In the UK, the weather is finally nice: it’s time to get away from stuffy London and immerse yourself, if only for one day, in the peace and comfort of small towns. You can go for a walk, have lunch, go shopping, and enjoy culture too! They are also not as crowded at the weekend as, say, Windsor or Oxford. ZIMA Magazine has prepared for you a selection of six small but pleasant towns near London.

St Albans, Hertfordshire
St Albans was once known as Verulamium, one of Britain’s thriving Roman settlements. What reminds you of this former glory are the ruins of what is now a park with a lake, paths, and playground, the Roman mosaics, and a well-preserved amphitheatre which plays host to a variety of concerts every summer.

The city is very compact, and a standard walk through it includes a park, a visit to the cathedral (it has recently been restored and now looks as good as new) and the city center. In the center, in addition to a variety of stores, cafes and restaurants, there is a nice farmer’s market. If you’re feeling more adventurous, you can go for a walk around the “bedroom” areas and out into the fields, where caring locals have posted signs telling you about farming and life in the area.

Dorking, Surrey
Dorking’s most famous native is actor and director Sir Laurence Olivier. His birthplace is still on quiet, residential Wathen Road, little changed since 1907.

A walk along the lake is a must in Dorking: the scenery is idyllic in any weather. And if you want to get out of the city, Dorking’s scenic fields also form the backdrop. If you want to confine yourself to the town, the grand rooster sculpture is a reminder of the importance of poultry farming to the town’s economy. You can have lunch or tea at the White Horse Hotel. You might find inspiration there: Charles Dickens was one of the inn’s guests when he wrote Notes of the Pickwick Club.

Salisbury, Wiltshire
God himself ordered support for this city after the international scandal of the poisoning of former GRU employee Sergei Skripal and his daughter Yulia. Fear has alienated tourists from Salisbury for a long time, and now guides complain that many visitors are only interested in “where Skripal was poisoned. Meanwhile, the city is worth spending at least half a day here: ideally, after a visit to the famous Stonehenge, where buses run from Salisbury Station.

Salisbury is charming – narrow streets, little cafes and stores, first-class restaurants, a big shopping mall, and lovely parks. The main attraction is the stunningly beautiful cathedral and its now-famous spire. The cathedral holds the Magna Carta, one of the copies of the Magna Carta.

Winchester, Hampshire
Ancient capital of England, Winchester is one of the best preserved medieval cities in the country. You can’t miss the cathedral (very different architecture than Salisbury) and the castle, home to King Arthur’s Table. The history of the origin of the table is obscure, but it’s really round, really huge and really old. Let’s warn you right away – don’t get your hopes up about sitting at the table imagining yourself as one of the knights. No, all that remains of the table is a tabletop hanging on the wall of the Great Hall, which, in turn, is the only thing left of the medieval castle.

In the cathedral rest the remains of several English kings and writer Jane Austen, whose works are loved not only in England but also in Russia.

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire
Henley is most famous for its regatta, an annual English social calendar event. But you’ll get more out of the action if you visit Henley without the crowds and fences.

You can take a long walk along the banks of the River Thames and watch the owners of the boats and small yachts leisurely moor and manually lower the locks to continue their journey down the river. Henley is a city of the wealthy, as evidenced by the prices in local restaurants and pubs, but coffee and scones are readily available in the town square.

It’s worth wandering into the residential blocks and the neat homes with orchards and front gardens to discover why former Beatles star George Harrison stayed hidden in Henley. They say his widow still lives in Friar Park. The gate and gatekeeper’s lodge are the only things that passers-by can see, giving an idea of the scale of the 25-hectare estate.