Places to visit in Worcestershire

Start in the city of Worcester and wander around its historic winding streets, full of museums and galleries – as well as cafés, pubs and independent shops. One of the top things to do is visit the 900-year-old Worcester Cathedral, to climb its mighty tower. If you time it right, you might even catch the choir singing.

Worcester is famous for its pottery, and two of the best things to do in Worcester are its Museum of Royal Worcester and the Royal Porcelain Works next door. You can discover 250 years of pottery made on these legendary sites, and join expert-led craft workshops at the Worcester museums.

Following the Worcester to Birmingham Canal is a great way to explore the city and learn about its industrial past, as elegant swans and colourful narrowboats drift past. There are many different routes to follow, from short rambles to long hikes. Just a few minutes’ walk from central Worcester, you’ll find the Diglis Island experience on an otherwise off-limits island in the River Severn – where you can learn more about local history and wildlife.

While you’re in Diglis Basin, one of the most unusual things to do in Worcester is going gin-tasting (or gin-making) at Piston Distillery – to learn how it makes its award-winning gin. For those with more time, you can even enrol in gin school and take a gin-making course. If gin isn’t your thing, head to Café Afloat, which serves coffee and cake from a narrowboat in Diglis Basin.

This evening, head just outside the city to nearby Stanbrook Abbey Hotel – one of the most memorable places to stay in Worcester. Check into the Grade II-listed former monastery, which dates to the 16th Century. This grand hotel is full of stone cloisters and gothic stained-glass windows, plus fine-dining and dreamy suites.

Indulge your inner child and travel back in time on a steam train on the heritage Severn Valley Railway, which runs 16 miles from Kidderminster to Bridgnorth. Make yourself comfortable in a restored period carriage and enjoy one of the best things to do in Worcestershire.

Break your journey at Bewdley, a Georgian town on the River Severn and near the UK’s largest native woodland, Wyre Forest – one of the best things to do in Worcestershire. It’s the perfect place to stretch your legs on a walk – whether you do the energetic 8-mile (12.8km) route or simply stroll to the nearest café, we won’t judge.

For independent shops, quaint tea rooms and cosy pubs, head to Tenbury Wells – one of the best things to do in Worcestershire. This ancient market town in the beautiful Teme Valley is right on the edge of the county, on the River Teme, and is famous for its 16th Century bridge which has a bend in the middle.

Worcestershire is full of fabulous places to eat and drink, and this afternoon you’ve got a date at Native – a farm-to-table restaurant. Wild food pioneers Ivan Tisdall-Downes and Imogen Davis have moved their wild foraging bistro from London to Worcester, where they turn locally grown food into top-quality fine dining.

For more sustainable experiences and one of the most extraordinary places to stay in Worcestershire, check into Treeopia – a collection of luxury treehouses for adults only, in the count near Kyre. Think hot tubs, fire pits, high-end interiors and even – if you wish – a private chef. Yes please!

One of the most enjoyable things to do in Worcestershire, is to get outside and enjoy its scenery. The Malvern Hills is a designated National Landscape and for good reason, popular with hikers, cyclists and dog-walkers. Pick a route which suits, from easy to advanced, with these Malvern Hills walking trails.

For petrolheads, the Morgan Experience Centre is one of the top things to do in Worcestershire – home to the British car brand for 110 years. You can take a factory tour and see how the cars are crafted, or treat yourself to a guided drive around the Malvern Hills. For coffee and local cakes, head to the café – which also serves a hearty afternoon tea.

On the edge of Worcestershire, you’ll find one of the loveliest places to visit in England – the Cotswolds – and top of the list is pretty Broadway. This picturesque village is a perfect place to spend a few hours, wandering its shops, cafés and art galleries.

Just outside the village, you’ll find Broadway Tower and Park, one of the Cotswolds’ most famous landmarks and a great day out in itself. The tower, the brainchild of 18th Century landscape designer Capability Brown, sits on Beacon Hill and was once a holiday retreat for artists such as William Morris, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Edward Burne-Jones.

Broadway sits on the Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Steam Railway, a heritage railway which runs through some of the most spectacular countryside in the Cotswolds. On selected evenings, it hosts “The Cheltenham Fryer” – serving fish and chips on its picturesque service from Toddington. One of the top things to do in Worcestershire.