Guildford

Travel 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 Guildford Castle. 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 kilometres) 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 kilometres) 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 S$120 per night from 13 Jul to 14 Jul
S$120
13 Jul - 14 Jul
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! (995 reviews)
If you want good customer service come here!
"Mo in the restaurant and Leo on reception were absolutely amazing! I would definitely come and stay again just for the extremely friendly service."

Reviewed on 7 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 S$305 per night from 5 Aug to 6 Aug
S$305
5 Aug - 6 Aug
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! (4,364 reviews)
"The Hotel was perfect for our needs. We were returning from 2 weeks in Croatia and needed a lay-over hotel between our return trip and our departure flight to San Diego. Everything was exactly as expected and desired"

Reviewed on 7 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 S$170 per night from 25 Jul to 26 Jul
S$170
25 Jul - 26 Jul
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! (3,674 reviews)
"Great and staff welcoming"

Reviewed on 7 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! (426 reviews)
Great size and facilities
"Have stayed here many times and always a good stat."

Reviewed on 30 Jun, 2025

HQ Aparthotel Farnborough
Charles Hope Apartments Brentford
Charles Hope Apartments Brentford
3.5 out of 5
Building 4, New Horizons Court,, Brentford, England
Stay at this 3.5-star business-friendly apartment in Brentford. Enjoy free WiFi, free parking, and concierge services. Popular attractions Wembley Stadium and ...
8.4/10 Very Good! (61 reviews)
"Staff very helpful apartment neat and clean, all good"

Reviewed on 7 Jun, 2025

Charles Hope Apartments Brentford
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

Things to do

Reviews of Guildford

4.2
Top destination
5 - Excellent
43
5 - Excellent 31%
4 - Good
78
4 - Good 56%
3 - Okay
19
3 - Okay 14%
2 - Disappointing
0
2 - Disappointing 0%
1 - Terrible
0
1 - Terrible 0%

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Good pubs, restaurants, entertainment venues, safe

3/5 - Okay

Verified traveller

Quite an old and run down town. Not many posh restaurants to dine in.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Very good restaurant choices but need to book ahead as all are very popular Ate at Theion - Greek- outstanding food and service

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

Guildford was a lovely town with the main high street all cobbled for pedestrians only, plenty of places to eat and lots of unusual shops and of course popular everyday ones great atmosphere and truly great with the Christmas lights on.

5/5 - Excellent

Verified traveller

We always enjoy a visit ti Guildford. Plenty of places to shop, eat or just relax with a coffee.

4/5 - Good

Verified traveller

I like Guildford. We went to a lovely 'speak easy' bar called Tudor Antiques and sat in the bay window over the high street. Lovely bar with delicious cocktails.