Salisbury

That towering spire piercing the skyline tells you everything about Salisbury's enduring power to impress. Britain's tallest cathedral spire has been drawing pilgrims and tourists for eight centuries, and the medieval streets radiating from Cathedral Close still buzz with the same sense of purpose.

Walking through the city centre feels like stepping between eras. One moment you're admiring the 13th-century stonework, the next you're browsing independent shops along Silver Street or grabbing coffee near the market square. The cathedral itself is magnificent - home to one of the four surviving copies of Magna Carta and that famously ambitious spire that medieval builders probably regretted halfway up.

Beyond the city limits, Wiltshire's chalk downland rolls away in all directions. Mount Sorrel and Knowle Hill offer proper walks with cracking views, while the mysterious Marleycombe Barrows remind you that people have been drawn to this landscape for millennia. It's brilliant walking country if you fancy stretching your legs between cathedral visits.

Getting here couldn't be easier - direct trains from London Waterloo take just over an hour, and the A303 brings drivers straight from the capital. The city works well as a base for exploring the wider region, with Stonehenge just eight miles up the road and the New Forest spreading southward.

Staying at one of the nearby holiday parks makes perfect sense. You get easy access to Salisbury's shops and restaurants without the city centre parking hassles, plus you're perfectly positioned for day trips across Wiltshire's historic landscape. The Stonehenge Campsite even puts you within walking distance of the world's most famous stone circle.