Plan your perfect break in
Harrogate
Eat, Explore, Experience Harrogate
Harrogate is a beautiful Victorian spa town famous for its healing spring water and Betty’s Tea Rooms. The town centre is great for shopping, with the Montpellier Quarter, Westminster Arcade and the Victoria shopping Centre offering an array of boutique shops and independent book shops. The beautiful Valley Gardens are just a 5 minute walk from the town centre and you’ll be spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants, bars and cafes.
Located in the heart of Yorkshire, Harrogate is the gateway to the stunning Yorkshire Dales. The medieval city of Ripon is nearby and you can discover the delightful market towns of Boroughbridge, Knaresborough, Masham and Pateley Bridge.
Places To Eat & Drink
Harrogate has a fantastic reputation for eating out, and with so many great restaurants and bars to choose from, here’s a small selection of our favourites.
If you fancy a taste of the Mediterranean, then Saranda Bar & Grill is worth a visit serving delicious Greek and Albanian food. You can expect a relaxing atmosphere, friendly staff and excellent mezes. For excellent Chinese food, try Haks which also has a takeaway menu or for Thai cuisine, Tah Chang serves authentic Thai food with a modern twist. To enjoy authentic Spanish tapas a visit to La Feria with its large outdoor terrace is a must.
The Ivy Harrogate offers a relaxed dining experience and is open for breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. For a friendly and cosy ambience go to William & Victoria’s, which is Harrogate’s longest-running wine bar. Finally, the Drum & Monkey is one of Harrogate’s oldest restaurants and the only restaurant in Harrogate dedicated to seafood. Established over 50 years ago it deserves its excellent reputation as it serves really delicious food.
Charlotte Gale Photography
There are plenty of pubs and bars to try in Harrogate including the dog-friendly Major Tom’s Social. This retro bar in the Montpellier Quarter offers a wide range of ales and serves great value pizzas. Another dog-friendly bar is the Cold Bath Brewing Co offering an excellent choice of craft beers to discover. The Pine Martin is also dog friendly and is a traditional pub with a lovely beer garden, and close to Harlow Carr Gardens. Finally the Little Ale House, a micropub offers a rustic country pub atmosphere in the heart of Harrogate.
And of course, a trip to Harrogate isn’t complete without a visit to the famous Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms. It has been an institution in the town since 1919 and you must try their fat rascals!
Shopping
Alongside all the usual high street favourites, Harrogate has a great selection of independent boutiques, art galleries and antique shops.
If you are looking for independent businesses, then a visit to the Montpellier Quarter is a must, with over 50 independent shops, bars and restaurants. Just a short stroll away is Cold Bath Road, with its array of pavement cafes, delis, independent shops and restaurants.
The Victoria Shopping Centre offers four floors of shops and is home to lots of well-known brands including WH Smith, TK Maxx, Next and the Body Shop. Westminster Arcade in contrast is a more traditional experience and is a stunning Victoria shopping arcade built in 1898. With a selection of independent shops, a book shop and Harrogate Tea Rooms, there is plenty to explore.
On the second Thursday of the month, Harrogate Farmers Market is held in Cambridge Street and sells locally sourced artisan goods. The perfect place to try some local Yorkshire produce!
Charlotte Gale Photography
Explore Harrogate
Harrogate is famous for its spa heritage. The Turkish Baths Harrogate are Britain’s most fully restored Victorian Turkish baths. Not only are they an architectural delight, but they are also a great place to relax and enjoy being pampered. You can learn more about Harrogate’s spa town history at the Royal Pump Room Museum.
There is plenty to do in Harrogate for free! The Mercer Art Gallery is located in the 200 year old, former Promenade Rooms and offers visitors a wide range of regularly changing exhibitions. A free walking tour is a brilliant way to discover even more of Harrogate. Join one of Harry’s free walking tours which start from the Cenotaph, opposite Bettys. Generally the walking tours run Wednesday to Sunday a few times a day.
If you are looking for live entertainment, the Royal Hall is a beautifully restored Edwardian Kursaal theatre offering opera, comedy, dance shows and concerts. Harrogate Convention Centre offers world class conference facilities and hosts many conferences, events and music concerts. Harrogate Theatre is worth a visit. Performances include drama, dance, music, an annual comedy festival and of course a pantomime at Christmas.
Every July Harrogate is home to the Great Yorkshire Show which attracts over 130,000 visitors and 8,500 animals. This four-day agricultural show is a highlight in the Yorkshire event calendar.
Harrogate International Festival delivers a year round programme of events and festivals which are well worth seeking out. A highlight in their calendar is the Theakstons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival held in July every year.
Charlotte Gale Photography
Parks & Gardens
Harrogate has some wonderful parks, gardens and green spaces to explore. RHS Garden Harlow Carr is a stunning garden whatever the season, plus you can enjoy a treat in Bettys Tea Room. If you are staying at Harlow View, RHS Harlow Carr is just a 10-minute walk away.
Valley Gardens in the town centre is the perfect spot for a picnic, a leisurely stroll or a cup of Yorkshire tea of a famous Ripley ice cream at the Magnesia Well Cafe. Children will love the large play area in the park with a paddling pool in the summer months.
The Stray is a 200-acre area of public parkland in the centre of Harrogate and a great spot for picnics and walks.
Explore The Surrounding Area
Harrogate is the gateway to the Yorkshire Dales, which offer stunning scenery and fabulous walks. There are so many wonderful places to visit, and we highly recommend Grassington, Burnsall, Appletreewick, Hawes and Bolton Abbey.
Fountains Abbey and Studley Water Garden is an ancient abbey ruin with a stunning water garden. This World Heritage site, managed by the National Trust, is vast and you can easily spend a full day there. Brimham Rocks is a great place to go walking whilst you explore the dramatic moorland rock formations. Ripley Castle and Gardens, just 3 miles away from Harrogate is another entertaining day out in a stunning location
Knaresborough is just a few miles away from Harrogate where you can discover Mother Shipton’s Cave which is England’s oldest visitor attraction with its Petrifying Well. Or enjoy a walk along the River Nidd and a visit to one of the many riverside cafes.
The cities of Leeds and York are also within easy reach of Harrogate. Leeds is a large, vibrant city bursting with energy and plenty of shops and restaurants. Discover York’s Roman roots and Viking past and enjoy the quaint cobbled streets and historical buildings.
