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This page is for the visitor to Exeter who wants to know about the most interesting attractions in the city.
Exeter has many buildings and places that are of historic interest. Its long history has left its mark on the city and there is a whole range of attractions of interest to young and old - and all those in the middle.
If for nothing else, Exeter is famous for its cathedral. Springing from a Saxon Abbey dating back to the 7th Century, it was built in two stages. - the two towers are a reminder of the first period of Norman building work. The nave and the West Front are from the second period of activity and were complete by the mid 14th Century.
Places to see
Cathedral
Butch the Gargoyle
The Three Gables
The Devon War Memorial
Located in the centre of Cathedral Green, the Cathedral is ringed by a range of historic buildings, including bookshops, art shops, pubs, and restaurants. It has changed little since 1905, the date of the map. The first hotel in the country, the Royal Clarence can be found in the corner, and close by is the famous Mol's Coffee House, the haunt of Elizabethan sea captains' and just off the Close in Martin's Lane, the famous haunt of Drake, the Ship Inn.
Wander around and soak up the atmosphere - this space has seen Roman soldiers socialising in their bath house, a young St Boniface learning Latin, and murder and political intrigue that involved Kings. The London stage coach would depart the Clarence on a three day journey to London, scraping past the narrow Broadgate, and Exonians would celebrate November the 5th by building a giant bonfire in the Close every year.
Thomas Hardy, Clark Gable, Anthony Trollope and Admiral Nelson have all visited the Cathedral Close, so why don't you follow in their footsteps...
This is truly the heart of the city.
Exeter Quay
The perfect place for a family - rent a bike and venture the canal bank, take a pedalo or canoe for a voyage on the Exe, browse the antique and craft shops in the old arches and listen to live music on a summer Sunday while you refresh yourself in the Prospect or eat a pizza at the Waterfront.
Butt's Ferry will take you to the other side of the river to explore Piazza Terracina and then wander along the canal basin, a place for boats and history.
Exeter quay was also one of the places used by the BBC when they produced the Onedin Line in 1976.A photo essay of the filming.
Other attractions around the city
Exeter has many other interesting places to visit that reflects its long history. The city wall has Roman, Saxon and Medieval masonry.
St Nicholas Priory contains a fine little museum of 17th century life, although the building dates from the Normans.
Exeter's trading past based on processing and selling wool can be glimpsed in Tuckers Hall - this hidden gem can be visited with the Redcoat Guides.
The Redcoat Guides generally start their free tours around the city from outside the Royal Clarence Hotel in Cathedral Close.
The High Street offers a selection of mainstream shops and places to eat - away from the High Street, in Gandy Street, there can be found a fascinating variety of bistros, wine bars, gift shops and boutiques. Head for Fore Street if you want to kit yourself out for a fancy dress party, buy a surfboard or browse the shelves of independent and secondhand book shops
High Street
Fore Street
Gandy Street
Parliament Street
Cinemas and theatre
Also see the City Council Tourist Office site
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