Glastonbury
A leafy, mystical week among hills, springs and stone circles
Highlights
Climb Glastonbury Tor for panoramic views over misty green levels and hedgerows.
Unwind at Chalice Well and the White Spring, tranquil water shrines wrapped in gardens.
Explore Glastonbury Abbey’s ruins and Arthurian stories amid lawns and ancient trees.
Take a guided day trip to Avebury and Stonehenge from Glastonbury.
Walk through dramatic Cheddar Gorge and caves on an easy guided excursion.
Stroll leafy lanes and hidden footpaths around town for wild, overgrown vibes.
Where to Stay
3 picks
The Covenstead
A quirky, mystical-themed guesthouse filled with curios, old wood, and lush textiles, just a short walk from the Abbey and High Street.
The Glastonbury Townhouse
Comfortable B&B on a quiet, leafy street within easy walking distance of the High Street, Chalice Well, and the Tor.
The Pilgrims Inn
Historic inn with wooden beams and a garden area, located directly opposite Glastonbury Abbey grounds.
Where to Eat
18 picks
Excalibur Cafe
Vegetarian/vegan-friendly café with lots of plants and wood décor. For halal: order vegetarian options such as the veggie cooked breakfast, porridge with fruit, or vegan cakes and smoothies (no meat served, and no alcohol in the dishes).
Hundred Monkeys Cafe
Rustic, plant-filled café focused on seasonal, often organic food. For halal: choose vegetarian or fish dishes such as vegetable soups, salads, and fish mains; ask staff to confirm no alcohol or non-halal stock in sauces (they are used to dietary questions).
GlastroPub (Vegetarian & Vegan Kitchen)
A cozy spot with a plant-filled, rustic interior. For halal: focus on their vegetarian and vegan mains such as burgers, curries and salads; ensure any cheese is vegetarian (no animal rennet) and that no alcohol is used in sauces for your dish.
Burns the Bread (Glastonbury)
Local bakery with fresh breads and pastries. For halal: stick to vegetarian items like plain or cheese pastries, bread rolls, and sweet buns; avoid anything with meat or gelatin and confirm ingredients if unsure.
Rainbow’s End Café
Vegetarian courtyard café with plenty of greenery and an outdoor garden. For halal: choose from substantial vegetarian dishes like lasagne, quiches, salads, soups, and cakes; ask about ingredients to avoid alcohol or animal rennet.
Bistro at The King Arthur
Small, cozy bistro attached to the King Arthur pub. For halal: focus on clearly vegetarian mains or fish dishes (if offered); confirm no alcohol in sauces and avoid meat as it will not be halal.
Self-Catered Picnic from Earthfare & Local Shops
Buy picnic supplies in the morning from Earthfare (health food shop) and other High Street grocers: halal-friendly vegetarian wraps, salads, fruit, nuts, crisps, and drinks. Eat during free time on the Stonehenge/Avebury tour at a scenic spot.
The Who’d A Thought It Inn (Dining Area)
Traditional inn with a plant-friendly beer garden and cozy interior. For halal: avoid meat; choose vegetarian mains like baked dishes, pastas, or fish options if available, and ask that sauces be alcohol-free.
Heaphys Cafe
Simple café serving breakfasts and light meals. For halal: ask for vegetarian breakfast plates, toast, eggs, beans and grilled tomatoes; avoid any meat products and check no animal fat is used in frying.
Tweedy’s Restaurant & Tearooms
Classic tearoom-style spot with old-fashioned charm. For halal: stick to vegetarian sandwiches, jacket potatoes with veggie toppings, salads, and cakes; verify ingredients for sauces and desserts.
The Red Brick Building Café (Bocabar-style space if open)
Creative community space with a café/restaurant in a converted industrial building, featuring exposed brick, fairy lights, and greenery. For halal: choose vegetarian and fish dishes, asking staff to ensure no alcohol or meat products in sauces or stocks.
Self-Catered Packed Lunch from Earthfare / Co-op
Before the full-day local tour, pick up halal-friendly vegetarian sandwiches, salads, fruit and drinks from Earthfare or the Co-op supermarket to eat during breaks between sites.
