Cheltenham

What’s on in Cheltenham

Cheltenham, The Festival Town, is home to a comprehensive year-round calendar of 30+ festivals and major sports events. From The Cheltenham Festival at the home of jump racing, Cheltenham Racecourse, featuring The Gold Cup in March, to the world's oldest literature festival and cricket festival plus world class science, music and jazz festivals. Cheltenham truly offers 12 months of feel good experiences.

Families will love the Cheltenham Balloon Fiesta, Wychwood Festival and Midsummer Fiesta. Foodies should head to the Cheltenham Food and Drink Festival and the Great British Food Festival and music fans are spoilt for choice with the award-winning 2000Trees, Cheltenham Jazz Festival, Cheltenham Music Festival plus a wide range of top class concerts in Cheltenham throughout the year.  

Shopping in Cheltenham

Cheltenham is home to many popular High Street stores from John Lewis and House of Fraser to JD Sports and a huge new Decathlon store mixed in with fantastic independent retailers who offer products you simply won't find anywhere else.

A shopping trip to Cheltenham should include a browse around all of the unique shopping districts for a real flavour of the diverse stores on offer - The Promenade, Montpellier, The Suffolks, Tivoli and Bath Road.

Restaurants in Cheltenham

As with the exceptional food offering in Gloucester, foodies are spoilt for choice with incredible places to wine and dine in nearby Cheltenham. Top food guides and critics have lavished praise on innumerable Cheltenham restaurants. Home to award-winning and Michelin starred dining, restaurants run by Masterchef finalists and some of the best independent and up and coming eateries in the region.

A handful of the many fine dining restaurants proud to call Cheltenham their home are Le Champignon Sauvage, Lumiere Restaurant, Restaurant GL50 and YOKU, a new Japanese sushi restaurant located within the No. 131 hotel on the Promenade.  

For a more casual dining atmosphere try the multi award-winning Japanese restaurant KIBOU, Sri Lankan street food at The Coconut Tree which received a rave review by top food critic Jay Rayner, or authentic Spanish tapas at Bar Padron.

Accommodation in Cheltenham

Cheltenham offers a fantastic range of guest houses and hotels to suit every style, taste and price range. From town centre hotels close to all the action to countryside retreats a short drive from the town centre, spa hotels, self-catering apartments and even camping and glamping options we know you’ll find the perfect place to lay your head or indulge and relax. 

For a luxurious stay we recommend Gloucestershire’s only 5 star hotel, Ellenborough Park or Queens Hotel, No. 131, Neptune Apartments. For an affordable stay in the centre of town we suggest – The George Hotel and Spa Court by Staylets. 

Things to do in Cheltenham

Most famous for being home of Cheltenham Racecourse, which hosts one of the largest horse racing meets in the world, Cheltenham is also widely known as the most complete Regency town in the UK.

The heritage and architecture are one of the many draws for national and international visitors. Guided walking tours are offered to highlight the most notable buildings and landmarks. We also recommend hiring a rowing boat on the boating lake in Pittville Park, taking a refreshing dip at Sandford Park Lido (which has been delighting bathers since the 1930s!) and a ride on a steam train with GWSR for a real taste of nostalgia!

The Brewery Quarter offers a state of the art Cineworld complex, bowling alley, indoor adventure golf, new social darts venue – Flight Club, soft play and many popular restaurants and bars. 

Cheltenham has a superb continental café culture during the day, as well as a vibrant nightlife scene, whether you enjoy dancing, theatre or music. 

For further information about Cheltenham visit www.visitcheltenham.com