Royal Leamington Spa is a beautiful and prosperous town located in the heart of Warwickshire. With a current population of around 50,000, the town’s growth was largely due to the natural spa springs that were discovered and commercialised in the nineteenth century.

Known for its wide boulevards, Georgian and Edwardian architecture and stunning parks, it’s easy to see why Royal Leamington Spa is a popular destination for families, retirees and young professionals alike. In fact, in 2017, it was named as the happiest place in England.

Areas nearby

The ancient town of Warwick is located roughly three miles to the west of the town, with Stratford-upon-Avon to the south west. Coventry and Kenilworth are also close by, along with Cubbington, Old Milverton and Radford Semele.

The Grand Union Canal is used for recreation. This crosses the River Avon between Leamington and Warwick, and then passes the town to the south, parallel to the River Leam to the north.

There are national and local cycleways into and around Leamington.

Peace Festival

Since 1978, the annual free festival and celebration of alternative culture called the Peace Festival has been held in the Pump Room Gardens. With a variety of stalls ( arts & crafts, the clothes and food from all round the world) and live music, if the sun is shining on that weekend in June the town is bustling with extra visitors.
Live music Classical music concerts are organised throughout the year in the Leamington and Warwick area, including the International String Quartet series at the Royal Pump Rooms. The Assembly, is a 1,000 capacity music venue attracting national and international artists, and was awarded 'Live Music Venue of the Year' at the 2010 Music Week Awards. The Leamington Spa Competitive Festival for Music Dance and Drama is staged annually. 
Theatre and cinema

Two theatres are located in Leamington: the Spa Centre and the amateur The Loft, with outdoor summer productions in Jephson Gardens. Leamington also has two cinemas: the Spa Centre and a multiplex. 

Sport and leisure

There are a number of sports clubs and leisure facilities in Leamington Spa, including a Real Tennis court, the football club Leamington FC, a disc golf course Quarry Park, a leisure centre including swimming pool Newbold Comyn Leisure Centre, rugby grounds Leamington Rugby Union Football Club, Leamington Rugby Club – Youth Section and Old Leamingtonians Rugby Football Club, Leamington Cricket, Leamington Hockey Club, Leamington Cycling club, Leamington Athletics club, Spa Striders Running Club, Royal Leamington Spa Canoe Club, Leamington Chess Club, formed in 1851, and municipal tennis courts. The Royal Leamington Spa Bowling Club in Victoria Park hosts the annual National Lawn Bowls Championships

Leamington Spa and the surrounding area, known as Silicon Spa, is a significant global centre for the video game industry with a higher than average proportion of digital media companies involved in games development, digital design and publishing, and over a thousand employed directly in game development. 

Local hospitals include Warwick Hospital and the Warwickshire Nuffield Hospital
Leamington became a popular Spa Resort attracting the wealthy and famous, with numerous Georgian townhouses to accommodate visitors. Construction of what is now the Parade began in sections from 1808, the Regent Hotel in 1818, a town hall in 1830. and the Jephson Gardens in 1834.

Transport Links in Leamington Spa

Although the town has a distinctly countryside feel, it is within easy reach of larger cities, including Warwick, Stratford upon Avon, Kenilworth, Solihull and Birmingham.

From Leamington’s centre, it is 3 miles to the M40, which links it to Birmingham and London. It is also served by the A46, which links it to Coventry and Stratford Upon Avon.

Leamington Railway Station is served by the Chiltern Main Line, which links London Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill and onwards to Kidderminster.

Bus and coach

Regular bus services to Kenilworth, the University of Warwick and Coventry are operated by Stagecoach in Warwickshire and National Express Coventry.

Leamington’s nearest international passenger airport is Birmingham Airport. 

Leamington Spa is located just five miles from the M40, which connects London and the Midlands, and is also easily accessible from the M6, A46 and M45.

From Leamington Spa’s central train station, it’s just a 25-minute journey to Birmingham city centre and one hour, 15 minutes to London Marylebone.

Frequent bus services also run throughout the area.

Schools in Leamington Spa

Leamington Spa is home to a number of state schools, including North Leamington, Campion and Trinity Catholic School. There are also several independent schools, including Arnold Lodge and Kingsley.

In the surrounding areas, Warwickshire has some of the best independent schools in the country. Stratford-upon-Avon is served by The Croft Preparatory School, King Edward Grammar for Boys, Shottery Grammar for Girls and Stratford-upon-Avon High School.

Royal Leamington Spa has plenty to offer in terms of shopping and leisure.
There are over 40 restaurants and takeaways, around 50 bars and countless cafes. It’s also a great spot for shopping, with a wide variety of boutiques and salons, as well as national, high street brands.

If fresh air is more your thing, the town is home to a variety of green spaces, including Jephson Gardens, Mill Gardens, Pump Room Gardens and Victoria Park. You can also hire rowing boats and canoes on the River Leam, or simply sit on the banks of the river and watch the world go by.The Royal Pump Rooms are one of the town’s most popular historic attractions, while the Leamington Spa Art Gallery and Museum hosts a wide variety of events and exhibitions throughout the year.

The Art Gallery & Museum holds a collection of over 12,000 objects, including fine and decorative arts, as well as items relating to local and social history. It provides exhibitions in the visual arts and about the history of the town, supported by workshops, talks and other events.

Leamington Spa’s history

The Leamington Spa we know today was built on the site of a much smaller village known as Leamington Priors. Today, two original buildings from the former village can still be seen to the east of the Parish church.

In the nineteenth century, the town became a fashionable resort, with visitors flocking from all over the world to the spring waters they believed could cure or treat their illnesses and ailments. These waters can be tasted for yourself near the entrance to the library.

During the early to mid nineteenth century, Leamington was laid out as a new town, with wide streets running in an organised grid.

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