Car Hire St Albans

Easily accessible via the A414, M25 and M1 connections, St Albans provides excellent transport links throughout Hertfordshire and beyond. This vibrant cathedral city, with approximately 82,000 residents, enjoys mild summers averaging 22°C and cool winters around 5°C, creating comfortable driving conditions throughout the year. The city’s rich Roman heritage, combined with medieval architecture, makes it one of England’s most historically significant destinations.

St Albans represents one of England’s most historically significant destinations, built upon the Roman city of Verulamium and dominated by the magnificent Norman Cathedral and Abbey Church of St Alban—Britain’s first Christian martyr. The city seamlessly combines its remarkable Roman heritage, including extensive ruins, hypocaust and mosaics in Verulamium Park, with thriving modern amenities.

Attractions In St Albans

Two millennia of continuous occupation create layers of discovery from Roman Verulamium ruins to medieval cathedral magnificence, while contemporary life thrives through excellent restaurants, independent shops and vibrant weekend markets.

St Albans Cathedral

Standing majestically in Sumpter Yard, this remarkable cathedral welcomes visitors daily from 9 o’clock to 5:00 PM and boasts an exceptional 4.8-star rating from over 6,000 visitors. The Norman architecture showcases Britain’s longest cathedral nave, complemented by medieval frescoes that whisper tales of centuries past. Free admission allows you to explore the tomb of St Alban, England’s first martyr, where pilgrims have journeyed for over a millennium to pay their respects.

Verulamium Park

St Michael’s Street leads to this stunning 100-acre parkland, which consistently earns praise with a 4.7-star rating from over 3,100 visitors. Ancient Roman city walls frame modern amenities including ornamental lakes, themed playgrounds and seasonal splash parks. You can discover preserved hypocaust mosaics, enjoy crazy golf and outdoor fitness equipment or simply relax with picnics surrounded by wildlife and a centuries-old history in this remarkable urban oasis.

Verulamium Museum

This exceptional archaeological museum, located on St Michael’s Street, operates daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, earning acclaim with a 4.6-star rating from over 1,200 visitors. The extensive collection showcases Roman artefacts from ancient Verulamium, including intricate floor mosaics and fascinating coin displays. Beyond Roman perspectives, the museum presents broader historical narratives that connect past civilisations to modern St Albans, creating educational experiences that bring ancient stories to vivid life.

Roman Theatre Of Verulamium

Daily tours from 10 AM to 5 PM reveal Britain’s only known Roman theatre, complete with a stage, constructed around 140 AD and rediscovered through excavations in the 19th and 20th centuries. Bluehouse Hill is home to these atmospheric ruins, where reasonably priced £3 adult tickets provide access to underground shrines and detailed interpretation boards. The site occasionally hosts theatrical performances, recreating entertainment that once captivated Roman audiences in this remarkable surviving piece of ancient Britain.

The Great Gateway Of The Monastery

Abbey Mill Lane showcases this magnificent 14th-century gatehouse, built in 1365 as the entrance to St Albans Benedictine monastery. The structure survived the Peasants’ Revolt siege of 1381 and later served as a prison following the abbey’s dissolution. Today, it houses St Albans School, one of the world’s oldest educational institutions, where famous alumni, including Pope Adrian IV and Stephen Hawking, once studied within these ancient walls.

Exploring the wider region? Consider these nearby destinations:

• Bricket Wood
• Harpenden
• Redbourn
• London Colney
• Wheathampstead
• Garston
• Radlett
• Markyate

St Albans Museum + Gallery

St Peter’s Street features this characterful museum within the city’s former courthouse, which operates daily from 10 AM to 4 PM, with positive feedback from nearly 1,000 reviewers. Free admission provides access to historic courtrooms where you can enjoy refreshments surrounded by preserved legal architecture. The original jail cells beneath create fascinating underground experiences, though the real highlight remains the changing exhibitions that keep this converted Victorian building fresh and engaging for repeat visits.

