Cheltenham Spa Visitor Guide for tourists, things to see & do

Cheltenham Spa is a spa town in Gloucestershire and a great shopping and foodie destination. Cheltenham offers plenty to do and many tourist attractions. Cheltenham is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup. The Gold Cup is the key event of the horse racing festival held every March. The town hosts many festivals throughout the year, from literature to music.

Because of its location, there are also options for places nearby to visit in Gloucestershire and the Cotswolds. I’ve enjoyed lots of time in Cheltenham, having lived nearby for many decades.

Things To Do in Cheltenham

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There are many visitor attractions to suit most tastes in the town and the rest of the local area. Because of its surrounding countryside, there are lots of other things to do besides visiting Cheltenham.

Pittville Pump Room

The Pittville Pump Room in Pittville Park was the last and largest spa building built in the town. They completed the Pump Room in 1825, and it is now a Grade 1 listed building. The building’s architecture is fantastic, with a colonnade and lots of iconic columns. It still houses the original pump, made of marble and scagliola.

Pittville Pump Room is open to the public to explore and is also a premier wedding venue. Inside this grand building are a ballroom, billiards room, library, and reading room.

Churchyard of St Mary’s Church

Also known as Cheltenham Minster, St Mary’s Church is located just off the high street. The Minster is Cheltenham’s only surviving medieval building; it has been in use for 850 years. They believe it to have replaced a Saxon church erected on this site in the 8th century. In the Domesday Book, the church and its land (the rectory) were recorded as belonging to William the Conqueror’s chancellor. The grounds are a nice place to relax away from the hustle and bustle of the High Street.

Pittville Park

The town centre has a few parks, and the most notable is Pittville Park. The park is home to the iconic Pittville Pump House and boating lake. The park is magnificent for walking and includes 2 lakes and a few cafes for refreshments. Autumn is special in the park once the leaves have started changing. In summer and on other warm days, the park is vibrant.

Montpellier Gardens

Enjoy Dining Out In The Town

Cheltenham has a variety of places to eat out, from exclusive restaurants and fine-dining cafes to many chain restaurants. You’ll find plenty of vegan and vegetarian options to suit most tastes.

My favourite is Woodkraft, a new modern eatery on Regent Street near the Everyman Theatre that serves great food. The former MasterChef winner devised the menu, and it seems to be a very popular place to dine out. Many pubs in the town centre and suburbs serve food and great beer; some are even dog-friendly.

Imperial Gardens

Regent Arcade Shopping Centre

The Regent Arcade Shopping Centre has over 60 shops and is a great place for retail therapy. The arcade houses both independent stores and some international brands. It is home to the Wishing Fish Clock, which I believe to be the tallest mechanical clock in the world. The clock features a goose laying the mythical golden egg, mice evading a snake and a fish that blows bubbles every 30 minutes.

Dine out in the Brewery Quarter

The Brewery Quarter is just off the High Street and a one-stop shop where you can shop, dine out, and even stay the night.

The Brewery is home to some great restaurants like Mr Mulligans, a golf-themed restaurant, where you can play 18 holes of virtual golf. For beer lovers, Brewhouse and Kitchen microbrewery and a bar called The Brewery Home. For steak lovers, Son of Steak is the place to visit. They serve a great menu and offer delicious flat iron steak options, including a vegan version.

The Brewery Quarter is home to the Hollywood Bowl, a venue for 10-pin bowling and other entertainment, such as the cinema. A gym is also on site, or for those requiring space to work, there is HUB8, an innovative workspace. For shopping, the quarter includes shops like Tesco and Urban Outfitters, to name a few.

Sandford Park

Near the centre is Sandford Park, a beautiful place for a walk. It is a great place for a walk, a picnic, or to relax in the sun. Sandford Park has impressive fountains, nice trees, and beautiful flowerbeds.

Visit Various Museums & Art Galleries

Cheltenham offers a rich choice of museums. Music lovers can visit the Holst Birthplace Museum. The Wilson, which also doubles as an art gallery, has an excellent collection of exhibits.

Swimming at Sandford Parks Lido

Sandford Parks Lido is a Grade II listed outdoor swimming pool that was opened in 1935 in Cheltenham. Swimming here is a fun way to spend time. This outdoor lido has a 50-metre main pool, a children’s pool, and a paddling pool. Both pools at Sandford Parks Lido are heated: the main pool is a warm 26°C, and the smaller one is even warmer at 30°C. The lido is open from March through to October.

Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival

The foodie event of the year, Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival, takes place each June. The festival is in Montpellier Gardens. Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival is an exciting day out for adults and children. There is typically live music throughout the weekend, and you can buy a range of delicious food, pickles, sweets, and alcoholic items from lots of exhibitors.

The Cheltenham Food & Drink Festival prides itself on offering visitors the most diverse selection of food and drink producers, chefs, talks, and master classes. There really is something for everyone. The 2027 event takes place on June 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2027

Visitors can enjoy a series of cooking demonstrations from chefs, both local and celebrity chefs. You can also take part in International Wine Tasting classes or the diverse and fascinating Food & Drink talks with some of the most well-known and respected experts.

Spa Treatments

As a Spa town, there is a good choice of spas and beauty treatments throughout. This includes a skin clinic, massage and other treatments to enjoy. Some luxury hotels in town also offer full spa-day experiences with a choice of treatments.

Cheltenham Literature Festival

The Cheltenham Literature Festival takes place in Montpellier Gardens for literature lovers. This must-visit event is perfect for anyone who enjoys books and reading. Details…

Gardens Gallery

Montpellier Gardens also has the Gardens Gallery. The Gardens Gallery provides versatile exhibition space for Gloucestershire artists in the lovely Montpellier Gardens. The Gardens Gallery is typically open most days. It hosts a diverse range of events throughout the year.

The Gardens Gallery is within the Proscenium Building, which opened in 1900. They built the Proscenium Building to complement the bandstand, which has provided musical performances since 1864. Historically, the Proscenium hosted vocal concerts and other cultural events.

Cheltenham Race Week

Cheltenham Race Week takes place each March at the magnificent Cheltenham Racecourse. The festival is the pinnacle event of jump racing in the UK, including Champion Day, Ladies’ Day, St Patrick’s Thursday, and rounding off with Gold Cup Day. This is one of the town’s most popular events and a great thing to do for anyone who enjoys horse racing.

Stay The Night

To enhance a visit to Cheltenham and enjoy its full offerings, a night or two in the town is a good option. In the centre of Cheltenham, near Pittville Park, is The Portland, a very welcoming guesthouse. This is a marvellous, well-decorated place to stay. As a bonus, they supply a fantastic full English breakfast to all guests. Cheltenham offers a diverse range of hotels, from five-star luxury hotels to smaller independent boutique accommodation. You can find many great places to stay on the Booking.com website.