Leamington Spa

United_Kingdom

Royal Leamington Spa (or Leamington Spa or simply Leamington) is a large spa town in the West Midlands region of England, close to the cities of Coventry and Birmingham, part of the United Kingdom.

Leamington Spa is an attractive spa town notable for its fine Regency architecture and parks. Like Bath and Cheltenham, Leamington owes much of its grandeur to its development as a fashionable resort in the early nineteenth century, catering for those who believed its spring waters could cure or ease their ailments.

Leamington was laid out as a new town in the early to mid-nineteenth century, with features characteristic of modern planned towns including wide streets based predominantly on a north/south aligned grid. It was built on the site of a much smaller and older village called Leamington Priors, from which 2 buildings still remain - situated just East of the parish church.

Modern Leamington serves primarily as a commuter town for Coventry and Birmingham, with its population boosted during term time by students from the nearby University of Warwick.

  • The Royal Pump Rooms. A recently renovated historic building housing an Art Gallery and Museum, Library and Tourist Information Center, along with a cafe.
    • Art Gallery and Museum. Open Tu,W,F,Sa 10:30AM-5PM; Th 1:30PM - 8PM; Su 11AM - 4PM; M closed. Free admission.
    • Cafe. Open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Self-service cafe with a terrace.
    • Leamington Library, +44 1926 742721. Open M 9:30AM-8PM, Tu 10AM-8PM, W 9:30AM-5PM, Th 9:30AM-8PM, Fr 9:30AM-5PM, Sa 9:30AM-4PM, Su 10AM-2PM. Once the large swimming hall of the baths, this part of the building is now home to a modern library.
    • Tourist Information Centre. Open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su Noon-4PM.
  • The Royal Spa Centre, Newbold Terrace, CV32 4AA, +44 1926 334418. Entertainment venue featuring various shows, from concerts to wrestling.
  • Jephson Gardens, Newbold Terrace, CV32 4AA, +44 1926 353365. 6:00-21:00.

The Royal Pump Rooms. A recently renovated historic building housing an Art Gallery and Museum, Library and Tourist Information Center, along with a cafe.

  • Art Gallery and Museum. Open Tu,W,F,Sa 10:30AM-5PM; Th 1:30PM - 8PM; Su 11AM - 4PM; M closed. Free admission.
  • Cafe. Open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su 10AM-5PM. Self-service cafe with a terrace.
  • Leamington Library, +44 1926 742721. Open M 9:30AM-8PM, Tu 10AM-8PM, W 9:30AM-5PM, Th 9:30AM-8PM, Fr 9:30AM-5PM, Sa 9:30AM-4PM, Su 10AM-2PM. Once the large swimming hall of the baths, this part of the building is now home to a modern library.
  • Tourist Information Centre. Open M-Sa 9:30AM-5PM, Su Noon-4PM.

The Royal Spa Centre, Newbold Terrace, CV32 4AA, +44 1926 334418. Entertainment venue featuring various shows, from concerts to wrestling.

Jephson Gardens, Newbold Terrace, CV32 4AA, +44 1926 353365. 6:00-21:00.

Jephson Gardens is well worth a visit. There is a large pond, ducks, geese, a cafe, a restaurant, boating and lots of flowers and trees. You could combine it with a walk past the library, through the pump room gardens, over the bridge and into Victoria park.

Leamington's shopping area is focused on the Parade and consists mostly of the same retail chains found on any other British high street. The elegant facades of the Parade on the eastern side at the northern end conceal Royal Priors, a smart modern indoor shopping centre, with lots of brand name shops.

There is a new development of shops between the Town Hall and the Travelodge Hotel. On the other side of the Town Hall there is a tree lined avenue with new shops, cafes and restaurants.

Park Street and Regent Street have many small independent shops and it is well worth having a wonder round to find out some hidden gems. Also, Bedford Street is home to several small fashion stores.

