Things To Do in St. Albans

The Association of Honorary Guides, a trained group of local volunteers, provides guided walks that cost £2 to £6. These include a tour of the ancient Roman city of Verulamium and the Medieval Town, a ghost walk, and a coaching-inn walking tour. In addition to prebooked tours, free public guided walks are available on several Sundays; the tour begins at 11:15am and 3pm at the Tourist Information Centre. Tours are not always conducted regularly, so it's best to call in advance. Guides are also available, on Sunday at the Verulamium Museum and Roman Theatre at 2:30pm, to give short talks on a number of topics concerning the Romans and their time in the area. You can get full details from the Tourist Information Centre.

Cathedral of St. Albans, Holywell Hill and High Street (tel. 01727/860780; www.stalbanscathedral.org.uk), is still known as "the Abbey" to locals, though Henry VIII dissolved it as such in 1539. Construction of the cathedral began in 1077; it is one of England's early Norman churches. The bricks, especially visible in the tower, came from Verulamium, an old Roman city located at the foot of the hill. The nave and west front date from 1235.

The new chapter house, the first modern structure built beside a great medieval cathedral in the country, was opened by the queen in 1982. The building houses an information desk, gift shop, and restaurant. There is also a video detailing the history of the cathedral that you can view for free (donations appreciated).

The cathedral and chapter house are generally open daily from 9am to 5:45pm. In addition to church services, organ recitals are often open to the public. The church's choir can sometimes be heard rehearsing, if they're not on tour.

Verulamium Museum at St. Michael's (tel. 01727/751810; www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk) stands on the site of the ancient Roman city of the same name. Here you'll view some of the finest Roman mosaics in Britain as well as re-created Roman rooms. Part of the Roman town hall, a hypocaust (an ancient design for heating rooms), and the outline of houses and shops are still visible in the park that surrounds the museum. The museum is open year-round Monday to Saturday 10am to 5:30pm and Sunday 2 to 5:30pm; admission is £3.30 for adults, £2 for seniors and children, and £8 for a family ticket. By car, Verulamium is 15 to 20 minutes from Junction 21A on the M25; it is also accessible from Junction 9 or 6 on the M1; follow the signs for St. Albans and the Roman Verulamium. A train to St. Albans City Station will put you within 3km (2 miles) of the museum.

Just a short distance from Verulamium is the Roman Theatre (tel. 01727/835035; www.romantheatre.co.uk). The structure is the only theater of the period that is open to visitors in Britain. You can tour the site daily between 10am and 5pm (4pm in winter). Admission is £2 for adults, £1.50 for students and seniors, and £1 for children.

Museum of St. Albans, Hatfield Road (tel. 01727/819340; www.stalbansmuseums.org.uk), details the history of St. Albans from the departure of the Romans to the present day. It's open Monday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm and Sunday from 2 to 5pm. Admission is free. Located in the city center, it's a 5-minute walk from St. Albans City Station.

Batchwood's 18-hole golf course is one of the finest public courses in the country. The Batchwood Indoor Tennis Centre, which has four indoor courts plus outdoor courts, has professional coaches available for all play levels. Both the golf and the tennis center are located on the grounds of the Batchwood Hall Mansion on Batchwood Drive (tel. 01727/856596; www.batchwoodhall.com).