//
City and non-metropolitan district in England
Photo: Geni, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Gloucester (pronounced "gloster") is the county town of Gloucestershire in England's West Country. A major attraction of the city is Gloucester Cathedral, which is the burial place of King Edward II. Other features of interest include the museum and school of art and science, the former county jail (on the site of a Saxon and Norman castle), the Shire Hall (now headquarters of the County Council) and the Whitefield memorial church. A park in the south of the city contains a spa, a chalybeate spring having been discovered in 1814.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Cathedral Church of St Peter and the Holy and Indivisible Trinity
The city's cathedral and an important landmark. Completed in 1499, this Gothic building has a beautiful design and heritage. In popular culture, the cathedral is well-known for being used for filming in several of the Harry Potter movies.
18th-century, a popular tourist attraction, with numerous museums and shops/pubs.
Baker G A & Son
One of the most unusual 'action' time clocks you are likely to see in a city centre. It dates back to Edwardian times and has five figures which represent England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Olde Father Time.
With its monastery, bird park and Roman Mosaic. This latter is a full-size copy of the original mosaic on the floor of a Roman villa at nearby Woodchester, now in a churchyard. The original is thought to have been created in c.325 AD. It has been unearthed periodically several times, but the last time it was on view to the public, in 1973, it produced so much interest and traffic congestion in the town that it was decided never to unearth it again. Devastated by the possibility that no-one else would see it ever again, two local builders spent ten years working on the reconstruction.
The Eastgate Viewing Chamber is the remains of the Roman settlement. While it can be viewed at street level from outside of Boots, there are also tours from Museum of Gloucester that can be booked.
Probably one of the most famous tidal bores. It is of particular interest to surfers.
formerly The Folk Museum
Situated in characterful buildings on Westgate Street, the Gloucester Folk Museum is home to many exhibits including local crafts and a reconstructed Victorian classroom.
Worth a visit for the Roman artefacts, Roman kitchen and medieval street.
Explore the rich heritage of canals and rivers in this country. Investigate historic craft and explore Llanthony Yard.
Don't pass up the opportunity to visit the tailor's house from Beatrix Potter's 1903 story "The Tailor of Gloucester". Situated a stone's throw from Gloucester Cathedral down a narrow alleyway.
This museum tells the story of two famous county regiments, the Glorious Glosters and the Royal Gloucestershire Hussars.
Set in a late 1700 manor house, is the Nature in Art museum. A gallery mostly dedicated to modern natural paintings, vases, sculptures and tapestries. A notable exception however are the ancient Persian bowl and plates on display. There are also exhibitions that take place at the gallery throughout the year.
Located at the Gloucestershire Airport, this museum celebrates the county's importance in aviation history.
Gloucester play Rugby Union in the Premiership, the game's top tier. The stadium, sometimes dubbed Castle Grim, has a capacity of 16,000.
A world-famous annual event, where a circular cheese is rolled down a hill - chased by numerous people. Obviously, you may gain some injuries while taking part of the chase.
If you're looking for something more filling there is a Chinese restaurant by the river just a mile or so outside Gloucester.
Former cinema and picture palace that ceased operations in 1988, famous for hosting the only live performance in Gloucester for The Beatles' 1963 tour. Now a Wetherspoon's pub with food and drink.
Splendid trad pub with a wide selection of ales.
It is apparently haunted by monks who once had a monastery on the site. To make it even better, it has a well and fountain in the middle of the main bar area, and the food is gorgeous too.
The 16th century timber-framed house of the Raike family. Robert Raike helped popularise the Sunday school concept, starting with the Mary DeCrypt church opposite. The pub is owned by and serves Samuel Smith's beer.
formerly Pig Inn the City
More of an indoor shopping promenade than a shopping centre, has a few chain shops.
Main shopping centre in city centre, providing many large chain stores such as H&M, Burger King and Poundland, and access to the large Marks & Spencer supermarket. The shopping centre also has a small indoor market area towards the back, which sells various goods for considerably cheaper than the main stores.
Outlet shopping centre home to big designer brands such as Calvin Klein, Bench and Levi's trying to offload last year's fashion trends at less inflated prices. There are also Cadbury's and Lindt chocolate stores, selling all kinds of treats all year round.
By train
By bus
Gloucester is a large hub for buses and coaches. There is also a park and ride service available, see the National Park and Ride Directory.
By boat
Gloucester was built up around the River Severn. It has a sailing heritage. It is possible to visit Gloucester via river or the Gloucester Sharpness Canal via boat.
By plane
Birmingham Airport (BHX) and Bristol Airport (BRS) are each only a couple of hours' drive (north and south respectively) and are served by a wide range of flights from across Europe and beyond.
By bicycle
There are several cycle routes around Gloucester and it is possible to have a fairly stress-free cycle ride around the city and its suburbs. There are also cycle routes to Cheltenham and to Bristol.
By foot
The centre of Gloucester is quite compact and flat so you can easily walk around it.
By car
The best way to get to the countryside around Gloucester is by car.
Choose an airport to see hotels, stations, taxi ranks and car rental desks around it.
Bristol · International · BRS
Loading places around the airport…
Articles and travel topics about Gloucester (England) and United Kingdom.
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to the UK Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA). Check eligibility, the £20 fee, application steps, and transit rules.
7 min read
Travel tipsComplete 2026 guide to global tourist taxes and access fees. Compare entry fees in Venice, Bali, Bhutan, Kyoto, and Edinburgh, and learn how to pay them.
8 min read
Travel tipsFind the cheapest countries to fly to from the US and UK in 2026. Compare realistic round-trip flight deals, budget airlines, and prime booking windows.
8 min read
Travel tipsA complete guide to taking the Eurostar from London to Paris. Learn about check-in times, border controls, baggage limits, ticket tiers, and booking tips.
7 min read
Every section of the guide. Open one to read it in full.