Holiday rentals in Harrogate

Seated at the southeastern edge of Yorkshire Dales National Park, this Victorian spa town maintains an almost regal elegance. Stately buildings, including the Royal Pump Room and the dazzling Edwardian concert hall, hark back to the days when thousands used to come here for its mineral waters. The Turkish Baths, with their still-popular steam rooms and swimming pool, are luxuriously decorated. The Montpellier Quarter, a delightful district of independent shops and outdoor cafes, is home to Yorkshire’s most famous tea rooms as well as a hub for the antiques trade for which the town is known.

The attractive lawns and plantings that surround it are typical, too. Harrogate’s parks and gardens are a big part of its charm, from the 17-acre Valley Gardens in the west of town to the Royal Horticultural Society Garden Harlow Carr on its outskirts. Within a 15-minute drive you can be surrounded by the outstanding natural beauty of Nidderdale, and the Yorkshire Dales beyond.

Harrogate’s gardens erupt in cheerful bloom in the spring; the town hosts a vast Flower Show in May that celebrates its love of all things green and growing. Yorkshire and the Dales can be rainy any time of year, but the weather tends to be warmer and brighter from June to August, making it an ideal time for a holiday. There are a number of summer festivals that enliven the town, not least the International Gilbert and Sullivan Festival in August, which celebrates the famous pair’s Victorian operettas by staging productions from around the country. Harrogate’s splendour remains into autumn, when its parklands bear witness to the changing of the season and its trees turn a host of yellows, reds, and russets.

Cold Bath Road

Running south from the Montpellier Quarter, this road has been described as the Notting Hill of Harrogate for its bohemian vibe and its long string of independent shops, restaurants, and businesses. Handmade clothing, local beer, artisanal ice cream, and even fishing tackle can be found among its shopfronts.

The Stray

It’s this 200-acre stretch of open parkland, reaching all the way from the Tewit Well in the south to High Harrogate to the east, which gives the town its spacious feel. Once a royal hunting forest, these grounds were later protected as grazing land for the local livestock, and are now a popular place for picnics, kite flying, and ball games; in March, the area is carpeted with colourful crocuses.

Knaresborough

A 15-minute drive to the east of Harrogate, the medieval streets of this tiny town offer a fascinating contrast, as well as the incredible sight of the railway viaduct straddling the gorge on which it sits. Overlooking the River Nidd are the impressive ruins of Knaresborough Castle, a fortress once home to kings John, Edward I, and Edward II.