Fodor's Expert Review St. Albans Cathedral

Medieval pilgrims came from far and wide to the hilltop St. Albans Cathedral to honor its patron saint, a Roman soldier turned Christian martyr. His red-canopied shrine beyond the choir has a rare loft from where guards kept watch over gifts that were left. Construction of the mainly Norman cathedral began in the early 11th century, but the nearly 300-foot-long nave dates from 1235; the pillars are decorated with 13th- and 14th-century paintings. The tower is even more historic and contains bricks from ancient Roman buildings. Join a free tour of the highlights daily at 1:05 pm, or come for the more extensive free tours at 11:30 and 2:30 on weekdays, 11:30 and 2 on Saturday, and 2:30 on Sunday. Tower tours take place on selected dates, mostly on Saturdays. Call or check the website for the schedule.