Guildford

Abbot's Hospital

Built in 1619 by Guildfordian Archbishop of Canterbury George Abbot as a retirement home for the local elderly.

Chestnuts

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.

Farnborough International Airshow

Not in Guildford (10 miles away in Farnborough), but well worth a visit to this biennial airshow.

Guildford Castle and Grounds

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.

Gardens open all year dawn - dusk, castle closed in winter, weekends only in spring & autumn, summer: daily 10AM-5PM·Free entry into gardens, castle Adult £3

Guildford Cathedral

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.

Daily, all year round, 8:30AM-5:30PM; guided tours daily 9:40AM-4PM

Newlands Corner

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.

Odeon Cinema

Multi-screen cinema showing all the usual Hollywood offerings.

RHS Garden Wisley

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.

Mar–late Oct: Mon–Fri 10AM–6PM; Sat Sun bank holidays 9AM–6PM; late Oct–Mar: Mon–Fri 10AM–4:30PM; Sat Sun bank holidays 9AM–4:30PM. Closed 25 Dec.·Adult £14, children 5-16 £7, free for RHS members

Spectrum

Leisure centre with swimming, bowling, ice skating, fitness suites.

St Catherine's Chapel

Ruined chapel a short walk along the river wey from Guildford town centre.

The Angel

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 Britannia

Previously called Scruffy Murphys, there is a deck on the front of the pub which overlooks the river.

The George Abbot

Large pub with big screens with live sports. Good selection of beers and real ales. Nice selection of food.

The Guildhall

A marvellous Tudor/Stuart building with its overhanging 1683 clock.

The Spike Heritage Centre

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.

The Stoke

Holds dance classes every Thursday which include Salsa (Cuban, Cross Body On 1) and Rueda. Student discounts apply.

The Weyside

Boatman

Nice outside deck which stretches right out next to the river (railings are now placed at the edge for safety).

The White Hart

a nice traditional English pub serving good quality local ales in a very attractive setting.

The White House

Nice outside terrace close to the river, very nice to relax on a summer's day or night.

Watts Gallery and Watts Chapel

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.

Wooden Bridge

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.

Fahrenheit 55

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.

Guided tour of Guildford

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.

Mon 11AM, Wed 2:30PM, Sun 2:30PM, Thu 7PM·Booked through the Tourist Information centre

Guildford Book Festival

Annual festival of literature featuring signings, readings, plays, etc.

October

Guildford International Music Festival

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.

March

Ha Ha Bar and Canteen

Refurbished in a fairly central location, close to the bus station and taxi rank.

Loch Fyne

Part of a national chain of restaurants, in a classic style building in a prominent position in the town.

Olivio

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.

Rose Valley Curry House

Best curry house in town. Prince Harry and his mates have been known to dine here in the past.

Rumwong

Well presented Thai restaurant with a decent menu. There is normal seating, and for the brave, more traditional Kan Tok (much lower!) seating.

Mains from around £8