The Mitre Inn (Food Area)
Traditional inn with cozy nooks and some greenery in outdoor areas. For halal: choose vegetarian mains or fish dishes, confirming that sauces and sides are alcohol-free and cooked separately from meat where possible.
On-the-Go Veggie Snacks & Cheddar Village Cafés
During the Cheddar Gorge tour’s free time, choose a clearly vegetarian meal from a local café (e.g., cheese sandwiches, jacket potatoes with beans, salads) and confirm no meat stock or lard; complement with fruit or snacks you bring from Glastonbury.
Rainbows End Café (Return Visit for Dinner or Early Evening Meal)
If open later, return to Rainbow’s End for a comforting vegetarian meal; otherwise, use its style as a model and pick another open vegetarian/vegan café on the same street, again focusing on clearly vegetarian mains.
Abbey Tea Rooms (or Similar Garden Café)
Look for a garden-style tea room close to the Abbey. For halal: choose vegetarian breakfast items, scones with jam and cream, toast, and tea or coffee; avoid meat items and check that any pastries are free from animal fat/gelatin.
Earthfare Deli / Takeaway Lunch
Stop by Earthfare’s deli counter for vegetarian salads, quiches, soups and baked goods to eat on a bench or back at your accommodation; confirm ingredients, especially in soups and quiches, to ensure no meat stock.
Hundred Monkeys Cafe (Farewell Dinner)
Return to Hundred Monkeys for a final meal, choosing from their vegetarian or fish mains and asking again about alcohol or meat derivatives in sauces.
What to Do
19 picks
Glastonbury High Street Orientation Walk
Stroll up and down the High Street, peeking into crystal shops, bookshops, and small arcades; use this time to locate your hotel, main bus stops, grocery shops and the meeting point at St John the Baptist’s Church.
Glastonbury Abbey
Wander through romantic ruins set in large lawns and mature trees; visit the reputed grave site of King Arthur and Guinevere, the herb garden, and quiet corners for reflection.
St. John the Baptist’s Church & Churchyard
Step inside the parish church that is also your main meeting point for tours; take a quiet moment in the church and walk the small, green churchyard around it.
Evening High Street & Park Walk
After dinner, take a gentle walk along the quieter High Street and nearby small parks or green spaces as the day-trippers leave, enjoying the changing light on the Tor in the distance.
Chalice Well Gardens
Enter this beautifully landscaped garden around a red-tinged spring, with stone paths, pools, flower beds, and leafy corners; sit quietly or walk slowly to enjoy the peaceful, ‘hidden garden’ vibe.
Glastonbury Tor
Walk up the grassy hill (allow 20–30 minutes each way) to the ruined St Michael’s Tower for panoramic views over the Somerset Levels; go slowly and enjoy the sheep, hedgerows, and wildflowers along the way.
Sunset or Dusk from the Tor or Town Edge
If weather and energy allow, stay near the Tor or a nearby field edge to catch soft evening light over the Somerset Levels; otherwise, watch from lower viewpoints on the walk back into town.
Full-Day Stonehenge and Avebury Tour from Glastonbury
Join a small-group, 8-hour tour that starts/ends at St John the Baptist’s Church, visiting Avebury stone circle and Stonehenge with a knowledgeable guide (admissions extra). Bring water, snacks, and layers; expect several hours outside in open, often windy landscapes.
Gentle Night Walk Back Streets Loop
Take a short loop via Benedict Street and quieter residential lanes with overhanging trees, hedges and glimpses of the Tor lit by distant town lights.
Half-Day Free Explore: Spiritual and Crystal Shops
Use the morning to browse key shops like crystal stores, bookshops, and incense/herb shops, taking breaks in small hidden courtyards and alleyways running off the High Street.
Local Footpath Walk towards Wearyall Hill or Levels Edge
Head out of town on signed footpaths toward Wearyall Hill or the Somerset Levels, passing hedgerows, small fields and clusters of trees; turn back whenever you like.
