Salisbury or Winchester for 2 nights

We have visited both cities. It's fun to compare the cathedrals. I thought that Salisbury was a bit more interesting, possibly because I also enjoyed reading Sarum. Salisbury seemed to have both shops and some cute restaurants along the little river. Another interesting spot is Mottisfont Abbey, which is between the two towns. It was a meeting place back in Anglo-Saxon times, today there's an interesting old house and a lovely walled garden.....When you drive between the two towns, use the country roads to get from one to the other. That area is full of pretty little villages.

Salisbury is more charming, it's a tangle of old streets, has a big market, feels a bit more provincial. We live about 20 miles from there and occasionally visit because of the independent shops. We sometimes go to Winchester too, which is mostly laid out along one very long street. It's worth visiting just for the cathedral. Both have a Pizza Express, which is an important consideration for me, but may not be for you! Looking at your itinerary and thinking about the shortest route, the logical order would be Avebury, Stonehenge, Old Sarum, Salisbury, Winchester, Portsmouth (where half my family were from), Fishbourne, Petworth, Arundel, and then Canterbury last. Petworth is an outlyer from the route along the south coast, so in a sense it doesn't matter whether you visit Fishbourne before or after it.

Thanks so much, Cynthia and Kevin for your insight and tips. We secured a place in Salisbury and will take side roads out and about to see wonderful sights. We have decided to skip the naval museum and sights of Portsmouth (sorry, Kevin!).

Salisbury is a very good choice for a base. Of the places you've mentioned, I especially liked Arundel Castle, but was not too impressed with Petworth House. About an hour SW near Dorchester are 2 other places that may interest you: 1) Thomas Hardy's Cottage and 2) Athelhampton House. I recall that Athelhampton House is in the little village of 'Puddletown' on the banks of the River 'Piddle.'

Thanks so much for those extra tips, Tim. We'll consider heading to Dorset for some sights!