An elegant Regency town, Cheltenham rose to fame almost 300 years ago, when its natural spring was discovered, and became a popular spa town soon after. However, today it is the horse racing that draws the crowds of visitors and tourists to Cheltenham each year, with the famed National Hunt Festival each March ranking as the top steeplechase event of its kind in England.Cheltenham's historic spa town past is still very much present, with many beautiful 19th-century buildings gracing the streets of the town centre and its handsome public squares. The Promenade and adjoining Montpellier area is where you will find the best selection of shops and tourism offerings, being home to the local Tourist Information Centre (TIC), where Cotswolds walking, cycling and driving guides are readily available.
Cheltenham Tourist Information and Tourism: Top SightsRanging from shops and public parks, to period buildings, horse racing and tourist sights, there is much to Cheltenham. It is of course the Cheltenham Racecourse at Prestbury Park that is perhaps the most famous of all its attractions, while within the town centre itself, the Everyman Theatre dates back around 120 years and offers an extensive calendar of shows and events. Located alongside the Town Hall, the award-winning Imperial Gardens are at their very best in the summer and always extremely colourful. More information about Cheltenham Tourist Attractions.
The period buildings of Cheltenham are its main historical landmarks, adding much interest and character to the streets surrounding the Imperial Square. A stroll along the Promenade comes highly recommended and it is here where you will find the town's Municipal Offices and the beautiful Long Gardens. Standing on Cheltenham's High Street, St. Mary's Church is actually the last medieval building in the town and dates from the early part of the 12th century, although various additions and alterations have been made over the subsequent years. More information about Cheltenham Landmarks and Monuments.
Although tourists don't really come to Cheltenham for its museums, there are a couple of notable such attractions. The Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum on Clarence Street offers an extensive collection of both art works and local artefacts, and has been greatly extended in recent years. Nearby, the Gustav Holst Birthplace Museum is packed with information relating to famed composer Gustav Theodore Holst and was actually his birthplace in 1874. Many of Holst's most familiar musical compositions can be enjoyed here, with music being piped throughout the house. More information about Cheltenham Museums.
Gloucestershire is rich is tourist attractions and Cheltenham is just a short drive away from some of the most appealing and alluring. Day trips and excursions to Bath, Bristol, Birmingham, Frome, Leicester, London, Nottingham and even Weston Super Mare are all quite possible, with regular train connections being available to most. Particularly close to Cheltenham is the county capital of Gloucester, the university city of Oxford, the hilltop town of Malmesbury, the Shakespearean capital of Stratford upon Avon, the market town of Stroud, and the historical towns of both Cirencester and Tewkesbury. More information about Cheltenham Attractions Nearby.More Cheltenham Information / Fast Facts and Orientation
- Country: England (south-west)
- Location: Gloucestershire
- Status: spa town
- Population: approximately 110,000
- Language: English
- Currency: Pound Sterling (GBP / STG)
- Time zone: GMT / UTC and BST (British Summer Time), 5 hours from Eastern Standard Time
- Country dialling code: +44
- Telephone area code: 01242
- Average daily Cheltenham January temperature: 7°C / 45°F
- Average daily Cheltenham July temperature: 22°C / 72°F
