This is the best pub in Christendom, let alone Salisbury. I love pubs and I love drinking beer, and this place is fantastic. I come here a lot. The beer is absolutely superb (I’m a shareholder in the brewery, but that’s no secret – everyone knows about it), but it’s the people that make it even more special. You can come in, relax, chat to locals and you’re not overpowered by loud music or the television like in other places.
The Wyndham Arms, 27 Estcourt Road, hopback.co.uk Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
Clarendon Palace was a major medieval palace and royal constitutions were signed here. On a nice day, there is nothing better than to walk up the lane towards the ruins and look back across Salisbury. These ruins are a little overlooked in comparison to Stonehenge, but the atmosphere doesn’t compare. You can really escape and get away from it all here. Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
Salisbury's cinema might be an Odeon, but I’ll bet you it’s the only Odeon in the country that is Grade I-listed. It’s quite a splendid building, dating back to the 15th century. It shows the same films you might see anywhere, but it’s got history, which sets it apart. That’s the thing about Salisbury – it is full of fascinating medieval history, everywhere.
Odeon, New Canal Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
I’m not a great eater-out, but on the few occasions I do, I’ll never say no to Da Vinci. I’d highly recommend the steaks – they are very, very good. Unfortunately it’s not one of those places you can just turn up and expect to get a table; you must remember to book in advance.
Da Vinci, 68 Castle Street, davinciofsalisbury.co.uk Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
There’s life in this river and that’s the beauty of it. Sometimes I go hoping to catch sight of a kingfisher or a water vole. On Christmas morning, the first thing I did was walk by the river. There are some absolutely stunning views of the city from here – that’s what inspired John Constable – and you’ll always find people along here, walking and taking photos of the swans. Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
City Hall and the Salisbury Playhouse are next door to each other, and between them they offer a lot of culture – quality theatre and good live music. The last band I saw live at City Hall was The Blues Band; I’m a blues fanatic. There’s a thriving local music scene in Salisbury, which may surprise people, and I love to bring out my guitar and have a jam session from time to time, too.
City Hall, Malthouse Lane, cityhallsalisbury.co.uk Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
This is a massive iron-age hillfort, where the Normans built their first castle and cathedral in Salisbury. It's a seriously impressive monument and it takes about half an hour to walk there from the city centre. It’s never overly busy, but if you want to get away from people you just walk around the ramparts. During the summer, jousts are often re-enacted there.
Old Sarum, Castle Road, english-heritage.org.uk Photograph: Alys Tomlinson
