This industrial city in Staffordshire shaped Britain's ceramic industry, with Royal Doulton and Wedgwood factories still active. The area's pottery tradition dates back to the 17th century.
Stoke-on-Trent spreads across six connected towns in central England. You can shape clay on a potter's wheel at Gladstone Pottery Museum, see active production at the Wedgwood factory, or explore the 5,000-piece collection at the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery. Walk through the red sandstone canyons of Park Hall Country Park or spot kingfishers along the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Making Pottery in Stoke
Learn pottery techniques at Gladstone Pottery Museum, where you can create your own pieces on a potter's wheel. The museum's 19th-century bottle kilns tower above the workshops. At the Wedgwood Visitor Centre, watch craftspeople hand-paint designs and apply glazes on the production line. The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery houses 5,000 ceramic pieces from different periods, plus a restored Spitfire aircraft - a tribute to its designer, local engineer Reginald Mitchell.
Getting Around the Six Towns
Trains connect to Manchester (45 minutes), Birmingham (50 minutes), and London (95 minutes). First Bus runs services between the six towns every 10-15 minutes through Hanley Bus Station. The Trent and Mersey Canal winds through the city with boat moorings at Etruria and Westport Lake, where you can walk along the towpath or watch narrowboats pass through the locks.
Parks and Natural Areas
Walk through the deep red sandstone canyons at Park Hall Country Park, a national nature reserve with marked hiking trails. Burslem Park's nine hectares include a restored 1870s bandstand and stepped gardens. At Trentham Gardens, you can walk through Italian-style formal gardens, around the mile-long lake, or along woodland paths where red squirrels and kingfishers live.
Arts and Entertainment
The Film Theatre screens independent and international movies in its 1970s building near the railway station. Watch plays performed in-the-round at the New Vic Theatre, or attend concerts in the Victorian-era Victoria Hall. The Regent Theatre puts on musicals and plays throughout the year. At Festival Park, you can ski on the dry slope, go bowling, or watch movies at the multi-screen cinema.
Local Food Scene
Try Staffordshire Oatcakes - flat pancakes filled with cheese, bacon, or eggs - sold in small shops throughout the city. In Burslem, The Leopard and The Bull's Head Inn serve local ales in their original 1800s interiors, complete with etched glass mirrors and carved wooden bars. Each of the six towns has an indoor market open daily, selling fresh produce and regional specialties.
