in mind that a couple of my favorite places to go have very limited opening hours (the White Spring and the Goddess Temple). If these two places are on your list, be sure to plan around their opening times (read below).
Picnic in Glastonbury
If you’d like to have a picnic lunch in Glastonbury, head to the Earthfare health food store, and buy your lunch. It’s located near the top of the High Street, on the left hand side as you’re heading up. They have lovely cooked food for takeaway at the back of the shop, near the bakery. The baked goods are also delicious and fresh. Also, don’t breeze past the big refrigerators on your right as you enter the store—they’re full of yummy fresh things like vine leaves and hummus in yummy flavors. From there, you can head up to the Tor to eat, or to the Chalice Well gardens.
Dining in Glastonbury
Most of the restaurants in Glastonbury can be found along the High Street. You’ll find everything from Indian to Italian to vegetarian, and more. My favorites: the Hundred Monkeys Cafe, Gigis (Italian), and the Lazy Gecko Cafe (though service can be hit or miss at this last one). If you feel like eating outside, many restaurants and cafes will have a little garden area out back, so be sure to ask. Hundred Monkeys and the Lazy Gecko both have quiet little garden tables.
Shopping in Glastonbury
Glastonbury is full of independent shops of all kinds: crystal shops, bookshops, and clothing shops. You’ll find unique things here you won’t see anywhere else.
Best crystal shop: Locals say that the Elestial crystal shop, located where Magdalene Street curves into the High Street, is the best for variety and price.
Best bookshops: The Speaking Tree Shop has two levels full of new books. Even better—they’re now stocking If Trees Could Talk! YAY! Labyrinth, a bit further up the High Street on the opposite side of the road, is a tiny little bookshop with both new and second-hand books.
Best used bookshop: Courtyard Books, at the start of the High Street, has a wide variety of spiritual, new age, and general interest books.
Chalice Well Gardens
My very favorite place to go in Glastonbury, and it’s where I always start out my visit (providing the weather is dry!). The gardens are absolutely gorgeous and well taken care of. This is also where you’ll find the sacred red spring, its waters tinted rusty red with iron.
The energy here is deeply relaxing. It’s the perfect place to have a quiet wander through the garden, or to bring a book on a clear day. There’s also a grassy meadow up at the top, where you can bring a picnic lunch and eat.
You can drink the water from where it comes out at the lion’s mouth fountain, and you can also take some home. Bring a water bottle to fill up, or buy one from the shop. It has a very strong metallic taste from the iron.
There’s a little shop at the bottom gate near the exit that’s full of gifts, jewelry, books, and oracle cards. They’re always updating their inventory with new things. You can also buy small plants just outside the shop.
Meet these trees from If Trees Could Talk: The Chalice Well Yews.
White Spring
This is thee second of my top three favorite places in Glastonbury. It’s got the companion spring to the Chalice Well—this one is the sacred white spring. Note that it’s only open from 1:30-4:30pm, Friday through Tuesday. It’s run by volunteers, though, so that may be subject to change.
You can tell this is a special place before you even go inside—signs warn of the fairy portal inside. You’ll walk into a dark, candlelit structure. Give your eyes a minute to adjust to the light before walking down the steps. The stone floor will be wet, so be careful.
Straight ahead, you’ll see a big, shallow pool filled with the sacred water. You’ll find three shrines inside, including one for Brigid. If you’d like to make a wish or a prayer to Brigid, bring a ribbon to tie on the woven structure of branches that form the tunnel to her shrine. Because this is a private, indoor location, you don’t need to be as careful with using ribbons made of natural fabric as you do when making a clootie wish out in nature.
Related reading – Leave No Trace: Keeping Our Sacred Sites Free From Ritual Rubbish
There’s an area off to the left where you can take your clothes off to go swimming in the frigid water. Note that naked swimming is allowed (this is probably also the reason why you’re not supposed to take photographs inside). You can get into the big shallow pool, or climb into a much deeper one in the corner. I’d only recommend going for a swim in the warmer months—the water is very cold!
I usually just sit in silence for an hour or so. The energy here is deeply relaxing. It’s a very sacred, womblike place unlike anywhere else I’ve been to.
You can bring home water to drink from the tap outside, so be sure to bring a bottle with you. If you enjoyed your visit, remember to leave a donation on your way out. There’s a donation basket in the entrance area.
