Destination guides > Europe > England > Southwest England > Devon > Exeter
Exeter
Exeter is surrounded on three sides by Roman city walls, although it is mostly a Saxon/Norman and late medieval city. It also features an historic quayside and unique medieval underground passages.
Practical information
Exeter Tourist Information Centre
Civic Centre, Paris Street, Exeter
Tel (01392) 265700
Website www.visitsouthdevon.co.uk
Open Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm & 2pm-5pm
Coming & going
AIR
Exeter Airport has excellent connections throughout Britain and Europe with budget airline, Flybe. Bus 56 runs between the airport and the city centre.
BUS & COACH
National Express (tel 0870 580 8080) coaches go to Bristol and London and Megabus has daily coaches to London with prices between £1 and £9 (plus 50p booking fee). All coaches depart from the Exeter Bus Station, which is near the corner of Paris and Cheeke Streets.
TRAIN
Exeter has several train stations. Central Station in the city centre is the most convenient but more trains stop at Exeter St David's Station, which is about a 20-minute walk from the centre. Central Station has trains to London (Waterloo Station) and St David's has trains to Bristol and London (Paddington Station).
South West Trains stop at Central and St David's Stations en route from London (Waterloo Station) to Torquay and Paignton and First Great Western run trains from St David's Station to Penzance and Bristol with connecting services to London (Paddington and Waterloo).
Local transport
Stagecoach operates Exeter's local buses, which is handy if you're staying at the YHA or if you want to get to some of the bigger supermarkets in the suburbs. All buses (except some Park & Ride services) stop on High Street in the city centre.
Hostel accommodation
Exeter YHA
Mount Wear House, 47 Countess Wear Road, Exeter, Devon EX2 6LR
Bus 57, 85, K, T
Tel 0870 770 5826
Globe Backpackers
71 Holloway Road, Exeter
Tel (01392) 215 5219
Sightseeing, museums & tourist attractions
Cathedral Church of St Peter
Exeter's 800-year-old Gothic cathedral is noted mainly for the Cathedral Library, whose collection includes the medieval Exeter Book of Anglo-Saxon Poetry, and its 15th century astronomical clock, which is believed to have been the inspiration for the nursery rhyme, Hickory Dickory Dock.
The Close, Exeter
Tel (01392) 255 573
Website www.exeter-cathedral.org.uk
Admission £5
Open Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm
Quay House Visitor Centre
This exhibition shows the development of the Quayside area with displays and an audio-visual presentation.
46 The Quay, Exeter
Tel (01392) 265213
Admission free
Open Jan-Mar Sat-Sun 11am-4pm; Apr-Oct 10am-5pm daily; Nov-Dec Sat-Sun 11am-4pm
Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery
This museum has a large range of displays in 16 galleries. It covers everything from local history to exotic cultures and exhibits include Egyptian tombs and a stuffed elephant.
Queen Street, Exeter
Tel (01392) 665 858
Admission free
Open Mon-Sat 10am-5pm
Underground Passages
Britain's only medieval vaulted passages that are open to the public were constructed during the 14th century to bring water into the city.
Romangate Passage, off High Street, Exeter (next to Boots)
Tel (01392) 665 887
Admission £4.90
Open Feb-May Tue-Fri noon-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm; Jun-Sep Mon-Sat 10am-5pm; Oct-Dec Tue-Fri noon-5pm, Sat 10am-5pm
Follow us: |