Leamington has a good choice of moderately priced upmarket restaurants, including a wide choice of British Indian restaurants

  • Kismet, 11 Spencer St., +44 1926 428533. Very good Indian food at reasonable prices. The "buffet" is really a prix-fixe, but recommended.
  • Ali Curry House, 21 Bath Street, +44 1926 429405.
  • Amors Restaurant, 15 Dormer Place, +44 1926 774744.
  • Bombay Tandoori, 38 Regent Street West, +44 1926 420521.
  • Phoenix Chinese Restaurant, 11 Euston Place, +44 1926 424479. Upmarket Chinese resataraunt
  • Paprika Club, 22 Regent Street West, +44 1926 428272.
  • Royal Buffet, 16 High Street, +44 1926 772222.
  • The Restaurant In The Park In Jephsons Gardens
  • Food to go, 47 High Street, +44 1926 313017. The tastiest baps and baguettes in town with a great choice of filings.

Kismet, 11 Spencer St., +44 1926 428533. Very good Indian food at reasonable prices. The "buffet" is really a prix-fixe, but recommended.

Ali Curry House, 21 Bath Street, +44 1926 429405.

Amors Restaurant, 15 Dormer Place, +44 1926 774744.

Bombay Tandoori, 38 Regent Street West, +44 1926 420521.

Phoenix Chinese Restaurant, 11 Euston Place, +44 1926 424479. Upmarket Chinese resataraunt

Paprika Club, 22 Regent Street West, +44 1926 428272.

Royal Buffet, 16 High Street, +44 1926 772222.

The Restaurant In The Park In Jephsons Gardens

Food to go, 47 High Street, +44 1926 313017. The tastiest baps and baguettes in town with a great choice of filings.

Leamington has a small but vibrant nightlife scene. There are many pubs and bars and 3 small nightclubs. Most of the bars are around Bedford Street and Warwick/Regent street.

  • Bar 44, 126 Warwick Street East, +44 1926 888444.
  • Moo, 24 Russell Street. Fairly expensive, trendy bar at the top of town.
  • Tavistock Inn, Tavistock Street.
  • Voodoo, 35 Regent Street West, +44 1926 422685. Kitsch bar popular with young people on the corner
  • TJ's Bar & Bistro & TJ's Sports Bar, 45-47 Bath Street, +44 1926 312568
  • Robbins' Well, A Scream Bar associated student pub opposite the Parish Church at the bottom of town, overlooking the river, notable for its impressive high-ceilinged interior.
  • The Benjamin Satchwell the local Wetherspoons, in the centre of the parade
  • White Horse, 4-6 Clarendon Avenue, +44 1926 426892. Relaxed traditional pub in central Leamington with outdoor courtyard
  • The Old Library, Beside the Parish Church at the bottom of town.
  • The Clarendon,

Bar 44, 126 Warwick Street East, +44 1926 888444.

Moo, 24 Russell Street. Fairly expensive, trendy bar at the top of town.

Tavistock Inn, Tavistock Street.

Voodoo, 35 Regent Street West, +44 1926 422685. Kitsch bar popular with young people on the corner

TJ's Bar & Bistro & TJ's Sports Bar, 45-47 Bath Street, +44 1926 312568

Robbins' Well, A Scream Bar associated student pub opposite the Parish Church at the bottom of town, overlooking the river, notable for its impressive high-ceilinged interior.

The Benjamin Satchwell the local Wetherspoons, in the centre of the parade

White Horse, 4-6 Clarendon Avenue, +44 1926 426892. Relaxed traditional pub in central Leamington with outdoor courtyard

The Old Library, Beside the Parish Church at the bottom of town.

The Clarendon,

  • Smack. Very popular with many student nights. Dingy and cramped despite recent refit. Often there are drinks promotions associated with Moo bar
  • Evolve. Set in an old-cinema building, this light and airy club caters to the student population.

Smack. Very popular with many student nights. Dingy and cramped despite recent refit. Often there are drinks promotions associated with Moo bar

Evolve. Set in an old-cinema building, this light and airy club caters to the student population.

Trains leave regularly from the station at the bottom of town and go direct to Birmingham, London, (and Edinburgh a few times a day). Anywhere else and your best bet is to go to Birmingham or London (depending on whether you're going north or south) and get a train from there

Take a bus to Warwick and visit Warwick Castle