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Stonehenge Private Tour

Europe is full of historic sites that will fascinate and beguile you.

By Rebecca SiggersPublished 5 years ago 5 min read
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This article and image are courtesy of K.C. Dermody from Travel-Wise.com

Europe is full of historic sites that will fascinate and beguile you. But if you know where to look, there are often ways to experience these places on a more intimate level that few others are able to. From castle stays in Scotland to night tours of the Roman Colosseum to private dining at centuries-old pubs, there are enriching historical experiences at various attractions and sites. And Stonehenge is no different.

Stonehenge is a true bucket-list site, a place that should be experienced by everyone at least once. While some may say it’s “just a bunch of rocks,” it’s a whole lot more than that, providing a glimpse of life in Southern England over 5,000 years ago and into one of the world’s biggest mysteries.

The ancient stone circle with its massive, 40-ton standing stones, somehow dragged over 150 miles to this spot on Salisbury Plain, have been a mystery to many for centuries. No one knows for certain why it was built—theories include everything from being an astronomical clock to a religious temple or ancient healing center. One thing we know for sure, despite some of the hype, is that it has no connection to Druids, as they didn’t flourish here until some thousand years later.

To best experience this remarkable ancient landmark, you’ll want to do some planning ahead, or there’s a good chance you’ll end up disappointed, standing behind the barrier, wondering why you’re staring at giant rocks. While the nearby visitor center does a good job at providing some of the details along with showcasing fascinating artifacts that have been uncovered, a special access tour will give you that true sense of awe and wonder, and the backstory that will leave you contemplating the mystery behind it.

Booking a Special Access Tour

Lion Tours offers special access into the inner circle of Stonehenge through its Stonehenge Adventurer tour, which can be booked directly online. The £130 per person price, just over $162 USD currently, includes admission to the site and it’s truly an experience of a lifetime. Your expert guide is part of what makes it so worthwhile, a passionate expert who is able to bring the site, the story behind it and its mysticism into perspective. Without that, it’s easy to see why some think it’s “just a bunch of rocks.” So what are you waiting for, grab a map like one that can be found here and head yourself on a journey of discovery and joy with your loved ones.

The Tour

You can start in the famous spa town of Bath for a fully guided tour that will bring you to Salisbury where you can step into the city’s breathtaking 13th-century cathedral that holds the oldest working mechanical clock in the world, dating to 1386. It also displays the best-preserved of the only four surviving Magna Carta documents and has the highest spire in Britain.

If you’re already in Salisbury, a popular base for visiting Stonehenge, you might want to join the tour from there. You’ll travel past Old Sarum, the site of the town’s earliest settlement, visiting Woodhenge and Durrington Walls where experts believe the builders of Stonehenge resided, before heading to the ancient circle itself. The first stop is the visitor center that features a world-class exhibition and cafe—you’ll have time to explore it before meeting back up with the group for the shuttle to nearby Stonehenge. Once there, your inspiring guide will bring you on a walk—following the footsteps of Neolithic ancestors to whom we’re all related (as he’ll explain)—through the landscape surrounding the stones that includes a number of burial sites. As you make the trek to Stonehenge, you’ll get a view that’s sure to give you goosebumps, one that relatively few people ever get to see without the crowds. It’s the perfect opportunity for those postcard-perfect photos, but the real magic comes when you step inside the inner circle.

Life-Changing

Chances are, if you know anyone who’s visited Stonehenge without taking this special inside tour, you’ve been told that it’s not worth the time. Heading to the circle on your own means standing among the tourist crowd behind that fence without getting much of the meaning behind it, which is bound to bring disappointment. After hearing this so many times, I came close to leaving it off my itinerary altogether. Fortunately, I listened to my gut.

Not long after boarding the bus with astronomer/archaeologist, Simon Banton, and tour director, Paul Raithby, in Salisbury, I knew I was in for a fascinating journey back through time. You could almost see the people who lived here so many years ago, along with a good glimpse at what their lives might have been like.

Walking up to the site through the endless grassy landscape, it was revealed in all its glory, and stepping inside the inner circle was truly nothing less than magical. Look closely, as entertaining expert Pat Shelley (part of the team that created the PBS program Secrets of Stonehenge) will point out the graffiti—carvings of daggers believed to have been made sometime after 1800 BC, when bronze axe heads started to be used. Who ever knew that those who lived here so long ago were creating their own version of “street art”? On this unforgettable tour you’ll discover all sorts of surprising secrets that are sure to leave you wanting more while providing a life-transforming experience.

This article and image are courtesy of K.C. Dermody from Travel-Wise.com

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