Bath, Oxford, Edinburgh – all incredibly pretty cities in the UK, but there’s another that might not be the first port of call but still pulls in more than 2.5million tourists a year. Exeter in Devon is a small city that packs a punch with plenty to show off, including architecture, culture and a vibrant nightlife.

Founded in around 250BC during the time of the Roman Empire, Exeter has flourished in the 2,000 years since to become one of the most important cities in the region.

At the heart of the city is Exeter Cathedral, which is a true marvel of Gothic architecture. Once you’ve explored the cathedral, nearby Cathedral Yard is packed with cafes and restaurants to grab a bite to eat or coffee. 

Next up on your list should be the Royal Albert Memorial Museum. It’s completely free to enter ith 16 galleries of displays and a year round calendar of prestigious touring exhibitions.  

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If art isn’t your thing, you can head underground for an immersive experience of Exeter’s Underground Passages which date back to medieval times. Beware, however, it’s not for the claustrophobic!

For the shopaholics among us, the cities walkable streets make it the perfect place to wander the large department stores in the main shopping areas of Princesshay and the High Street, or head to the Castle and West Quarters for quirky independents and vintage clothing.

As it’s home to the famous university, there’s an exciting nightlife on offer in Exeter. You can catch theatre performances and gigs, and nearby Powederham Castle is often host to some big name acts.

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Still not convinced to take a trip to Exeter? We’ll let the TripAdvisor reviews speak for themselves.

About the cathedral, one person said: “If you are in Exeter the cathedral is a must. Building started in the 12th century and the history and architecture are simply astonishing. Worth getting the more expensive guidebook for the extra detail.”

A second person wrote: “A lovely Cathedral with fantastic stained glass windows. A must place to visit whilst visiting Exeter. Also, visit the Christmas Market held on the Cathedral Green from mid-November.”

On the underground passages that stretch underneath Exeter, one person commented: “We really enjoyed our tour! We were told to arrive 10-15 mins early for the tour, which we did, and were inside the heritage centre to wait for the tour to start.

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“There’s lots of information in the room and images and some interactive activities for kids so we weren’t bored at all. The tour itself was fascinating! A guide leads you around underground teaching you the history of the tunnels and pointing out various things.

“We were a medium-sized tour and that felt fine space-wise underground. The guide was a lovely young woman who I think was called Shabany and she took a lot of time to answer all of our questions at the end too – very thoughtful and professional and clearly knew a lot!”

Alongside making history as a city, some of Exeter’s famous faces have made history of their own both in culture and in sport. This includes Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin, actor Matthew Goode, racing driver Harry Tincknell, singer Rebecca Worthley.

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