Leamington Spa

Leamington Spa sits comfortably in the middle of Warwickshire, a Regency spa town that grew up around its mineral springs and never quite lost the elegance from that era. Wide, leafy streets and grand terraces give it a settled, well-to-do feel, but there's plenty of quirk beneath the polish, from an escape-room-style spy mission trail to a disc golf course tucked into Quarry Park. It's an easy town to spend a day or two wandering, whatever your pace.

Jephson Gardens is the obvious heart of the place, a formal Victorian park along the River Leam that's ideal for a slow stroll or a picnic, and Victoria Park adds another green space nearby with more room to roam. The Leamington Spa Art Gallery is worth a look for something indoors, while the Guide Dogs National Breeding Centre and Ufton Fields Nature Reserve make good reasons to venture slightly further out of the centre for a change of pace.

For staying over, options in the area lean towards something more rural, with Hilltop Hideaways offering a campsite base if you'd rather sleep under canvas than in the town itself. It suits visitors keen to use Leamington as a springboard for wider Warwickshire days out while still being close enough to nip in for the evening.

Between the parks, the gallery, and the trail-and-disc-golf side of things at Quarry Park, Leamington Spa manages to feel both dignified and a little playful. Add in a food scene big enough to keep return visitors busy, and it's a town that rewards more than a single afternoon.