Most people have heard of Glastonbury because of the world-famous annual music and art festival that takes place here in the English countryside, however not many people know that Glastonbury is actually a small ancient market town deeply rooted in myth and spiritual significance.
People travel from all over the world to visit this mystical land, an energetic vortex known to be the heart chakra of Mother Earth. If this is news to you, I highly recommend looking into it before your trip to add some depth and some context to the offerings, shops and conversations you will find here in Glastonbury. Think crystal shops, divine union offerings, ancient holy wells and tarot readers galore.
I have lived in England my whole life and never quite made it to the town or the festival and so i was very excited, and curious, to finally plan a trip and see what this pocket of England is all about.
If you’re searching for the best things to do in Glastonbury for a trip that blends outdoor adventure, stunning English countryside, and genuine spiritual depth, you’ve landed exactly where you need to be. Glastonbury is one of the most mystical places in Britain, and I’ve done the research for you and will share the best places for brunch in Glastonbury, the best coffee in Glastonbury and all the best things to do in Glastonbury in this guide.
Let’s tuck in, shall we?
Where Is Glastonbury?
Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset (South West of England), roughly two and a half hours from London and forty minutes from Bristol. It sits low in the Somerset Levels, a flat, watery landscape that floods in winter, which is exactly why the town’s most famous landmark, Glastonbury Tor, is referred to as it’s own island, towering above the own on a hill which you cannot miss. In fact, legend holds that this was once literally true (it was an island) and Glastonbury is widely identified as the mythical Isle of Avalon, the resting place of King Arthur and the site where Joseph of Arimathea is said to have brought the Holy Grail.
Best Way to Get To Glastonbury
Glastonbury has no train station of its own, so the easiest international route is to fly into Bristol Airport (about an hour’s drive) or London Heathrow/Gatwick (around two and a half to three hours by car). If you’re travelling by train, the nearest stations are Castle Cary or Bristol Temple Meads, both connected to Glastonbury by local bus or a short taxi ride.
IMO driving is genuinely the best way to explore the wider area, it means you can explore other nearby towns and English countryside gems whilst you’re at it like Stonehenge, Bath and Cheddar Gorge. A stop off in Glastonbury can be a great addition to a Cornwall road trip if you’re travelling from the London area.
Where to stay in Glastonbury
If you’re mapping out how long to stay in Glastonbury it helps to know that most of the best things to do in Glastonbury (the things in this guide anyway) including the Tor, Chalice Well, the White Spring, the Abbey, and the High Street shops – all sit within a fifteen-minute walk of one another, so you can definitely do Glastonbury in a day if you’re pushed for time. Park up your car, get some comfy walking shoes on and you’re set.
In terms of accomodation, base yourself in the town centre if you want to walk to the Tor, Chalice Well, and the shops without needing a car each day. There are boutique B&Bs and guesthouses dotted around the High Street and Chilkwell Street. If you’re after a quieter, more rural stay, look at farmhouses, cabins and glamping sites in the nearby fields and lanes.
I found this epic cabin pictured below. The cabin couldnt be in a better location for exploring the best things to do in Glastonbury and it even has views of Glastonbury Tor, from the bedroom windows and deck!! It’s also just a stone’s throw from the famous Chalice Well. The cabin has just been rebuilt to a very high standard, it’s light and airy and has a full equipped kitchen and bathroom. Highly recommend.
The best time to visit Glastonbury?
Glastonbury is a year-round destination, but each season has a different personality. Late spring and early summer (May to June) bring milder weather, blossoming orchards, and long daylight hours ideal for sunrise or sunset hikes up the Tor. These extended daylight hours are also awesome for squeezing everything in. In Juy when I visited it stayed light until like 9.30pm!
Late September into October rewards you with golden autumn light over the Levels and thinner crowds. Winter is misty, atmospheric, and genuinely magical for anyone drawn to the spiritual side of / a pilgrimidge in Glastonbury. Though be prepared for rain and mud on the trails – it is England after all.
Travel tip:
Avoid the town during Glastonbury Festival week (late June) unless you’re headed to the festival itself, as accommodation books out and the town gets busy.