Evening Event or Live Music at Red Brick Building (if available)
Check posters or ask locally about any live music, talks, or community events at the Red Brick Building; if something is on, stay for an hour or two of relaxed social time.
Full-Day Glastonbury Town Sacred Sites Guided Tour
Join the ‘Full-Day Tour of Glastonbury’ starting at St John the Baptist’s Church to visit Glastonbury Abbey (inside), Chalice Well, the Tor, White Spring, and St. Margaret’s Chapel with a local guide.
Quiet Reflection at St. Margaret’s Chapel & Magdalene Almshouses
Revisit this small, hidden chapel and its tiny garden in the evening if you haven’t had quiet time there; sit on a bench among flowers and vines.
Glastonbury & Cheddar Gorge Guided Day Tour
Join a day tour that includes Glastonbury and Cheddar Gorge (from Glastonbury or via a linked operator; confirm local pickup and schedule). You’ll travel through dramatic limestone cliffs, walk short trails, and may visit caves at Cheddar.
Short Post-Tour Stretch Walk
Walk a small loop around High Street and nearby side streets to loosen up after time on the tour bus and enjoy evening air.
Return to Your Favourite Glastonbury Spot
Use the morning to re-visit whichever place resonated most with you – another slow walk at the Abbey, a final climb up the Tor, or quiet time at Chalice Well or St. Margaret’s Chapel.
Last-Minute Shopping & Photo Walk
Pick up any last souvenirs, then walk to small viewpoints where you can frame the Tor, trees, and rooftops together for final photos.
Final Evening Reflection Walk
Take one last slow walk by St. John’s Churchyard and along High Street, reflecting on the week; sit briefly on a bench under the trees before turning in.
Good to Know
8 picks
Halal Food Strategy in Glastonbury
Because Glastonbury doesn’t have dedicated halal butchers or clearly certified halal restaurants, the safest approach is to stick to vegetarian, vegan, and fish dishes, and to confirm that no alcohol, lard, gelatin, or meat stock is used in preparation or sauces. Health food shops and vegetarian cafés are your best allies for varied, satisfying meals.
Booking Tours from Glastonbury
Small-group tours to Stonehenge, Avebury, and Cheddar Gorge often leave from St John the Baptist’s Church on the High Street and may only run on certain days. Book online a few days ahead, note the exact meeting time and place in writing, and aim to arrive at least 15 minutes early because buses will not wait.
Managing Without Constant Connectivity
Download offline maps of Glastonbury and the region, keep printed or written copies of tour confirmations, and take screenshots of key information (hotel address, bus times, meeting points) before leaving Wi‑Fi. In town, you can always ask in shops or at your accommodation to confirm directions.
Weather and Clothing in Somerset
Even in warmer months, evenings and hilltops like the Tor can be chilly and windy; bring a light waterproof jacket, a warm layer, and shoes that handle mud. A small daypack with water, snacks, and space for layers will make day trips and walks more comfortable.
Using Local Buses and Taxis
Local buses connect Glastonbury with nearby towns like Wells and Street, but services can be infrequent, especially evenings and Sundays. Check schedules ahead of time, and keep the phone number of at least one local taxi company recommended by your accommodation in case you miss a bus or come back after dark.
Respectful Behaviour at Sacred and Quiet Sites
Places like Chalice Well, the White Spring, St. Margaret’s Chapel, and the Abbey are important spiritual spaces for many visitors. Keep your voice low, avoid phone calls, ask before photographing people, and follow any posted requests about shoes, candles, or offerings.
Cash, Cards and Tipping
Most places take cards, but small cafés, charity-run chapels, and market stalls may prefer cash for small amounts. Tipping isn’t as obligatory as in some countries; rounding up the bill or leaving 10% for table service is appreciated but not required.
Staying Comfortable as a Solo Traveler
Glastonbury is generally safe and used to solo visitors. Choose central accommodation, stick to well-lit routes at night, and join group tours or community events if you’d like social contact; locals and fellow visitors are usually friendly and open to conversation.
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