A former spa town at the foot of the Peak District, Matlock is a bustling county town that’s equally at home catering to the region’s hikers and bikers as it is to young families thanks to Gulliver’s Kingdom, an aquarium, living museums and more. The scenery is stunning, with countless walks and day trips easily accessible via either of our hotels near Matlock, while the view from the Heights of Abraham will have you doing a double take thanks to the dramatic limestone gorge and endlessly rolling wooded hills. With a vibrant eating out, café and restaurant scene, some brilliant pubs and a community-driven theatre, Matlock is a real tourist gem and one that keeps delivering visit after visit.
Things to do in Matlock
Places to eat
Matlock might only be small, but it seriously punches above its weight when it comes to its food and eating out scene. With quirky cafés, inventive fine dining, global cuisines including Thai, Indian and Italian and plenty of places offering afternoon tea and cake, read on to find the perfect pick-me-up after a day in the Peak District.
Shopping
As you might expect from a small town on the edge of the Peak District, Matlock isn’t dominated by shopping centres, gleaming malls and high street stores. But at the Masson Mills Shopping Village a mile south of Matlock past The Heights of Abraham, you’ll find over 60 different outlets and retailers spread over five floors spanning designer clothes, whisky, jewellery, gifts, lingerie and more. There’s also a 150-seat licensed café overlooking the River Derwent serving up snacks, coffee and cake, breakfast and lunch options. If you’re after home and fashion bargains, The Original Factory Shop in the centre of town is a great place to explore. A nationwide chain, they sell everything from furniture to makeup, kitchen and home essentials and all at low prices.
Getting Around
35 miles from Matlock, East Midlands Airport is a major airport with domestic and international departures serviced by Jet2, Ryanair, TUI Airways, Thomas Cook Airlines and more. The fastest way is via car, which takes around 40 minutes, while catching the train to Long Eaton and then using the Skylink bus service will take just over an hour. Alternatively, make your journey even quicker and easier by staying the night before at one of our hotels near East Midlands Airport.
Dating back to 1849, Matlock Train Station operates two platforms with regular services to Nottingham, Derby and along the Derwent Valley and Peak Rail lines. The station is located in the heart of Matlock near the River Derwent and a 10-minute walk from our Matlock hotel.
Matlock Shopping