Walk Up Glastonbury Tor at Sunrise or Sunset
Of everything on this list of the best things to do in Glastonbury, this is the one to prioritise. Don’t you dare forget about it!
The single best outdoor experience in town is walking up Glastonbury Tor, the hill you’ll notice as you drive into this ancient market town. Topped by the roofless tower of St Michael’s Church and many visitors, visible for miles across the Somerset Levels.
The Tor is managed by the National Trust and has free, open access at all times, making it perfect for a sunrise or sunset climb. There’s no car park at the Tor itself, so park at the pay-and-display on Chilkwell Street and walk up via Well House Lane, passing Chalice Well on the way.
The 360-degree view from the top over the English countryside, Chalice Hill, and the town below is one of the most rewarded viewpoints in the whole of Somerset.
Visit the Goddess Temple
Tucked just off the High Street in the Glastonbury Experience courtyard, the Glastonbury Goddess Temple is a free, donation-based sanctuary dedicated to the Divine Feminine. It’s open to visitors every day from 12pm to 4pm and they also hold events, meditations, healings and other offerings here so keep an eye on their events calendar when you know your Glastonbury dates.
The space is adorned with seasonal altars that shift with the Wheel of the Year, making every visit slightly different if you return. It’s a wonderful addition to an afternoon wandering the busier High Street shops. An opportunity to pause, pray and honour the Goddess (if thats your thing).
Fun fact: the Temple was formally recognised as an official place of worship in 2003, one of the few in the UK dedicated to Goddess spirituality.
P.s. there’s a cool shop below the Goddess Temple with an epic book selection, potions and cheeky lingerie!
Grab Brunch at FARA
For the best brunch in Glastonbury, head to FARA on Benedict Street. So many people recommended this place to me! Unfortunately there was an hour wait on food when I arrived and I didn”t have time to stop and try the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern dishes but if the sweet treats were anything to go by!!!
The cafe is a bright, relaxed space with a lovely garden shaded by an old oak tree so if you love a vibrant salad, wholesome soup, mezze style plates, freshly made toasties, alongside a strong focus on plant-based and gluten-free options made with locally sourced ingredients – you will LOVE it here.
FARA is consistently one of the most talked-about spots for brunch in Glastonbury among both locals and visitors, so arrive early on weekends to grab a table in the garden.
Wander the Shops in Town
No list of the best things to do in Glastonbury is complete without simply getting lost on the High Street, which is unlike anywhere else in England, and sits just a short stroll from Glastonbury Tor itself. Independent shops sell crystals, tarot decks, essential oils, and handmade art, alongside energy healers, aura photographers, and psychics offering walk-in readings. Most shops open around 10am and close by 5 or 6pm, so a late morning stroll works well. The highlight is simply the atmosphere — incense drifting from doorways, chimes in shop windows, and a genuine sense that this town takes its spirituality seriously rather than as a tourist gimmick. Fun fact: Glastonbury has one of the highest concentrations of independent spiritual and holistic shops per capita of any town in the UK.
Coffee, bakes and people watching at Finca
For a good coffee in Glastonbury, sit outside at Finca on Market Place, right in the heart of town. Many locals will tell you it’s simply the best coffee in Glastonbury and I can confirm the coffee was on point! It’s also a gorgeous interior and the perfect spot to have a rest and people watch.
Finca is a specialty coffee roaster with a rotating selection of single-origin beans, so the coffee changes with the seasons. Finca roasts all its own coffee across its own roasteries in Dorset, and only ever uses specialty-grade beans of 80 points or higher — a big part of why it’s considered the best coffee in Glastonbury by so many regulars, and a perfect follow-up if you’ve just had brunch in Glastonbury at FARA or fancy a pick me up before you climb the Tor.
Visit the Chalice Well Gardens
At the foot of Glastonbury Tor, along with the White Springs, sits Chalice Well Gardens, a World Peace Garden built around one of Britain’s oldest holy wells, sometimes called the Chalice Springs. The Chalice Springs have flowed continuously for thousands of years and are considered one of the most sacred water sources in the country.