Roman Wall Of St Albans

These impressive fortifications on Abbey Mill Lane represent nearly 2000 years of continuous survival originally built to protect the Roman settlement of Verulamium. The walls witnessed destruction during Boudica’s rebellion in 61 AD, before subsequent rebuilding strengthened the defences against tribal conflicts. We can appreciate how these ancient stones connect us directly to Roman engineering expertise, providing perfect picnic spots for history enthusiasts who enjoy imagining life in Britain’s third-largest Roman city.

St Albans Signal Box

This working heritage railway museum, located on Ridgmont Road, operates through dedicated volunteer expertise, offering free admission supported by visitor donations. Knowledgeable staff demonstrate authentic signal operations from the preserved box, providing hands-on experiences that engage visitors of all ages with the history of railways. You’ll discover how Victorian engineering controlled train movements, enjoy complimentary refreshments and observe modern mainline services from unique vantage points that showcase past and present railway operations.

Old Gorhambury House

The A414 leads to this evocative Tudor mansion ruin, accessible daily from 9 in the morning until 5 in the evening through a pleasant two-mile walk along private estate roads. The journey becomes part of the attraction as you traverse beautiful countryside before reaching information boards that explain the house’s former grandeur. Red kites soar overhead throughout this peaceful setting, creating a wildlife spectacle that complements the architectural remains and demonstrates successful conservation efforts.

Heartwood Forest

This expanding woodland near Sandridge represents England’s newest forest, planted within recent decades to create a legacy of natural beauty for future generations. Spring visitors discover spectacular bluebell displays in Langley Wood, creating purple carpets that transform the landscape between April and May. Scattered art installations throughout the forest add contemporary touches to the natural setting, providing perfect spots for contemplation, exercise or peaceful reading beneath the developing canopy.

St Albans Pudding Stone

St Michael’s Street displays this remarkable geological formation, created approximately 55 million years ago when natural processes embedded flints within conglomerate rock. The pudding-like appearance gave these stones their common name, though medieval communities believed they possessed protective powers against witchcraft. You can observe how natural concrete-like formations develop over geological time scales, appreciating this significant example of ancient environmental processes that shaped the Hertfordshire landscape.

St. Albans War Memorial

This striking monument commemorates 640 residents who died during the First World War and 168 who perished in the Second World War. Sir Ernest Wigram designed the memorial, unveiled by Lord Cavan in May 1921, creating a focal point for community remembrance. The 2015 centenary additions include a commemorative paving stone dedicated to local Victoria Cross recipient Private Edward Warner, ensuring that individual acts of extraordinary courage remain visible within broader commemorations of wartime sacrifice.

St Albans Organ Theatre

Camp Road hosts this unique musical venue where historical instruments create intimate concert experiences that blend classical and contemporary repertoires. The theatre specialises in organ music performances, although its programming extends beyond traditional church music to include a variety of musical styles. Exceptional coffee complements the acoustic experiences, creating social gatherings that celebrate both musical heritage and community engagement through these distinctive cultural events.

Highfield Park

Highfield Park is an extensive and highly valued community green space located on the eastern edge of St Albans. Formerly the historic grounds of Highfield Hospital, the park retains the site’s vast, mature arboretum and open meadows. Managed by a dedicated trust, it is a significant feature for local recreation and notably includes the preserved clock tower from the original institution, subtly reflecting its institutional past within a tranquil modern setting.

The Midland Railway Arch

The Midland Railway Arch is a prominent piece of Victorian engineering situated near the St Albans City station, marking the route of the historic Midland Main Line. This substantial brick structure provides a tangible link to the rapid expansion of the railway network in the mid-19th century, which profoundly shaped the modern town.

Former London Road Railway Station

Orient Close marks the site of this abandoned railway station, now converted into residential roads with distinctive elevated kerbs that hint at the former platform structures. The location provides insight into Victorian transport planning and subsequent urban development patterns. Walkers and cyclists can explore this fascinating example of infrastructure evolution, discovering how railway closures created opportunities for housing development throughout the 20th century.