T
he Yorkshire town of
Harrogate is a must-
visit for fans of
relaxation and
Victorian architecture.
With a renowned history as a
boutique spa resort, Harrogate
boasts the last working Turkish
Baths in the country, housed in an
ornate Moorish-style building
with glazed brickwork and
stunning painted ceilings.
Harrogate’s 100 recorded mineral
springs have been the source of
health tourists from the Victorian
era who sought to bathe in its
sulphur rich water in the hope of
alleviating various skin
conditions. The Royal Pump
Museum, a grade II listed
building where the water used to
be pumped, now tells the story of
this fascinating history.
As well as its reputation as a
wellbeing mecca, Harrogate is
home to delightful tea rooms, the
Mercer Art Gallery, and award-
winning public gardens. You
might also be surprised to find out
that the town held the
Eurovision Song
Contest in 1982.
No wonder, then,
that it’s been
listed as Britain’s
“happiest
town” for three
consecutive
years.
My Britain:
Harrogate
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“Harrogate is the
queerest place with the
strangest people in it,
leading the oddest lives
of dancing, newspaper
reading and dining”- Charles Dickens