Relaxing in Salisbury

After 116 days, 5 night buses, a night train, and, well, everything else that goes with traveling for an extended length of time, we were ready to head home. Our clothes stunk no matter how many times we washed them, our bags were laden-down with gifts for awaiting family and friends, and our hair was in need of a good cut. But we still had 4 days left! Fortunately for us we had planned for this very moment at the half-way point of our trip, and were now in-store for 4 days of rest and relaxation in England's West Country.

The John Constable-inspiring scenery surrounding Salisbury

After some research and debate on where to spend our remaining days in the UK, we eventually settled on heading west from London to the cathedral city of Salisbury in Wiltshire County. With its proximity to the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Stonhenge and Bath, as well as the numerous interesting sites in the city, we figured we would have the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure for the end of our journey.

Beautiful architecture in Salisbury

The stunning Salisbury Cathedral

Thankfully, Salisbury delivered exactly what we expected. Looking like it was straight out of Hot Fuzz, Salisbury simply oozes character and old British charm. With a magnificent cathedral and cathedral close, a great market, some wonderful architecture, and Constable-inspiring surroundings, the city is the perfect spot to spend a few days (or even more if you can spare it), and also provides a great base for exploring the surrounding regions (more on that to come).

St. Edmund's Church, just one of the many amazing old churches and buildings found in Salisbury

Making our stay even more enjoyable was our lovely hostess, Trish, and the comfort of the Old Rectory B&B. We rarely mention the places we stay (preferring to leave feedback on other sites), but we would be remiss if we didn't make mention of the Old Rectory, as its warmth and comfort was a large contributor to our enjoyment of the city and the region. Built immediately following WWI, its name comes from serving as the rectory for nearby St. Edmund's Church. Each room is named after a rector that lived in the house before its eventual conversion to a B&B by Trish's family. It was the perfect place to escape the rain and cold with a hot cup of tea, and provided us four of the best sleeps of our trip.