Goddess Temple
The third of my top three favorite places in Glastonbury, located just off the High Street with its entrance via a small courtyard called the Glastonbury Experience Courtyard (you’ll see a sign overhead the entrance). Note that it’s only open from 12-4pm each day. It’s run by volunteers, though, so that may be subject to change. When you go through the door, you’ll be right inside—please be quiet (whispers only!) and remember to take off your shoes. There’s a place to leave them just inside the door, to the left.
Inside you’ll find a large room with a shrine to the Goddess, and areas for meditation and quiet reflection. Pillows line the walls to the right. To the left, you’ll see the circle of the Nine Morgens of Avalon. You can sit inside the circle for meditation.
There are stacks of oracle cards and a nice place for quiet meditation. The energy here is deeply relaxing. You can ask the volunteer on hand for a sage smudge.
If you enjoyed your visit, remember to leave a donation on your way out. There’s a donation box right by the door.
Glastonbury Abbey
In all my trips to Glastonbury, I’ve only been here once, though I would like to return. The abbey was a monastery, founded in the 7th century and expanded in the 10th. It was destroyed by a fire in 1184, it was rebuilt, and finally it was destroyed as a result of the Dissolution of the Monasteries under King Henry VIII. After being slowly dismantled over the years, it was described as a ruin in the early 18th century.
You can buy tickets online in advance, or at the entrance.
The Tor
This is the big hill with the tower on top, visible from all around Glastonbury. To get here, walk up the High Street, turn right at the top, and walk along Chilkwell Street until you pass the Chalice Well gardens, then turn right. You’ll see a footpath heading up to the top of the Tor. The base of the Tor is about a mile’s walk from Glastonbury town center.
It’s a 10-15 minute walk to the top, along a very easy path with stairs cut into the hill. There are benches along the way, should you need a rest stop. There are wide panoramic views of the surrounding area from the top of the Tor. If the weather is good, this is a lovely place to visit. If it’s rainy or windy, you might want to forego the climb. I’ve taken part in ceremonies at the top of the Tor where we got pelted with rain and I felt like we were going to be swept off the hill.
St Margaret’s Chapel and Almshouses
This is one location off the beaten path that you might walk right past if you weren’t looking for it! Situated right on Magdalene Street, just a short walk from the High Street, you’ll find a small door set back from the road that leads to this little chapel. St Margaret’s Chapel was first built on Magdalene Street in the 1070s, though the current building dates from 1444. It was originally built as a hospital, and later served as almshouses for the poor.
The first almshouse is open to the public, and has been set up as a re-creation of an original almshouse. The loft is a replica of what a bedroom floor would have looked like. Because the original dedication of the hospital was to St Mary Magdalene, it is thought that the hospital and almshouses were created to help men suffering from leprosy, as Mary Magdalene is the patron saint of lepers.
In the courtyard, alongside the almshouses, you will find a pretty little garden, full of flowers in the summertime. There are benches where you can sit and have a quiet moment.
The chapel is open daily for prayer, quiet and contemplation. It’s a lovely place for peaceful reflection. To find the chapel, walk from the High Street down Magdalene Street, past the abbey. Keep going until just before you reach a small roundabout. The chapel will be on your right. It’s just behind 38 Magdalene Street.
Frequently asked questions
Is Glastonbury worth a visit?
Absolutely! It’s a quirky little town that’s got something for everyone: walking, shopping, Nature. It’s also perfect for rest, relaxation, and retreat.
How do you get to Glastonbury by public transport?
This is tough. The easiest way to get there is by car. Without a car, there are a few options:
- Train to Castle Cary (the nearest train station—about 12.5 miles from Glastonbury), then taxi.
- Train to Bristol Temple Meads (about 26 miles from Glastonbury), then take the hourly 376 bus to Wells.
- Coach (bus) from London to Glastonbury town with National Express (about 140 miles).
Why is Glastonbury so special?
It’s a place of spiritual pilgrimage for many people. You’ve got the sacred White Spring and the Red Spring (at the Chalice Well). It’s rumored that it’s the “heart chakra” of planet Earth. Christian legends claim that the abbey was founded by Joseph of Arimathea in the 1st century, and medieval monks claimed that Glastonbury was the mythical island of Avalon. It’s got so much mystery and magic surrounding it, and you can just feel it in the energy of the place when you visit.
Related reading
Read the stories from the Chalice Well Yews in If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods. I’ve spent the last few years talking to trees – the birches, the oaks, the beeches and the sycamores. In this book, they tell their tales.
This book will encourage you to get back to Nature and turn to the magic and the wisdom of the trees. By reconnecting to Nature, you can improve your relationship with yourself, which will help you make better, more aligned choices in your life.
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