Carlisle City Centre Tourist Information
A host of spectacular heritage attractions in Carlisle city centre await the visitor in this ancient city near Hadrian's Wall with over 2000 years of history. Carlisle Cathedral and Carlisle Castle are Carlisle's top two iconic heritage attractions and the beautiful compact city centre boasts fantastic Carlisle markets and best Lake District specialist shops and shopping centres. Discover great theatres and entertainment centres in Carlisle city centre like The Sands Centre and visit premier museums and galleries in Carlisle like the fantastic Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery.
» Find Accommodation in Carlisle City Centre
Places to stay in Carlisle city centre include stunning Victorian luxury hotels and B&Bs plus great modern Carlisle conference and wedding hotels. Many top museums and heritage attractions in Carlisle also offer facilities for weddings in Cumbria. Take walks in Carlisle city centre around the remains of the historic Carlisle city walls. The Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail is also easily accessed from Carlisle city centre. Perfect for romantic breaks in Cumbria, places to eat in Carlisle city centre include great bistro restaurants. Carlisle city centre shopping is famed for its great Continental and local produce markets, top shopping centres and stylish boutiques and craft shops.
Things to Do in Carlisle City Centre
The city of Carlisle on the northern edge of the Lake District National Park and the western edge of the Pennines AONB is one of Britain's great historic cities. A gateway to Hadrian's Wall, Carlisle city centre heritage attractions are linked to a history stretching back over 2000 years and include the spectacular Carlisle Castle founded in 1092, Carlisle Cathedral founded 1122, the remains of Carlisle West Walls dating from 1122 and the beautiful Carlisle medieval Guildhall Museum built 1407. This rich history of Carlisle is explored in-depth in the superb Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery in Carlisle.
Shopping in Carlisle city centre is a treasure trove for local produce and specialist shopping fans. Boasting a beautiful compact largely pedestrianized city centre, Carlisle city centre shopping features award-winning Market Halls, great famers' markets and the premier Lanes Shopping centre in the historic quarter. Great Carlisle walks are along the Hadrian's Wall Path National Trail or opt for gentle walking around the historic Carlisle City Walls. A year round city break in the UK, Carlisle theatres and entertainment centres feature the superb Sands Centre and for places to eat in Carlisle city centre choose from a host of fine Carlisle restaurants, bistros, coffee shops and tea rooms. Carlisle is also renowned as a premier conference centre in the North.
Carlisle City Centre Accommodation
Places to stay in Carlisle city centre include beautiful luxury Carlisle hotels with on-site premier restaurants and conference facilities, ideally situated close to Carlisle Cathedral, Castle and Carlisle station. Discover exquisite boutique style Carlisle city centre B&Bs and guest houses perfect for Carlisle shopping breaks and weekends away in Cumbria and the Lakes. Stunning historic hotels in Carlisle centre include magnificent Victorian hotels and charming period town house B&Bs and award-winning Victorian guest houses.
4 and 5 star B&Bs, guesthouses and hotels in Carlisle city centre are plentiful, with many boasting acclaimed in-house restaurants and all situated just a short walk from Carlisle Castle. Browse luxury Carlisle city centre hotels listed here on iknow-lakedistrict or opt for award-winning Carlisle guest houses and B&Bs. Style and luxury are synonymous with Carlisle city centre accommodation which is wonderfully accessible via Carlisle station on the West Coast Mainline.
Getting to Carlisle City Centre
Carlisle city centre is accessible by road, rail and coach. Major motorway gateways into Carlisle city centre include the M6 (Junctions 42, 43 and 44). Visitors travelling to Carlisle from Glasgow, Edinburgh and Newcastle also have easy access to Carlisle city centre by road via motorway links the M75, A74, A7 and A69. Stranraer ferry services on the A75 are a mere 2 hour drive from Carlisle city centre and ideal gateway airports to Carlisle for international visitors include Newcastle Airport and Manchester Airport.
Virgin Trains to Carlisle station, the stunning Citadel station built in 1847 to a design by William Tite, run regularly from London Euston, Glasgow Central, Edinburgh and Birmingham New Street. Trains from London Euston to Carlisle station take around 4 hours. For local rail links into Carlisle station, Northern Rail offer extensive rail links from a host of North West, North East and Yorkshire destinations. National Express also offer a wide choice of options for coach travel to Carlisle city centre from a choice of locations around the UK.
One of the best ways to get to historic Carlisle station is via the famous Settle-Carlisle Railway running between Leeds north to Carlisle. This historic scenic railway route to Carlisle runs through the beautiful Yorkshire Dales taking in the spectacular Ribblehead Viaduct. Chartered steam and diesel trains operate regularly on the Settle Carlisle railway.
Photo Credits
Cathedral image contributed by Danny Robinson. Tullie House Museum image contributed by Rose and Trev Clough. Market Hall image contributed by Stephen McKay. All images are copyrighted but licensed for further reuse under the Creative Commons License.
