Overview
Introduction
Glastonbury, England, located 20 mi/30 km southwest of Bath, has a long tradition as a spiritual site. The tor—a conical hill jutting from the plain at the edge of town, with a ruined church on the top—is associated with the mythical Isle of Avalon and the Holy Grail. The site is especially appealing in late afternoon: Time your walk up the tor to catch the sunset (about an hour's climb). It's become the location of major new-age gatherings around the summer solstice. The city's abbey ruins are just as legendary: Some believe that King Arthur and Guinevere were buried there.
The enormous Glastonbury Festival is England's most popular summer music festival. Careful planning and a degree of luck are needed to get tickets. http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk.
Glastonbury is best paired with a visit to nearby Wells (a picturesque town we actually prefer). The cathedral in Wells is magnificent, with hundreds of unusual stone carvings. Also take time to drive through the Cheddar Gorge, an area of limestone cliffs and caves—don't forget to sample the local cheese as well.