Exeter holidays

How to reach Exeter

• Flight time: Flights to Exeter from major UK airports like Manchester and Edinburgh typically take around 1 hour.

• Transfer time: From Exeter Airport, a taxi takes about 15 minutes, while the bus service from the airport (#56) to the city centre is very efficient, with a journey time of about 25 minutes.

• Price: A single bus ticket from the airport to Exeter city centre will cost you about £3, a taxi around £20.

Weather and best time to visit Exeter

As a city destination, no one time is really better than another for holidays to Exeter. That said, each season offers something different.

• Spring (March to May): Average temperatures range from 8°C in March to 15°C in May, with moderate rainfall, while the fabulous Exeter Food Festival in April brings in the crowds.

• Summer (June to August): Peak tourist season brings the best weather, with temperatures hovering around 18°C to 22°C.

• Autumn (September to November): Autumnal colours take hold of the city and surrounding countryside, as temperatures cool from around 18°C in September to 10°C in November. Although quieter, there is still a packed cultural calendar.

• Winter (December to February): The colder months offer festive markets, Christmas lights and warming pubs to retreat to, and with fewer tourists, you can take in the city’s sights at your leisure. Temperatures hover around 5°C, and there may also be the odd flurry of snow.

Practical information

• Spoken languages: English is the primary language, but you’ll often hear a variety of accents and languages as the city hosts many international visitors and students.

• Local habits and customs: Exeter is a relaxed city with a slower pace of life than most, and the natives are a friendly bunch.

• Health and safety: Exeter is generally safe; however, it’s wise to stay alert in crowded areas.

• Currency: The British Pound Sterling (£) is the currency used. ATMs are widely available and credit cards are accepted almost everywhere.

• Getting around: The city centre is compact, making it easy to navigate on foot, but Exeter does have an excellent public transport system with buses and trains connecting the city to major attractions and nearby towns. A standard bus fare within the city will cost you about £2.40.

• Time zone: GMT, switching to British Summer Time in the summer months.

Best things to do in Exeter

With deep roots extending back to the Roman era, Exeter retains plenty of its medieval heritage, not least its sturdy cathedral, as well as fabulous museums, a gorgeously restored historic quayside and a fascinating network of subterranean passages.

Viewpoints and panoramas

• Exeter Cathedral: Climb the tower for superlative citywide views and beyond to the surrounding Devonshire countryside.

• Haldon Forest Park: Just a short drive from the city, there are many vantage points here for you to take in views of both Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks.

The best districts

• The Quayside: The warehouses that once stored the wool that made Exeter rich are now the starting point for canalside walks and bike rides during the day, and a lively focus for diners and pubgoers in the evening.

• Gandy Street: Said to be the inspiration for Diagon Alley in the Harry Potter series (JK Rowling went to Exeter University), this is the hub of Exeter’s self-declared indie scene and is overflowing with creative zeal.

Museums

• The Royal Albert Memorial Museum: A delightfully miscellaneous treasure-trove, this venerable museum boasts illuminating sections covering everything from Devon pottery to Tahitian mourning dress.

• Bill Douglas Cinema Museum: Exeter’s most offbeat attraction, this rather wonderful museum explores the development of visual media from Chinese shadow puppetry to Harry Potter.

Parks and gardens

• Rougemont Gardens: Located alongside Rougemont Castle, these superb gardens offer a peaceful retreat amidst baize-like lawns and prolific plant life.

• Northernhay Gardens: Allegedly the oldest public space in England, which is quite some claim, these gardens are perfect for a family picnic or a relaxing walk.

Historical monuments

• Exeter Cathedral: With its imposing, carved west front and immense vaulted ceiling, the cathedral is the region’s greatest medieval monument – an absolute stunner.

• Custom House: The most opulent building on the quayside, this magnificent specimen was built in 1681 and still preserves its ornamental plaster ceilings upstairs, along with panels explaining the development of the local wool trade.

Day trips in the area

• Powderham Castle: A satisfying melange of Gothic, Georgian and Victorian styles, the grounds are no less pleasing, with a fantastic park holding some 400 fallow deer, viewable on a tractor-drawn Deer Park Safari.

• Dawlish Warren Nature Reserve: A sandy spit jutting into the estuary holds this stunning reserve, harbouring a range of wildfowl and wading birds as well as a huge variety of flowering plants, mosses, liverworts and lichens.

