Wondering what to do in Warwick? Well, you’ve come to the right place. The charming county town is one of the hidden gems of the Midlands. Its breathtaking castle alone is enough to make it well worth a trip, but there’s far more to it than that. Countless visitors have admired its numerous half-timbered buildings, many of which house quaint cafés, pubs and restaurants. Plus, our Warwick hotel is ideally placed for you to explore the town’s lovely parks and other open spaces, while it’s very easy to get to the adjoining Regency town of Leamington Spa, which is something of a shopping hub.
Things to do in Warwick
Activities
A visit to the awe-inspiring Warwick Castle is a must, and the town is bursting with more wonderful medieval buildings at every turn. But there’s more to Warwick than history: there’s also plenty of outdoor fun and games for all ages to be had at the popular St. Nicholas Park.
Entertainment
Dating back to 1600s, Warwick Racecourse is well worth a visit. If horse racing doesn’t float your boat though, there’s a selection of theatres and live music of all different sizes for you to choose from too, with nearby Leamington Spa attracting some major touring bands and shows.
Places to eat
Café culture has really taken off in Warwick, with independent coffee shops seemingly on every corner of its historic centre. However, if it’s something more substantial you’re after, then you’ll find a wide range of restaurants as well, offering everything from Spanish and Italian cuisine to Asian delicacies and traditional British fare.
Nightlife
Café culture has really taken off in Warwick, with independent coffee shops seemingly on every corner of its historic centre. However, if it’s something more substantial you’re after, then you’ll find a wide range of restaurants as well, offering everything from Spanish and Italian cuisine to Asian delicacies and traditional British fare.
Shopping
If you're a fan of independent shopping, Warwick’s historic streets are a treasure trove. Swan Street is the most obvious place to start, but Smith Street is an area full of character as well, where you'll also find lots of charming shops. There are also some interesting parades of shops in West Street and Coten End just on the edge of the town centre, while Market Place is always particularly thronging on Saturdays (when it's market day). There are some bigger high street brands clustered around this area too.
Only a 10-minute drive from our Warwick hotel, there are more independent shops but in a very different setting at Hatton Shopping Village. It specialises in gifts from artisan fudge, handmade candles and craft jewellery. Slightly further afield in nearby Leamington Spa, you’ll find the impressive Royal Priors shopping centre, which was first opened by the Queen in 1988 and houses shops ranging from Waterstones and Superdry to Gap and Thorntons.
Getting Around
Like so many places in the Midlands, Warwick is supremely well-connected. If you’re travelling by rail, you’ll find the main Warwick Train Station is on the Chiltern line and has regular services to and from London Marylebone, Birmingham, Leamington Spa and Stratford-upon-Avon. However, the closest station to our Warwick hotel is actually the newer Warwick Parkway.
An express coach service also runs between Oxford, Warwick and Birmingham Airport, while Stagecoach operates bus services from Warwick Bus Station to Leamington Spa, Stratford-upon-Avon and Coventry.
Not only that, but Warwick is also less than half an hour away by car from Birmingham Airport. If you’re travelling from further afield, you might be interested in taking advantage of one of our hotels near Birmingham Airport.