Race Horses and Spas
English summers are one of the most unpredictable of weather patterns. Despite the namesake, the typical temperature is on the low side and rain may appear out of nowhere at any time. Web History of England attributes this seemingly random weather pattern to St. Swithin, who was said to have predicted the weather on the day of his death and that if it rains on St. Swithin Day, it will rain for the better part of the season. So why go to Cheltenham knowing there’s a good chance of rain and cold temperatures? The community is top notch, the annual race horse events are a treat and did I mention that it’s a spa town?
Cheltenham Festival
The UK’s flagship race of horse racing, the Gold Cup, is the main event of the festival. It is deeply rooted in tradition and is one of the busiest time of the year for the locals and is considered a family event by most people. A month before the actual event, you will see early signs of preparation and numerous online traffic about the race and its events on Betfair’s Cheltenham news section, typically predicting the winners and talking about the horses most likely to win. Think of it as the Superbowl of horse racing in the UK with over 180,000 visitors per year, according to Cheltenham Festivals.
Foods
There are many outstanding food establishments in this spa town but you can’t mention world class food without Le Champignon Sauvage. This prestigious restaurant earned 2 stars in the Michelin Red Guide and has an excellent selection of food and wine which (unfortunately), you can’t take pictures of. There’s also Prithvi, an Indian restaurant and The Daffodil, a cocktail bar and restaurant with a great view that received a scathing review from Jay Rayner himself. Cheltenham has something for everyone – whether you prefer European or Asian. The food adventure doesn’t stop there, of course. The Food and Drink Festival will be held on June 13-15 at the Montpellier Gardens that features organically grown ingredients by over 200 exhibitors. Live music, lectures about nutrition and inspiring demonstrations from leading hotels and restaurants in the area makes this festival a foodie haven. You wouldn’t want to miss it for the world.
And then there’s the spa. The Chapel Spa is an all-in-one establishment where they offer treatments, fitness classes, tea and even lunch and dinner if you don’t want to leave. With all the cultural festivals and gastronomic opportunities in Cheltenham, you will definitely come for the horse races and stay for everything else.
