Glastonbury Travel Forum

any tips or advice about spending christmas week in glastonbury?

Expect some places to be closed for some/all of the time (e.g. the abbey, some restaurants)and limitations on public transport on 25th (none) and 26th. Everywhere will be closed on 25th, apart from a few pubs (which will have shorter opening hours). Make sure you book your Christmas day/Boxing Day meals as soon as possible after you arrive; many/most places locally will already be booked.

There's not enough in Glastonbury to occupy you for a whole week, imo, so explore your options for other places when transport is available. Pack suitable clothing, especially if you intend to go walking in the countryside (it will almost certainly be chilly and damp, though snow is highly unlikely).
www.glastonburytic.co.uk and www.glastonbury.co.uk are useful websites to start you off.

I would go for it, but with careful preparation.
The town makes a superb base for exploring the countryside round about, which is particularly lovely and varied.

The info above is very helpful re the limitations of that time of year.
Because things close down so much from Christmas Eve to 2nd Jan, when planning the timing of your stay, I would be inclined to arrive before this time, so that you can be sure all the shops and the couple of museums and other attractions in Glastonbury are open.

I've stayed in Glastonbury dozens of times, because it is a place which has happy associations for me, including staying in winter (though not at christmas) and we use it as a base for exploring, as well as enjoying the lively atmophere of the place itself. We've stayed with or without a car. Without any transport you can do some good walks from the town, even walking as far as Wells, which is a 'must' to visit for its lovely cathedral. There is a good bus service there as well (though see above re Xmas limitations). With transport you can go further afield - i particularly liked making day trips to Stourhead House and Gardens and to Avebury from there.

As with much in the UK, the weather is a factor - the last few Christmases have been mild, with the colder and rainier weather coming a little later. There is not much to do in-doors town, if very wet, once you have been to the museums and exhausted the possibilities offered by shopping and visiting tart card readers or aromatherapists ! Though there are sometimes could concerts or rather eccentric talks in the Assembly rooms, and some of the pubs have live music, and there will be a lot on before Christmas. Between christmas and new year it will be quieter.

November might almost be a better time, as there is an extraordinary carnival that tours the West Country then, and it comes to Glastonbury.

I've got some pages on the town, with a tip listing about half a dozen places I've stayed - please do email me if you need more information about anything.

I agree that Glastonbury is wonderful in winter as long as you allow for Christmas opening hours (we went in February). The views from Glastonbury Tor on a crisp winters day are really clear and it feels like you're on the top of the World!

Make daytrips to Wells indeed, and from Wells you also have buses to the Cheddar Gorge if you don't come by car.

thanks to all who have replied - these are all great tips - my plans are now becoming clearer. :-)