Worcester Sights and Landmarks Guide, United Kingdom

The city of Worcester is the capital of the Worcestershire region, one of the touristiest areas in England. Apart from the Worcestershire sauce, the region is appreciated for its medieval air, its picturesque farms and the honey-colored limestone facades. Also, the neighboring cities like Birmingham or Bristol host numerous vestiges from England’s glorious past. Although Worcester has lost many of its medieval buildings during the 1950s and 1960s when the town was redesigned, there are still plenty of Worcester sights to be admired.

Worcester Sights – Historical Buildings and Museums

The Worcester Cathedral dominates the city with its imposing gothic arches, dating from 12th century. The current cathedral was constructed on the site of an older church, built in 680 under Bishop Bosel. The cathedral holds the remains of King John and its crypt is more than a thousand years old. Many of Worcester’s sights are represented by historic buildings such as Leigh Court Barn, Hawford Dovecote, Greyfriars, Wichenford Dovecote and the recently refurbished Commandery (hosting a museum), all very interesting and well preserved constructions from the Middle Age. The Art Gallery and Museum in Worcester holds together historical artifacts and contemporary pieces of art. Other museums include Elgar’s Birthplace Museum (Sir Edward Elgar was one of the finest British composers) and the Museum of Local Life (showing how Worcester people lived in other centuries).

Worcester Sights – Parks and Gardens

Worcester has a lot of green areas for an industrial city: the three parks (Cripplegate Park, Gheluvelt Park and Fort Royal Park) and two incorporated woodlands (Perry Wood and Nunnery Wood) make perfect spots for walking and relaxation. For a one day escapade with your family, Evesham Country Park can be just what you’re looking for: you can shop, have a picnic or walk along the river. Right outside Worcester are the Spetchley Park Gardens, a 30-acre Victorian garden surrounded by beautiful English rural landscape.

Worcester Sights – Shopping and Entertaining

Since producing china was once the main industry in Worcester, a visit to the Royal Worcester Porcelain Factory can be more than instructive. Today’s porcelain artisans can still be admired in their workshops on Severn Street. Worcester has a long tradition as an important shopping center: its pedestrian center makes shopping a truly enjoyable experience, especially if you take into account the considerable number of locally owned stores, selling fine porcelain and home made products.

Every three years, Worcester hosts the Three Choirs Festival, considered by many as the oldest music festival in Europe. In Nortwick suburb you can even watch a movie in a historical cinema, as Art Deco Cinema (1938) is one of the last two buildings in Britain that have an authentic interior designed by John Alexander.