This elegant spa town in the Cotswolds has Georgian promenades, Victorian buildings, and a historic racecourse. Its cultural scene includes art galleries, museums, and high-end shopping streets.
In Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, you'll find authors speaking at the world's longest-running literature festival, horses thundering past at the Gold Cup races, and swimmers enjoying the 50-meter Sandford Parks Lido. Along The Promenade, 19th-century buildings with white-painted facades and wrought-iron balconies line the streets. From here, you can walk to the rolling hills of the Cotswolds or take short drives to medieval villages like Winchcombe and Broadway.
Year-Round Festivals
Cheltenham's calendar fills with major cultural events each season. At the Literature Festival in October, you can attend talks by international authors, join writing workshops, and browse book fairs. The Jazz Festival brings musicians to multiple venues every April, while the Science Festival in June includes hands-on experiments and demonstrations. During the Music Festival in July, classical performances take place in venues like the Town Hall and Pittville Pump Room.
Racing at Prestbury Park
The Cheltenham Festival brings four days of National Hunt racing to Prestbury Park each March, with the Gold Cup as its main event. Over 250,000 people attend the festival annually. From October to April, you can watch regular race meetings at the course. The racecourse has multiple grandstands, a shopping arcade, and restaurants ranging from casual cafes to formal dining rooms.
Food and Drink
Two Michelin-starred restaurants, Le Champignon Sauvage and Lumière, serve modern European cuisine. In the Montpellier district, you'll find wine bars, craft beer pubs, and restaurants serving everything from Thai to modern British food. The annual Food & Drink Festival in June fills Montpellier Gardens with local cheese makers, brewers, and international street food vendors.
Getting Around
Direct trains connect Cheltenham with London (2 hours), Birmingham (40 minutes), and Bristol (40 minutes). If driving, take the M5 motorway to junctions 10 or 11. Local buses run between the center and surrounding areas, and two park-and-ride services operate from the outskirts.
Day Trips to the Cotswolds
Several Cotswold villages lie within 30 minutes of Cheltenham by car. You can climb Cleeve Hill (330 meters) for views across Gloucestershire and into Wales. The Cotswold Way walking trail passes near the town, with marked paths ranging from 3 to 10 miles in length.
Historical Buildings and Spas
The discovery of mineral springs in 1716 transformed Cheltenham into a spa town. Today, you can see the results along The Promenade, where Georgian townhouses display detailed ironwork balconies. Pittville Pump Room, built in 1830, hosts concerts and events. The Wilson art gallery and museum displays local collections, including spa-era pump rooms and medical equipment.
