Wells

Understand

The city is dominated by the magnificent Gothic cathedral and is famous for its remarkably intact ecclesiastical quarter. This area contains the Bishop's Palace – the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells – and the Vicar's Close, a medieval street purported to be the oldest continuously-inhabited street in Europe. The city takes its name from the natural wells found in the Cathedral grounds, which feed the moat and ponds around the Bishop's Palace. The majority of the Edgar Wright comedy Hot Fuzz was filmed in and around Wells.

Get around

The city is so small that unless you have a medical condition you should have no trouble walking everywhere. If you would like there are taxis but these would only be useful making forays into the countryside (beautiful, by the way) or to nearby Cheddar, but these are accessible by bus, as well. Taxis in Somerset are expensive, even more so than in most large cities.

Buy

Every Wednesday and Saturday there is a market in the Market Place with all kinds of local art, jewellery and other goods.

The city's main attractions offer gift shops, perfect for a souvenir to take home.

High Street and the Market Place are probably the best places to shop in Wells. You'll find T G Jones, Waterstones and many other shops including charity shops, pharmacies, clothes shops and a wide range of coffee shops. Several shops open on Sundays.

There are several large supermarkets south of the High Street, including Tesco and Lidl, however be careful as pedestrian access involves crossing busy roads (zebra and pelican crossings are installed).

Drink

thumb|Crown Hotel There are several nice pubs in Wells. The Rose & Crown has some nice ales and a great beer garden, but it can get quite busy on weekends. The City Arms has some great food, but it's quite quiet in there and lacks the pub atmosphere. The Crown has a great atmosphere and it's a great pub.

Go next

Other local attractions near Wells are: Bath Bristol Cheddar Glastonbury Mendip Hills to the north Street (with Clarks Village outlet mall) Shepton Mallet — a pleasant historic market town with a good range of listed buildings Wookey Hole Caves (full of adventure for little kids) These attractions are all accessible by bus (buses usually leave from the bus station near Tesco)