Harrogate
Save20 hand-picked places in 9 lists. Tick the categories you want to see on the map.
Only have a day? See 2 ready-made day plans ↓Show on the map
Tips
10 places on the map
Walking Tour
- 1
Opulent Edwardian concert hall built for spa visitors.
3 tips
- Look at the gilded interior during events
- Occasional open days and tours
- Beside the convention centre
📷 Photos
- 2
Restored Victorian Moorish-style Turkish baths still in use.
- Tip: Book ahead
2 tips
- Check single-sex and mixed sessions
- Bring flip-flops
📷 Photos
- 3
Neat lawns and flowerbeds in front of the old spa buildings.
3 tips
- Free and central
- Good spot for a break
- Close to the Pump Room
📷 Photos
- 4
Spa museum over the sulphur well where visitors once took the waters.
3 tips
- You can smell the sulphur water
- Small entry fee
- Combine with the Mercer Gallery
📷 Photos
- 5
Free art gallery in the town's oldest spa building.
- Must know: Closed Mondays
2 tips
- Free entry
- Changing exhibitions
📷 Photos
- 6
Elegant Victorian park with flowerbeds, mineral springs and cafe.
3 tips
- Free entry
- Find the Magnesia Well pump room
- Paths continue to the Pinewoods
📷 Photos
- 7
Art deco pavilion and colonnade in the Valley Gardens.
3 tips
- Great art deco photo spot
- Often used for weddings
- Look at the stained glass dome
📷 Photos
- 8
Cobbled streets of antique shops, boutiques and cafes.
3 tips
- Best for independent shopping
- Lots of cafes for lunch
- Pretty with hanging baskets
📷 Photos
- 9
Famous Yorkshire tea room serving afternoon tea and Fat Rascals.
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Try a Fat Rascal
- Shop at the front for takeaway
📷 Photos
- 10
200 acres of open parkland wrapping around the town centre.
- Tip: Go early
2 tips
- Free and open always
- Good for picnics
📷 Photos
Take this map with you
Opens Google Maps with these places, ready to save to your own list.
Before you go: Harrogate tips
Transportation
- Take the Harrogate Line: Trains link Harrogate with Leeds and York via Knaresborough; the station is right in the town centre.
- Ride the 36 bus: The frequent 36 bus runs between Leeds, Harrogate and Ripon, a comfortable alternative to the train with countryside views.
- Walk the town: Harrogate's centre, the Montpellier Quarter and Valley Gardens are close together, so you can see most sights on foot.
Security
- Use licensed taxis: After a night out, book a licensed Harrogate taxi or use a rank rather than accepting unmarked cars.
- Watch for winter ice: Paths across the Stray and steep streets can get icy in winter; wear shoes with grip and take care after frost.
- Drive the Dales with care: Country roads towards the Yorkshire Dales are narrow, with sheep and blind bends; slow down and use passing places.
Saving
- Enjoy the Stray: The Stray is a huge free green space in the heart of town, ideal for a picnic and spectacular with crocuses in spring.
- Explore Valley Gardens: These free gardens have flower beds, a boating pond and woodland walks; they link to Pinewoods for longer strolls.
- Book trains in advance: Advance tickets via Leeds or York are cheaper, and day trips to Knaresborough cost little by train or bus.
Weather/Clothing
- Pack for changeable weather: Harrogate's weather is cool and often wet; bring a waterproof jacket and layers in every season.
- Wrap up in winter: Winters are cold and can bring frost and snow on the higher ground; pack a warm coat, hat and gloves.
- Bring a jumper in summer: Summer days are pleasant but rarely hot, and evenings cool down fast; a light jumper is always useful.
Cultural
- Take tea at Bettys: Bettys Cafe Tea Rooms is a Harrogate institution; try the Fat Rascal, a fruity scone, and expect a queue at busy times.
- Learn the spa history: The Royal Pump Room Museum tells how Harrogate became a spa town thanks to its sulphur water springs.
- See the Great Yorkshire Show: Held each July on the edge of town, this big agricultural show celebrates Yorkshire farming, food and crafts.
Local Hacks
- Book the Turkish Baths: The Victorian Turkish Baths are among the most complete in Britain; book ahead for sessions, as they fill up fast.
- Visit RHS Harlow Carr: These gardens on the edge of town have beautiful displays, woodland walks and a branch of Bettys.
- Day-trip to Knaresborough: The nearby town has a viaduct over the River Nidd, rowing boats and Mother Shipton's Cave, all a short train ride away.
1-day itineraries in Harrogate
Only have a day? Each one keeps you in one area, from morning to late afternoon, with lunch nearby.
More cities in United Kingdom
- Aberdeen
- Bath
- Belfast
- Brighton
- Bristol
- Cambridge
- Canterbury
- Cardiff
- Chester
- Conwy
- Cornwall (St Ives)
- Cotswolds (Bourton-on-the-Water)
- Derry
- Durham
- Edinburgh
- Exeter
- Falmouth
- Fort William
- Glasgow
- Inverness
- Isle of Skye (Portree)
- Keswick
- Lake District (Windermere)
- Lincoln
- Lisburn
- Liverpool
- London
- Manchester
- Oxford
- Penzance
- Salisbury
- St Andrews
- Stirling
- Stratford-upon-Avon
- Whitby
- Winchester
- York