Unlocking the Hidden Gems of Cheltenham: A Comprehensive Guide
NEXT week’s Cheltenham Festival is rightly on every horse-racing fan’s wish list. But as James March finds there’s far more to this pretty spa town than bookies, jockeys, and hot favorites.
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WHY SHOULD I GO TO CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL?
WHILE the horse racing is a big draw — the four-day festival starts on Tuesday and tickets are still available for selected days from £57pp (see thejockeyclub.co.uk/cheltenham) — the town also has great cocktail bars, pubs serving hearty British fare, and free museums.
And Cheltenham calls itself the Festival Town for good reason — its year-round calendar of events including jazz, literature, music, and science festivals.
EXPLORE CHELTENHAM ON FOOT
CHELTENHAM is fairly flat, compact, and easily walkable, with the only elevation being the Cotswold Hills that rise to the east of the town.
The Promenade — known locally as The Prom — is the grand centerpiece of a town lined with delightful Regency architecture, so meandering about on foot is not something to be rushed. There are some fabulous green spaces, too, such as the historic Pittville Park, Montpellier Gardens, and Sandford Park.
The racecourse is a half-hour walk away, so sharing a taxi might be the best way to get there.
The Cheltenham Spa railway station is about a mile from the center of Cheltenham, but the D and E buses will whisk you into town or to the racecourse. You can get a Cheltenham DayRider all-day ticket for £4.25.
THE CHARM OF THE CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL
IF you’ve got a ticket — and the stamina — the Cheltenham Festival horse-racing is one of the great British sporting events of the year.
The party continues late into the night as live music thumps out from pubs and bars across town — and many places open early the next day for epic breakfasts.
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