Discover Exeter: Art, History and Trails

Exeter combines art, city history and varied trails to create a destination with many different discoveries. Travellers with diverse interests can choose between exhibitions, historic buildings, guided experiences and landscapes along the Exe Estuary. This mix can also help you decide which focus matters most for your holiday apartment in Exeter: cultural visits, historical insights or days outdoors by the water and on the trails.

Art, Stages and Museums

The Phoenix Gallery presents exhibitions of contemporary art by artists from the region, the United Kingdom and abroad. At Exeter Phoenix, a varied programme of performances, comedy, cabaret, dance and spoken word complements the cultural offering. This allows you to combine a stay focused on visual art and events without limiting the trip to a single theme.

The Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery takes visitors through 16 exhibition galleries, from prehistory to the present day and from Exeter to the wider world. Admission is free. The museum is located approximately 200 metres from Exeter Central railway station and approximately 200 metres from the High Street, where most buses stop. This specific location is particularly helpful if you want to combine time at the museum with travelling by train or bus.

The Custom House Visitor Centre also offers its own distinctive focus. Lively exhibitions, illustrations and artefacts convey the history and development of Exeter’s Quayside. Those interested in the city as a trading and river setting will find a different perspective here than in the art galleries or museum collections.

Historic Traces in Exeter

Rougemont Castle and Gardens encompasses a Norman motte-and-bailey castle with walls, towers and an outer bailey. The area around Rougemont also preserves archaeological and environmental-history evidence from long periods of settlement. The Exon Domesday contains unique information about politics, society and the landscape of south-west Britain around a thousand years ago. These three themes offer different historical perspectives: architectural history, settlement development and written records.

Exeter Cathedral is an example of Gothic architecture and a cultural attraction. Beneath the city, the Underground Passages lead even further into history: they were built in medieval Exeter to accommodate pipes for clean drinking water and can be visited as part of a guided tour. Before the tour, the Heritage Centre at the Underground Passages offers interactive exhibitions and explanations. This allows you to put the visit into context through models and information before taking part in the tour.

Another historic connection between the past and nature can be found at Cricklepit Mill. The earliest known mill on this site was built in the 13th century as a fulling mill for processing woollen cloth. Today, Cricklepit Mill in Exeter is home to an award-winning wildlife park and nature garden. This contrast makes the site interesting for travellers who want to combine historical development and observing nature during one day of their stay.

Trails, Estuary and Guided Experiences

The Exe Estuary Trail connects Exmouth, Exeter and Dawlish along the Exe Estuary and offers views of the River Exe. The Exeter Green Circle is a 12-mile-long trail along the boundaries of Exeter. The two options suit different travel plans: the Estuary Trail focuses on the estuary landscape and several towns, while the Green Circle presents Exeter as the starting point for a longer trail around the city.

If you prefer to discover attractions on a guided tour, Exeter Red Coat Guided Tours take place daily throughout the year. Most tours start at the statue of Richard Hooker on Cathedral Green and last approximately 90 minutes. The exceptions are the Historic Quayside tours and the Canal Boat Tour. This means you can include a guided tour in a day plan with a museum visit, an art programme or a walk.

The Right Location for Your Travel Plans

When choosing a holiday apartment in Exeter, it is worth deciding in advance what rhythm you want for your trip. For days focused on culture and history, the Phoenix Gallery, Exeter Phoenix, the Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Rougemont and the Underground Passages are the main attractions. If, on the other hand, you prefer longer trails and views of the River Exe, the Exe Estuary Trail should form part of your plans. Those who want to combine different interests can pair the city’s history with the Green Circle, a guided tour or the nature garden at Cricklepit Mill. This way, you can choose your accommodation according to the experience you want to occupy the greatest part of your trip.

Other places for orientation: Frithelstock, Combe Martin, Broadclyst, Braunton, Manaton, Croyde, Hartland and Newton Abbot.

For the overarching travel overview: Devon.