Know Before You Go: Visiting Stonehenge

Stonehenge isn’t just one of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions, drawing upwards of 1 million visitors each year—it’s also one of the world’s best-known prehistoric monuments. An architectural marvel and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Stonehenge is composed of an outer ring of standing stones, an inner ring of smaller stones, and—at the heart of the landmark—additional standing stones, topped by horizontal lintels. The mysteries of how the giant stone circle’s materials were transported and how the site was constructed still confound experts some 5,000 years after its creation. Its purpose, too, remains unknown, and its associations with ancient rituals lend it an appealing dose of mystery.

Related: 9 of the Most Impressive Ancient Ruins Around the World

Stonehenge can be a crowded place, especially during the summer high season and on weekends and bank holidays. If you want to beat the worst of the summer vacation crowds (but still hope for good weather), visit in late spring or early fall and come on a weekday, when tickets are cheapest. Arriving early in the morning or later in the day is also helpful; just note that last admission is 2 hours prior to closing time. Inner Circle visits take place early in the morning or late in the afternoon, when the site is not open to the general public.

Insider tip: Stonehenge was designed to align with the sun during the solstices, and (for many) these days are the most special—even sacred—time to visit. Admission to Stonehenge is free on the summer solstice, and you can also book special round-trip tours from London for the occasion.

Stonehenge is located roughly 88 miles (142 kilometers) west of London, in the county of Wiltshire. Traveling by car via the M3 and A303 typically takes around two hours. Alternatively, if you prefer public transportation, you can take a train from Paddington Station to Salisbury and then catch the 30-minute Stonehenge Tour Bus from there.

The simplest way to get to the site, however, is to book a guided tour that includes round-trip transit from London and back again. Some tours include a full day of activities by combining a trip to Stonehenge with stops at other nearby attractions; options include Windsor Castle, Bath, Oxford, and Stratford-upon-Avon.

There’s lots to see and do at Stonehenge. In addition to admiring the stones themselves, you can drop by the visitor center, explore the on-site exhibition, walk among the site’s recreated Neolithic houses, and admire nearby Bronze Age burial mounds. You’ll want a minimum of two hours at the site itself, so if you’re coming from London, it’s wise to set aside at least half a day for an excursion; if you get a very early start, this will let you make the most of the experience and leave time for a couple hours of transit time on either side. To make logistics even simpler, you can book a half-day Stonehenge tour from London and leave the tickets and planning to your guide.

Insider tip: The on-site exhibition at Stonehenge is home to more than 250 artifacts and is a must for history lovers. Keep an eye out for collection highlights like an ancient battle ax, an inscribed chalk tablet, and the grooved ware pottery shards.

While you can’t walk right up to the stones themselves, you can walk around a path that circles the landmark and gets within 16 feet (5 meters) of the circle. (To reach this path from the parking area and visitor center, you can take a free shuttle bus or walk along marked trails; the walk takes 30–40 minutes.) Alternatively, if you want a particularly special way to explore the site, book a tour that takes you to the Inner Circle area (inside the monument’s outer rim of standing stones). This will give you the opportunity to stand among the stones themselves—and to do so with only a handful of other visitors for company.

Stonehenge is a very busy landmark, and the site strongly recommends that visitors book a ticket—complete with a specific entry window—in advance of their trip. (That also goes for National Trust members who, though able to visit for free, are still encouraged to secure their visiting slots in advance.) Alternatively, if you’d rather not worry about logistics and timing issues, you can book a tour that includes admission for hassle-free experience.

Insider tip: Don’t forget to bring your smartphone and your headphones with you. All visitors can download a free audio tour app to help guide their Stonehenge excursion.

While Stonehenge’s visitor center and exhibition area are indoors, the bulk of the landmark is open to the elements on an exposed, grassy plain with little coverage. On hot days sun protection is essential, and on cooler days you’ll want warm layers—and robust rain gear if the forecast looks iffy (an umbrella is always a good idea). Either way, comfortable and sturdy footwear is a must as the stone circle is accessed via fields and grassy paths.

Stonehenge makes wheelchairs available on a first-come, first-served basis at its visitor center, and the area is outfitted with plenty of seating. A free, wheelchair-accessible shuttle bus also ferries visitors from the visitor center to the stone circle every few minutes. If you want a close-up look at the stones, a wheelchair-accessible path (with a slight gradient) will bring you there—just be cautious if conditions are wet; too much rain can leave the grassy paths waterlogged and difficult to use.

• When was Stonehenge built? The earliest version of Stonehenge was built around the beginning of the Bronze Age in 3,000 BC, while the version that stands today was constructed around 2,500 BC. The site also features burial mounds from the same time period.
• Who built Stonehenge? The question of who built Stonehenge is one of the site’s most enduring mysteries. Even today, we’re still not certain who did it, though it is thought that Mesolithic hunter-gatherers first used the site. While legend has it that Druids were involved in the construction, this probably wasn’t true.
• How was Stonehenge built? Stonehenge is considered a masterpiece of engineering and was made using a variety of stone-working methods; it’s thought that wooden stakes, ropes, and timber platforms were also used. Some details of its construction remain unknown, including how the stones were transported to the site from as far away as the Preseli Hills in Wales, roughly 180 miles (290 kilometers) away.
• What was Stonehenge used for? We still aren’t certain what Stonehenge was used for when it was built. Because the monument is aligned with the sun’s path on the solstices, experts believe it was devised as some kind of temple or place of ritual and worship.