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Major city · United Kingdom

Wells

Give Wells one full day and one night: the cathedral, Vicars' Close and Bishop's Palace sit within a 10-minute walk of each other.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
GBP
Best months
May–Sep
avoid Jan–Feb (cold, wet, some attractions on shorter hours)
Airport
BRS
Nights
1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 8Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
  • Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
  • Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
  • Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
  • United Kingdom ↗Most visitors who do not need a UK visa now need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling; this includes EU nationals. Irish citizens are exempt. Check the UK government site for your passport.
  • United Kingdom ↗The UK is outside the EU and the Schengen area; a Schengen visa is not valid for the UK.
  • United Kingdom ↗Driving is on the left; London has congestion and emissions charges for most vehicles, so do not drive in the city.

Wells is England's smallest city, about 10,500 people, and almost everything worth seeing is inside a compact medieval core: the cathedral with its scissor arches, the intact Vicars' Close and the moated Bishop's Palace. There is no train station, so you arrive by bus or car from Bristol, Bath or Weston-super-Mare. Most travellers see it as a half-day stop between Bath and Glastonbury; one night lets you have the streets to yourself after the coaches leave.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Wells, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
  • Sit-down mealPub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
  • BeerPint of ale£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi within Wells£6–10 (≈ US$8–14)
  • Museum or sight ticketCathedral entryFree, donations welcome
  • Budget bedHostel or pub bunk, a night, per person£30 (≈ US$40)
  • Mid-range bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£130 (≈ US$180)
  • High-end bedB&B or hotel double room, a night, per room£220 (≈ US$300)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget £45 (≈ US$60) · Mid £90 (≈ US$120) · High £160 (≈ US$250)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Wells Cathedral and its scissor archesVicars' CloseBishop's Palace and gardensHot Fuzz filming locations
Airports
BRS Bristol Airport (About 20 miles away; hire a car or bus into Bristol, then bus 376 to Wells. No direct rail link.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Wells: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

8°C

2°C

13 rd

Feb

8°C

2°C

11 rd

Mar

11°C

3°C

11 rd

Apr

13°C

4°C

10 rd

May

17°C

7°C

10 rd

Jun

20°C

10°C

9 rd

Jul

22°C

12°C

9 rd

Aug

22°C

12°C

10 rd

Sep

19°C

10°C

10 rd

Oct

15°C

8°C

12 rd

Nov

11°C

5°C

13 rd

Dec

9°C

3°C

13 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

Walk. The whole centre is under 1 km across and level enough for most visitors. Taxis exist but are expensive in Somerset and only make sense for trips out to Cheddar or the Mendips. Local buses leave from the bus station near the Tesco supermarket.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Glastonbury

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Bus from Wells bus station, about 20 min

Abbey ruins and the Tor; pair with Wells in one day if you start early.

Cheddar Gorge

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Bus or car via the A371

Gorge walk and caves; bus service is limited, check times.

Bath

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Bus to Bath Spa, or drive via the A39/A37

Roman baths and Georgian streets; easy as a separate base.

Bristol

go

Door to door: About 1 h 15 min

Bus 376 from Bristol bus station or Temple Meads, about 1 h

Hourly service; useful for the airport and onward rail.

Wookey Hole Caves

caution

Door to door: About 20 min

Car or taxi, about 10 min

Family attraction; check opening days outside summer.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Cathedral Green and Market Place

Walk to everything; the Swan Hotel sits opposite the cathedral. Book ahead in summer.

Sadler Street and High Street

Pubs, shops and restaurants on the doorstep; 5 minutes on foot from the cathedral.

Outskirts (Wookey, Stoberry Park)

B&Bs and country pubs with parking; 10–20 minutes by car or taxi into the centre.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
£45–75 (≈ US$60–100) excl. bed
Mid
£75–130 (≈ US$100–180) excl. bed
High
£130 (≈ US$180)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
B&B or hotel double room1 × 1 night × £130£130
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × £90£180
Bus Bristol → Wells, one way2 × £7£14
Bishop's Palace adult admission2 × £8£16
eSIM, about a week of data2 × £10£20
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurge£36
Trip total≈ £198 per person per day, bed included£396≈ US$550

2026 estimate in pounds; travel to Wells excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee£3–4.50 (≈ US$4–6)
Pub main course£12–18 (≈ US$16–25)
Pint of ale£4.50–6 (≈ US$6–8)
Cathedral entryFree, donations welcome
Bishop's Palace adult ticketAbout £8 (≈ US$11)
Bus Bristol → WellsAbout £7 (≈ US$10) one way
Taxi within Wells£6–10 (≈ US$8–14)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Wells is a small, low-crime city and feels safe day and night. The real risks are uneven medieval pavements, fast traffic on the A39 and A371, and winter ice on the cathedral green.
  • No train station: plan the bus or drive from Bristol, Bath or Weston-super-Mare.
  • Bishop's Palace closes earlier in winter (about 16:00) and charges admission; check current hours and prices before you go.
  • Crossing to the supermarkets south of the High Street means busy roads; use the zebra and pelican crossings.
  • Hot Fuzz locations are private homes and working shops: look, don't intrude.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
999
Police non-urgent
101
NHS non-urgent
111

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

WellsWells

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance999
  • Police non-urgent101
  • NHS non-urgent111

Embassy

No embassies in Wells; the US Embassy is in London, and most countries' consulates are in London or Bristol.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Bus Bristol → Wells: about £7 (≈ US$10), about 1 h
  • Bishop's Palace adult admission: about £8 (≈ US$11)
  • Taxi within Wells: £6–10 (≈ US$8–14)

Say or show

  • Excuse me / Sorry — Excuse me / Sorry
  • Thank you — Thank you
  • Please — Please
  • How much is it? — How much is it?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Where is the toilet? — Where is the toilet?

Tipping: 10–12.5% in restaurants if no service charge is added; not expected in pubs.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Wells. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep · avoid Jan–Feb (cold, wet, some attractions on shorter hours) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for BRS: last bus and taxi fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Cathedral Green, Market Place, Sadler Street, St Cuthbert's.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and prices (cathedral, Bishop's Palace, Wells Museum) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Wet-weather and coach-arrival fixtures so gates A–D can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United Kingdom

Sources