Where to stay in Exeter

Exeter ( EK-sit-ər) is a cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately 36 mi (58 km) northeast of Plymouth and 65 mi (105 km) southwest of Bristol.

In AD 50 a Roman military base was built at a strategic crossing point on the banks of the river Exe, seven years after the Roman invasion of Britain. The settlement quickly gained in importance as the administrative centre for the Dumnonii tribe once the legionnaires left. Indeed, its Roman name, Isca Dumnomiorum, means "town of the Dumnonii (Devonian) tribe". Parts of the original Roman walls can still be seen today. The city continued to hold regional significance through the turbulent Dark Ages, being twice captured by the invading Vikings.

Getting in

Skybus flies from St Mary's on the Isles of Scilly (ISC) March-October, Monday to Saturday. The bus to the airport is Stagecoach Bus 56 between Exeter St David's railway station and Exmouth. Buses run hourly till about 10PM and take 20 min, single fare £3. A taxi costs £10-20. Exeter is on the London Paddington to Penzance line, with a train roughly every hour from Paddington to Exeter through most of the day. Alternatively, all Exeter stations (except St James's Park) are on the Riviera Line serving Starcross, Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torre, Torquay and Paignton.

Getting around

There is an extensive network of buses across the city. Most buses within the city are operated by Stagecoach, who also operate buses to most regional destinations. Some regional routes are operated by small independent operators. It can be more cost-effective to take the train instead of buses, particularly for long distances around the city and the larger area. Great Western Railway operates most of the network, with South Western Railway operating trains to the eastern suburbs and further. The central area of the city is fairly small, so it is easy to get around on foot.

Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.