In addition to its ancient heritage, Wiltshire is one of the UK’s most vibrant and dynamic counties and has so much to offer visitors to the county in 2019.
It is home to World Heritage Sites, White Horses, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty, internationally-acclaimed attractions, traditional market towns and villages and much more! VisitWiltshire has compiled a list of just some of the exciting new projects, features, festivals, events and exhibitions to look forward to in 2019.
Great West Way is a new tourism route covering 125 miles from London to Bristol. Recently launched by VisitWiltshire it is based on one of the first Great Roads commissioned by the Kings of England. It will enable UK and overseas visitors to explore the route in depth with a range of themed itineraries and trails, suitable to travel by car, coach, rail, cycling, walking and waterways. It offers a variety of unique experiences not found in any other part of the country.
Known as ‘the city in the countryside’, Salisbury was named as one of the world’s Top 10 Cities to visit in 2015 by Lonely Planet. There is a wealth of things to do, events and places to stay to make the perfect visit. There are new 2019 exhibitions at Mompesson House and Salisbury Museum. Mompesson House’s ‘Standing by my darling’s side: A Victorian experience of life, love and loss’ is a representation of Jinny Townsend’s life through her diaries whilst she lived in Salisbury from 1859 until 1882. The origins of photography exhibition at Salisbury Museum highlights the historical city of Salisbury through a series of photographs.
2019 offers visitors even more with the return of Salisbury International Arts Festival on 25th–29th June and the city is excited to welcome the Salisbury Armed Forces Day on 29th June.
Longleat will be opening their brand-new Koala Creek in spring 2019. It will be home to six southern koalas making Longleat the first collection in Europe where visitors can see these amazing animals. This is all part of an international breeding and awareness-building programme to help ensure koalas have a future in the wild. They will also be joined by some of their closest relatives, the southern hairy-nosed wombat, in a brand-new habitat! Boasting a natural stream, glass-fronted wombat burrow, dedicated indoor and outdoor enclosures, and of course lots of lovely trees for climbing.
There will celebrations across the county marking the 200th anniversary of the births of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert. Bowood House and Gardens are opening the Victoria, Albert and the Lansdownes exhibition in The Orangery and offering special walled garden and spring woodland garden tours.
Top events taking place throughout Wiltshire in 2019 include Downton Cuckoo Fair 4th May, Swindon Festival of Literature 7th-19th May, Chippenham Folk Festival 27th–30th May, Taste of Corsham15th June, Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival 25th June–1st July, Marlborough College Summer School 14th July–10th August, Malmesbury Carnival & Festival 24th July–22nd September and Edington Music Festival 19th–26th August.
For more information on new events and exhibitions taking place in Wiltshire in 2019 go to www.visitwiltshire.co.uk
Check out the recent blog on 22 Things to do in Wiltshire in 2019.
For further information please contact Florence Wallace, travel trade & PR manager, flowallace@visitwiltshire.co.uk Tel: 01722 341309 or 07436 588860
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