The recent publication by the World’s largest publisher of travel guides; Lonely Planet of its list of best cities to visit in 2015 ranks Salisbury as Number Seven, the only UK destination to make the top ten. This will come as no surprise to those of us who already have the pleasure of living and working in this lovely part of the country. The fact that little old Salisbury is ahead of the more glamorous and famous global cities of London, New York, Paris, Sydney and Rome, amongst hundreds of others, should be a source of tremendous pride.
It is part of the British psyche to not only be modest but also to actively put ourselves down. We are, it has been said, a nation of moaners. This is the wrong attitude. Britain is truly a great country; one with superb natural beauty, a fascinating history and enviable tradition as well as being a hugely important financial, political, cultural and sporting leader on the World stage.
Salisbury, Wiltshire on the world stage
Salisbury being regarded as one of the top ‘must see’ places in the World to visit next year is a great boost not only for the UK but particularly for this region. This news will attract headline attention for the city and the surrounding area but it is not just about transient visitors, it is also somewhere that attracts considerable interest from those looking to make their permanent home here.
One of my tasks as an estate agent is not to sell just my clients’ homes but is also to ‘sell’ this part of the country to those looking to move here from London, other parts of the UK and even from overseas. Often these buyers have not made up their minds as to where they want to live or do not know South Wiltshire and the neighbouring counties very well. This part of the job is actually pretty easy, not because I know it so well having lived in the area for much of my life but because it is genuinely a wonderful place to be.
Celebrated Wiltshire Countryside
So why would you want to stay in and around Salisbury if you already live here or move to if you don’t. Well, there’s the glorious undulating countryside for a start, much of which forms part of an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This may be regarded as a rural, mainly agricultural region but it is not an isolated one with London and the rest of the country being easily accessible by road and rail. The South Coast with its lovely sandy beaches, sailing and cross channel ferries is not far away either.
The rich local history is another strong attraction with many well-known landmarks such as the city’s inspiring medieval cathedral, Old Sarum, Old Wardour Castle, the Fovant Badges and of course the most famous ancient historical site in the country; Stonehenge. So there’s plenty to keep both the visitor and full time resident busy and with the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta coming up in 2015, the best preserved copy being kept at the cathedral, Salisbury is sure to attract plenty of attention.
Excellent Wiltshire Schools
Many families are drawn here due to the high standard of the education on offer with two highly regarded grammar schools, some excellent primary and secondary state schools and a number of top independents. However it is also the quality of life here that is an attraction and why we are seeing an increasing number of buyers registering with us looking to purchase properties whether as their primary home or just as a weekend escape.