• Knightshayes Court: This Victorian Gothic house hosts striking works by the medievalist designer William Burges, and has fine gardens to boot.

Activities for families in Exeter

From interactive museums that spark the imagination to spooky underground passages, there’s no shortage of family-friendly options here.

• Interactive museums: The Royal Albert Memorial Museum’s user-friendly approach – with eye-catching presentations and a discreet sprinkling of 21st-century technology – makes it a surefire winner with kids of all ages – and their parents!

• Historical monuments and sites: Exeter’s Underground Passages are the only explorable tunnel system of their kind in the UK, so don a hard hat and be prepared to be spooked – well, just a little bit.

• Theme parks and adventure: A big hit with families, Crealy Great Adventure Park has more than 60 indoor and outdoor rides and attractions, and a menagerie of animals from emus to monkeys and meerkats.

Free things to do in Exeter

Exeter is a city that does budget travel well, whether you’re interested in history, nature or the arts, so you’ll have little difficulty hunting down free things to do.

• Free events: Exeter hosts a host of free events throughout the year, the pick of which is April’s Exeter Food & Drink Festival with free sessions and cooking demonstrations. In September the city celebrates its heritage during the annual Exeter Heritage Open Days, when many historic sites open their doors for free.

• Swimming: When the sun dares to rear its head, pack your swimming stuff and head to Heavitree, which has paddling pools, or St Thomas Splash Pad, a municipal park with water fountains, tipping buckets and cannons for all kinds of watery capers.

• Free guided tours: Join a free 1 hour 30 minutes guided walk conducted by the Red Coat guides, which take place daily throughout the year and focus on themes such as “Exeter Old and New” and “Ghosts and Legends”.

Nature and outdoor activities in Exeter

Surrounded by some of the finest walking terrain in the southwest, and with the coast close to hand, there’s no shortage of outdoor pursuits to try during your Exeter holiday.

• Hiking and walking trails: Dartmoor, southern England’s greatest wilderness, has everything that the outdoor enthusiast could wish for – but above all else, it’s the walking that folk really prize here.

• Cycling: The Exe Estuary Trail offers a flat, traffic-free route ideal for family bike rides, not to mention one or two excellent pubs en route, like the Double Locks, which has a lovely waterside beer garden and an outdoor play area.

• Water sports: Head to nearby Exmouth or Dawlish for stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, sailing and loads more water-based thrills and spills.

• Adventure activities: Haldon Forest, just a short drive from Exeter, is great for adventure seekers, with options for ziplining and tree-top adventure courses at Go Ape, as well as mountain biking trails for all abilities.

Local dishes in Exeter

One of the chief delights of Exeter holidays is exploring the city's progressively exciting food scene, which, if nothing else, showcases the best of Devon’s strong culinary heritage.

Some typical dishes

• Devon Cream Tea: The most important thing to remember when sampling this waist-expanding delight is that the cream is spread on each half of the scone, then the jam is dolloped on top; it’s the opposite in Cornwall.

• Exeter Stew: Originally made with mutton, this hearty dish is these days usually prepared with beef slow-cooked with root vegetables and ale, to create the perfect comfort food during colder months.

Meat dishes

• Venison from Dartmoor: A staple in many local pubs and restaurants, this game meat from the nearby national park is typically served as part of a roast or in a rich, savoury stew.

Fish and seafood dishes

• Mussels from Exmouth: Cooked in cider with garlic and cream, these scrumptious morsels reflect Exeter’s relationship with, and proximity to, the coast.

Street food

• Fish and chips: The Quayside is stacked with street food vendors serving this perennial British favourite: a large hunk of battered fish with salt and vinegar-covered chips on the side.

Sweets and desserts

• Clotted Cream Fudge: A rich and creamy fudge made with clotted cream from Devon’s dairies, this is the perfect sweet treat or souvenir to take home. Also worth sampling (although you can’t take it home) is Devonshire Ice Cream, produced using the region’s rich milk and cream.

Local drinks

• Cider: Devon is famous for its orchards, the pick of which is Sandfords, whose drinks – from ice-fermented cider to a spiced Pomona's Cask – are fantastic.

• Ale: Try some of the local brews from Exeter Brewery, which reflect the city’s long brewing tradition and passion for craft beer.