Cheltenham

Intro
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/17/travel/england-cheltenham-festival.html

Getting There and Away
  • Closest airports are Birmingham and Bristol. These are good options if you are flying within Europe. London Airports are slightly further but convenient due to the number of flights and transatlantic routes serviced. Make sure to search for London area airports to include Gatwick and other potentially money-saving options.
  • Trains run frequently from Heathrow, Gatwick, and London (usually Paddington) to Cheltenham Spa. Train tickets are much more cost effective if purchased at least a few weeks in advance and for non-commute hours! Be aware that some routes require a change.
  • Direct busses from Victoria Coach Station to Cheltenham take roughly as long as the train and are convenient and cheap.
    • https://www.nationalexpress.com/en/destinations/cheltenham/london-to-cheltenham
  • Renting a car when you arrive (or when you leave London) will give you freedom to come and go into Cheltenham and the Cotswolds as you please. I highly recommend purchasing a roaming data plan or a local SIM so you can use Maps for directions. A paper map would also suffice but who knows where they sell those these days?
Getting Around
Cheltenham is a walkable, small city. You will likely not need a car if you stay near the centre of town. Moreover, driving in 
​the English countryside​
 is not for the faint of heart! (sidenote: it all 
​clicked for me why​
 Aaran was at home driving in crazy KL when I experienced Cotswolds roads & drivers). 

That said, there are many places to explore beyond Cheltenham where having a car is pretty much the only way to get around. We will likely look into renting a couple cars in Cheltenham to explore the Cotswolds for those who aren't driving from London.

Accommodation
Aaran and I live in a centrally located flat 
​near Montpellier Gardens which is a good point of reference when looking for accommodation. Roughly 25-minute walk to the north is Pitville Park. Accommodation around and in between these two points is central!

AirBnb has great options for Cheltenham.
​ As usual, rates for apartments are more budget-friendly than hotels, especially for 2+ bedrooms.​
  • ​U​
    se 
    ​the parks above
     or Cheltenham Town Hall​
     as a central point 
    ​to find options within walking distance
     unless you plan on having and using a ca
    ​r​
  • Ask us questions about neighborhoods!
Cheltenham is
​ ​
also full of lovely hotels​
 in a range of prices. A few
​​
 recommended hotels:



​SIM cards
I recommend purchasing a pre-paid SIM card for your trip in England/Europe (for unlocked mobile phones). With most providers, the plan/package you purchase in England will be applicable in other EU countries.

  • ​M​
    y preferred choice is to mail yourself a free     GiffGaff SIM. With enough advanced planning, they'll ship it to your US address. 
  • ​Otherwise, buy any good-looking provider SIM at an airport kiosk,
  • ​... a mobile service provider on any High Street or
  • ... at convenience stores or grocery stores
​
To Do
​... 
in Cheltenham
  • Visit our favorite pubs!
  • ​and restaurants
  • Walk the Parks & neighborhoods
    • Montpellier Gardens, Imperial Park, and Pitville are all nice areas to hang out and stroll
    • Shopping areas are the Promenade and Bath Road
  • The Wilson Museum
... in the Cotswolds
A few of our favourite things to do in the area that we will likely try to arrange depending on who wants to do what!

Comments

Post a Comment