I took a day trip to St Albans today. Formerly known by its Roman name, Verulamium, St Albans is home to a great many ancient Roman ruins. From the old city wall to the Roman theater, town house, and row of shops, I spent the afternoon taking in the Roman sites and enjoying the sunshine in Verulamium Park.

Day Trip to St Albans

Day Trip to St Albans

In all my day tripping from London I’ve become fascinated with the history of the UK.

I moved here from a city with history dating back a whopping 160 years and in which we consider a building old if it was built before 1950.

From that perspective, being in a country where there are actual Roman ruins is pretty exciting.

St Albans Pub

Things to See in St Albans

While the ruins were impressive, they weren’t all the city had to offer in the way of history. There was a lot more, and I intended to see as much of it as I could on my day trip to St Albans.

The city is home to an early 15th-century medieval belfry, assorted historic houses, one of the oldest pubs in England, and a ginormous cathedral.

Cathedral in St Albans, England

St Albans Cathedral

The last of these was particularly interesting to me, as it was built over so many years that it slipped seamlessly back and forth between the Romanesque and Gothic styles.

In fact, St Albans Cathedral is the oldest site of continuous Christian worship in Britain.

Window of St Albans Cathedral

St Albans Markets

I was primarily on a day trip to St Albans to see its historic treasures, but not everything in St Albans predates the Renaissance.

I was lucky enough to visit on market day. While the market itself dates back to the 9th century and is one of the oldest in the country, the eclectic offerings were certainly up to date.

Vendors sold everything from children’s bikes to sofa foam, fresh fruit, and spices like garam masala.

House in St Albans

St Albans Day Trip

I spent some time wandering through the market in St Albans and then hopped on the train to travel to London.

Tomorrow I leave for a weekend trip to the Canary Islands, which will be less focused on history and more focused on beaches. I can’t wait.

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Day Trip to St Albans

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