The gardens are open every day from 10am to 4:30pm, with last entry at 4pm.
You pay, I think £5-6 to enter and you can re-enter with your ticket on the same day if you wish to return. Set aside at least an hour to meditate by the wellhead, enjoy the gardens, journal, and take a drink from the red-tinted, iron-rich spring water at the Lion’s Head fountain.
Fun fact: the chalybeate spring water flows at a constant rate of roughly 25,000 gallons a day and has never once failed, even in severe drought.
Dip in the White Spring
Directly across the lane from Chalice Well is the White Spring. A Victorian built Well House nestled beneath Glastonbury Tor now a temple in gratitude for the spring’s pure water and spiritual significance. Many see this water as the Divine Masculine, and the Chalice Well the Divine Feminine but its encouraged to feel into the energy for your own interpretation.
The White Spring is volunteer-run and free to enter but it does have pretty specific opening hours Tuesday, Thursday, Friday from 1:30pm to 4:30pm and Saturday, Sunday 1pm – 5pm. Always check current times before visiting as i’d hate for you to be disapponted!
This is the spring you can bathe in and you are welcomed to dip in the fresh (cold) springs nude if you so wish. Phones and photography are strictly prohibited to protect the sacred atmosphere. Bring a towel if you want to fully immerse yourself and something warm to pop on after – maybe even a cup of something hot!
Inside you’ll also have the opportunity to sit, pray and make offerings to Goddesses: Brigid, the Celtic fire goddess and Black Madonna.
Visit Glastonbury Abbey
Just off the High Street, Glastonbury Abbey is the atmospheric ruin said to be the earliest Christian foundation in Britain. Since Medieval times the Abbey has held legendary status as the earliest Christian foundation in Britain, linked to Joseph of Arimathea and the burial place of King Arthur, and was once the richest monastery in England at the end of the Saxon period, second only to Westminster.
Take an hour or two to wander the ruined arches, the Lady Chapel, and the spot marked as King Arthur and Guinevere’s grave. If this is your jam, bring a picnic blanket with you and enjoy the wide lawns are one of the best picnic spots in Glastonbury on a sunny day.
Opening hours vary by season:
- 9am to 4pm January and February
- 9am to 6pm March through May
- 9am to 8pm June through August
- 9am to 6pm September and October
- 9am to 4pm again in November and December.
Beyond the town
Beyond the town centre, Wearyall Hill in particular is a quieter, less-visited spot with sweeping views back toward the Tor, and a favourite for a sunset picnic away from the crowds.
For a longer countryside walk, the Somerset Levels stretch out toward the Avalon Marshes and the Ham Wall nature reserve, flat, easy trails ideal for birdwatching (look out for starling murmurations in autumn and winter).
If you’re road-tripping through the wider area, Wells (with its cathedral) and Cheddar Gorge are both under half an hour away and pair beautifully with a Glastonbury base for a longer countryside adventure.
A one day itinerary for Glastonbury:
- start with coffee in Glastonbury at Finca
- walk the High Street shops
- drop down to Chalice Well and the Chalice Springs for quiet reflection
- dip in the White Spring
- have brunch in Glastonbury at FARA before wandering the Abbey grounds
- climb Glastonbury Tor at golden hour.
Yes you can absolutely do Glastonbury in a day. Better still, you can see all the best things to do in Glastonbury in a single, unhurried day by foot.
Extra tips for visiting Glastonbury
- Wear proper walking shoes even for a “quick” trip up Glastonbury Tor. The paths are steep and can be muddy or slippery, especially outside summer.
- Bring a reusable water bottle to fill at the Chalice Springs and White Spring fountains, and pack a picnic blanket, since the Abbey lawns, Chalice Well meadow, and Wearyall Hill are all superb picnic spots with views.
- Save room for a second round of coffee in Glastonbury or a leisurely brunch in Glastonbury on your last morning. There are so many yummy spots to check out!
Have you been to Glastonbury?
What are the best things to do in Glastonbury? Anything you’d add to this Glastonbury bucket list?
