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Town in Surrey, England
Photo: Flickr user lostajy, CC BY 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Guildford is a large town in Surrey in the South East of England. It has retained much of its historical charm. A short walk up the cobbled high street shows many buildings which are hundreds of years old. The medieval castle was used by the King of England in the 1400s and because of this Guildford is the only royal town in Surrey.
From the travel guide. Select a place for details, a map and what is nearby.
Built in 1619 by Guildfordian Archbishop of Canterbury George Abbot as a retirement home for the local elderly.
Lewis Carroll, author, mathematician and photographer, Lewis Carroll (b1832) lived in Guildford until his death in 1898. Visit Lewis Caroll's house 'Chestnuts', on Castle Hill in the centre. See Guided Tours of Guildford.
A marvellous Tudor/Stuart building with its overhanging 1683 clock.
19th-century workhouse used to house vagrants until 1960. This site has now been fully restored and is one of two similar sites in the UK.
Medieval castle built to protect the town in the 1400s and one of Henry III's most luxurious residences. Conservation work revealed a 12th century first floor chamber which is now open to the public.
A 1930s brick cathedral which was the first to be built on a new site in the south of England since the Reformation. The inside is more impressive than the outside. The cathedral was started in the 1930s, but it wasn't until 1961 that it was consecrated due to an interruption in construction due to World War II.
Ruined chapel a short walk along the river wey from Guildford town centre.
This canal winds its way through Guildford until it reaches the River Thames in Weybridge. Of particular interest is the HQ at Dapdune Wharf, but just sitting down by the locks near the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre watching canal boats is very peaceful and gives one an insight into what the Wey once was - a busy industrial thoroughfare connecting Guildford and Surrey's industries with the rest of the country - and you might even get to help open the locks for the boat!
Situated on the southern facing side of the North Downs, there are fantastic views over Surrey and also plenty of walks to be done. 10-min drive from the centre of Guildford.
The Royal Horticultural Society's (RHS) flagship garden is one of the world's great horticultural gardens, with thousands of plants from every continent across dozens of themed areas including formal gardens, borders, arboreta, rockeries, orchards and glasshouses.
The gallery and exceptional chapel are just off the A3, south of Guildford, near Compton. It is well worth a visit to see the fine Arts and Crafts buildings.
Replacement for the Guildford Civic Hall.
Walks last 70 to 90 minutes and cover about half a mile, and there are a choice of tours to do from ghosts and legends to tours looking at historic buildings in the town.
Multi-screen cinema showing all the usual Hollywood offerings.
An artificial climbing experience for all abilities.
Leisure centre with swimming, bowling, ice skating, fitness suites.
Fully restored 1930s art deco outdoor swimming pool.
Run by the National Trust with help from volunteers.
Annual festival of literature featuring signings, readings, plays, etc.
A biennial festival (2017, 2019, etc.) featuring many concerts across 2–3 weeks. Genres are mixed, and the festival brings high quality professional acts to the town.
Not in Guildford (10 miles away in Farnborough), but well worth a visit to this biennial airshow.
Tucked away from the high street and hard to find if you are not a regular visitor to the town. Worth persevering as an excellent choice.
Part of a national chain of restaurants, in a classic style building in a prominent position in the town.
Italian bar and pizzeria.
French cuisine.
Indian food.
Best curry house in town. Prince Harry and his mates have been known to dine here in the past.
Well presented Thai restaurant with a decent menu. There is normal seating, and for the brave, more traditional Kan Tok (much lower!) seating.
American restaurant chain. Good cocktails and ribs.
Offers a superb view of the town
Caribbean food and cocktails. Part of a chain.
Cafe and wine bar with a Mediterranean feel.
Small bar - good for a passing drink.
Historic town pub.
Independent tapas bar which is quite cramped inside. Serves as a late bar and can be a cheaper alternative to going to one of the clubs.
Small cocktail bar.
Inside, a traditional English pub, outside a very chic rooftop terrace. Very nice sitting outside in the summer.
Large outdoor bar area.
Hidden just behind the top of the high street, a traditional English pub, serving a range of real ales and imported drinks. Also known to host a few live music events from time to time.
Quite a lively pub with a young crowd. Good live local bands on some nights.
Close to York Road Car Park. Expensive beer.
Refurbished in a fairly central location, close to the bus station and taxi rank.
Previously called Scruffy Murphys, there is a deck on the front of the pub which overlooks the river.
Large pub with big screens with live sports. Good selection of beers and real ales. Nice selection of food.
Outside deck looks over the river
Boatman
Nice outside deck which stretches right out next to the river (railings are now placed at the edge for safety).
Nice outside terrace close to the river, very nice to relax on a summer's day or night.
A very pleasant pub, with a fine selection of locally brewed ales. It is expensive to drink here but this keeps the youth out, making it one of very few pubs in Guildford town centre where you can enjoy a quiet drink!
The oldest pub in Guildford!
a nice traditional English pub serving good quality local ales in a very attractive setting.
It offers a selection of pub meals from £2.
Holds dance classes every Thursday which include Salsa (Cuban, Cross Body On 1) and Rueda. Student discounts apply.
Part of the Mandolay hotel, this bar is at the top of the high street on the town centre and has a free-entry disco/club before 10:30PM.
Billed as Guildford's premier live music venue.
Guildford's live music venue for the talent that the ACM, Guildford and the surrounding areas have to offer. Weekly live nights: The Other Side of the Bridge, hosted by Way Out. Every Saturday from 8PM.
Situated on the outskirts of Guildford, the hotel is near Heathrow Airport and Central London. There are also leisure and business facilities on-site.
Landmark hotel next to G-Live.
By plane
Guildford is well served by London's collection of airports. For travellers coming directly to Guildford, the most convenient (in reducing order of convenience) are:
By train
From London, you should travel from London Waterloo station and catch a train whose first stop after Woking is Guildford (there are several of these an hour), the travel time will be about 35 minutes.
By coach
National Express serve Guildford with express bus (UK English:coach) services from around the country including London Victoria; advanced ticketing is necessary.
By car
Guildford is served by the A3 trunk road which runs from London to Portsmouth. It is about an hour's drive from central London.
By bus
Buses not only provide a good way of getting around the central district of Guildford itself, but are adequate for the local community.
By taxi
Taxis are by far the most expensive way to get around Guildford.
By car
Whilst not as bad as either London or Oxford, Guildford's roads can get very congested at peak periods, especially at the hogs back.
Maps
If you are planning to do any visiting or exploring beyond central Guildford, you will probably want to obtain a decent map of the area.
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