St Albans

Understand

thumb|The Wallingford Screen in the cathedral St Albans began in the Iron Age as the Catuvellauni settlement of Verlamio, renamed and developed by the Romans as Verulamium. Burned to the ground by the rebellious Iceni princess Boudicca during her rebellion, it was soon rebuilt. Ruins of portions of the Roman wall, the theatre and a hypocaust can be visited today. A resident of Verulamium named Alban became the first British martyr of Christianity, and thus St Albans became an important abbey and monastic centre in the Middle Ages. The cathedral, founded as the Abbey Church of the monastery on the site, was built partially of stones taken from the old Roman town. After the Reformation, St Albans faded from prominence, becoming a typical Home Counties market town. Yet its historical importance was recognised by the state in 1877, when Queen Victoria bestowed city status on the town and cathedral status on the Abbey Church. Today, St Albans is a well-off suburb, with many residents commuting into London.

Get around

St Albans has a fairly large city centre set on a hill, with large residential areas to the north, east and south. If you are walking from the railway station or visiting the ancient ruins in Verulamium Park, expect to walk at least two miles on your visit.

Do

There is lots to do in St Albans whether its just for: a short few hours, day trip or longer holiday.

Buy

The main shopping street in St Albans is St Peter’s Street which has a selection of usual high street stores. Market Place with its more oldie worldly feel is often used in pictures to depict St Albans with the Cathedral tower in the background.

Eat

St Albans has a wide variety of restaurants and pubs serving food, though nothing of particular excellence. The Hot Cross Bun (the Alban Bun) originates from St Albans, where Brother Thomas Rocliffe, a 14th Century monk at St Albans Abbey, distributed the bun to the local poor on Good Friday, starting in 1361. The Alban bun is available from the Abbots Kitchen (St Albans Cathedral) during the run up to Easter. There are lots of places around St Albans suitable for a picnic when the weather is fine. A good alternative to bringing a picnic and carrying it round with you is buying a supermarket meal deal (Tesco/Boots in the town centre & Sainsburys/Waitrose to the south of Verulamium Park).

Drink

St Albans has the largest number of pubs in one square mile in England (and the UK). On Friday and Saturday nights, most bars and pubs are full, and may have bouncers on the door checking ID. Closing times vary between 11PM and 2AM, so ask when you're at the bar what time 'last orders' is. There are plenty of very nice country pubs near St Albans, although you'll need your own transport to get there. On sunny days, plenty of people drink in Verulamium Park. This is allowed in certain areas. There are signs where alcohol is prohibited. Tesco on St Peter's Street is generally cheaper than off-licences.

Sleep

St Albans has a range of hotels and B&Bs, although no youth hostels. If visiting from London on a day trip, there is no need to stay in the city overnight, although there are some nice options if you want to stay out of London. thumb|Clarion Collection Hotel

thumb|Sopwell House (geograph 3431360)

Go next

London, with its famous West End, is less than an hour away by train. Brent Cross is an out-of-town shopping destination with easy access from St Albans by train or from the M1 motorway. Or in the centre, catch a show in the theatre, visit the galleries, shop in Oxford Street or enjoy a night out on the town (with overnight trains back into Hertfordshire). Berkhamsted, flanking the Grand Union Canal, boasts a range of independent shops and restaurants, and walks in the Chilterns open countryside. Hatfield is a short drive or bus ride from the city. Visit the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I at Hatfield Old Palace - part of the famous Hatfield Estate, or shop at The Galleria Outlet. Hertford the county town is a short drive away, with riverside walks in the daytime and pubs which come alive in the evenings. Watford boasts town centre shops, a museum, The Colosseum world-renowned music venue, Warner Bros Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter, and a series of restaurants, pubs and clubs. Whipsnade Zoo near Hemel Hempstead is the largest conservation zoo in the country.