Guildford Travel Guide

Tourist Guide

Guildford which includes heritage architecture
Guildford which includes a house
Guildford
Guildford
Photo by Debbie Whatt

Explore the historic centre of Surrey’s largest town, which is lined with handsome old storefronts.  

Guildford is an attractive market town with a 17th-century clock and a cobblestone main street. Browse shops ranging from designer stores to independent boutiques, admire the town’s historic architecture and check out the regular street markets.

Visit Guildford Cathedral, set on an imposing hilltop above the River Wey. The cathedral’s stark red-brick exterior is balanced by a bright interior of pale Somerset sandstone and white Italian marble flooring. The cathedral regularly hosts interesting events. Take a guided tour of the interior.

Enjoy the panoramic views from atop GuildfordCastle. First constructed in the 12th century, the castle’s shell keep is the only part of the original complex visible today. See the exhibit in the Great Tower, which includes a model of the original castle and an interpretation panel examining its long history.

Tour The Spike, a well-restored workhouse dating back to the early 20th century. Through costumed reenactments and hands-on activities, The Spike offers interesting insight into poverty in Britain during the 19th and 20th centuries.

Don’t miss the traditional street market on North Street every Friday and Saturday. With more than 20 stalls, the market is an excellent place to shop for fresh produce and meats, in addition to accessories and home furnishings.

Head 11 miles (17.5 kilometers) outside of Guildford to visit Polesden Lacey, a 19th-century mansion in Great Bookham. Inside, admire the exceptional collection of early 20th-century porcelain, furniture, silver and artwork. Walk through the mansion’s beautifully landscaped gardens or rent equipment to play a game of croquet.

Guildford is also an excellent base for visiting the RHS Wisley Garden, a 240-acre (97-hectare) garden 10 miles (16 kilometers) northeast of the city. The garden is touted as one of the most diverse in the world. Smell the fragrant air of the rose gardens and inspect the trial fields, which are used for new vegetables and flowers.

Take a train or drive from London to reach Guildford. If arriving by plane, choose flights that land in Heathrow or Gatwick airports.

Guildford Manor Hotel & Spa
Guildford Manor Hotel & Spa
4 out of 5
Newlands Corner, Guildford, England
The price is AU$160 per night from 20 July to 21 July
AU$160
20 July - 21 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star spa hotel in Guildford. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and a full-service spa. Our guests praise the helpful staff in our reviews. Popular ...
7.2/10 Good! (993 reviews)
A good place to stay
"A good place to stay. We were walking the NDW. A bit of a walk. Didn’t get chance to use the gym and pool - they looked great. No A/C on a very hot day. Restaurant and bar was good but food stopped at 8.30."

Reviewed on 5 Jul. 2025

Guildford Manor Hotel & Spa
Sofitel London Heathrow
Sofitel London Heathrow
5 out of 5
Terminal 5, London Heathrow Airport, West Drayton, England
The price is AU$366 per night from 17 July to 18 July
AU$366
17 July - 18 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 5-star luxury hotel in West Drayton. Enjoy free WiFi, 2 restaurants, and breakfast (surcharge). Our guests praise the breakfast and the restaurant ...
8.8/10 Excellent! (4,346 reviews)
"Awesome hotel"

Reviewed on 5 Jul. 2025

Sofitel London Heathrow
Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport
Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport
4 out of 5
The Grove, Bath Road, West Drayton, England
The price is AU$205 per night from 18 July to 19 July
AU$205
18 July - 19 July
includes taxes & fees
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly hotel in West Drayton. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and room service. Our guests praise the breakfast and the ...
9/10 Wonderful! (3,665 reviews)
"The"

Reviewed on 5 Jul. 2025

Hyatt Place London Heathrow Airport
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.
Aparthotel Adagio London Brentford
Aparthotel Adagio London Brentford
4 out of 5
Ealing Road, Brentford, Brentford, England
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Brentford. Enjoy free WiFi, breakfast (surcharge), and a fitness center. Our guests praise the helpful staff ...
9/10 Wonderful! (1,135 reviews)
"The apartment itself was lovely, ideal for our one-night stay. Parking and check-in was easy. Our only issue was when enquiring about parking (particularly disabled parking) before arriving, the emails I received back were very unhelpful and each time I asked more than one question in an email, I ..."

Reviewed on 2 Jul. 2025

Aparthotel Adagio London Brentford
HQ Aparthotel Farnborough
HQ Aparthotel Farnborough
4 out of 5
2 Victoria Road, Farnborough, England
Stay at this 4-star business-friendly aparthotel in Farnborough. Enjoy free WiFi, parking (surcharge), and a 24-hour front desk. Our guests praise the helpful ...
9/10 Wonderful! (425 reviews)
Great size and facilities
"Have stayed here many times and always a good stat."

Reviewed on 30 Jun. 2025

HQ Aparthotel Farnborough
Stunning 1-bed Studio in Windsor
Stunning 1-bed Studio in Windsor
3 out of 5
Windsor
Stay at this 3-star apartment in Windsor. Enjoy free WiFi, a garden, and in-room washers/dryers. Popular attractions Windsor Castle and LEGOLAND® Windsor are ...
Misdescribed, and unsafe
"Where do I start The property was described as a studio. It stated that everyone in my party would be undestrurbed in the accomodation. This is untrue and breaches the trades description legislation The property has a shared kitchen with no privacy in it. The only TV is in the kitchen and so relaxing ..."

Reviewed on 22 Sep. 2024

Stunning 1-bed Studio in Windsor
Lowest nightly price found within the past 24 hours based on a 1 night stay for 2 adults. Prices and availability subject to change. Additional terms may apply.

Popular places to visit

Activities

Reviews of Guildford

4
Top destination
5 - Excellent
0
5 - Excellent 0%
4 - Good
4
4 - Good 100%
3 - Okay
0
3 - Okay 0%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

We enjoyed our stay, but most folk who were in the know all asked “why stay at Guildford”??

Cities near Guildford