by Janis / 0 comments - Orginally published:10th February 2026
A short hop from the Yorkshire Dales
We’re now off to the historical spa town of Harrogate in North Yorkshire. During our 7-day North Yorkshire EV road trip, we’ve visited the ancient City of York. We also stopped at the quaint harbour town of Whitby and the pretty Cathedral city of Ripon.
The charming spa town of Harrogate is a perfect place to base yourselves while exploring the picturesque Yorkshire countryside, as it is nestled to the south of both the Yorkshire Dales NP and the North York Moors NP. Harrogate is also an ideal location to stay while discovering the National Trust sites of Yorkshire.
Our visit to Harrogate was part of our Yorkshire EV road trip, so after our stopover at Whitby, we detoured off to visit the quaint hillside port village of Staithes and the nostalgic seaside town of Saltburn-by-the-Sea.
Why not Pin it for later?
Where is Harrogate?
How to get to Harrogate
- By Car
If you’re approaching from the South, follow the A1(M) north to Junction 45, then take the A168 northwards to the junction with the A661. Visiting from the north, follow the A1(M) south to Junction 50, then take the A61.
/ - By Bus/Train
You can travel to Harrogate on a regular bus and rail service from Leeds, York or surrounding towns.
- By plane
The closest airports to Harrogate are Leeds/Bradford Airport and Newcastle Airport. From here, hire a car from Rental Cars.
A brief history of Harrogate
The birth of a spa townThe charming town of Harrogate, in North Yorkshire, began life as a small rural settlement. It rose to prominence thanks to its mineral springs. In the 16th century, iron-rich waters were discovered, and by the 17th century, Harrogate had gained a reputation as a fashionable spa destination, attracting visitors seeking cures for various ailments.
Station Parade
Westminster Arcade, Harrogate
Harrogate flourished during the Georgian and Victorian eras. Elegant architecture, bathhouses, and gardens were developed to provide for wealthy visitors. Grand buildings such as the Royal Pump Room and the Turkish Baths symbolised Harrogate’s status as one of England’s most refined spa towns. The opening of rail connections in 1848 brought visitors from across the country.
Prospect Place, Harrogate
Although spa treatments declined in popularity in the 20th century, Harrogate successfully reinvented itself. Today, it is known for its well-preserved historic character and beautiful parks. Its proximity to the Yorkshire Dales, blends its spa-town heritage with modern Yorkshire charm.
 Queen Victoria Jubilee Monument
Tour de France marker
Along Station Parade, you’ll spot the Queen Victoria Jubilee Monument, built in 1887, although for something a little more modern, in 2014, the Tour de France made history in Harrogate when the town hosted the finish of Stage 1, drawing huge crowds and putting Yorkshire firmly on the global cycling map.
Stay informed
You will find us across many forms of social media. You will find our latest posts, some throwbacks, links to historic events with our 'On this day' posts, across Facebook, X, Bluesky & Threads. Each week, themed visual content on Instagram, and our narrated travels on YouTube. Collections of the images in our posts are also collated into boards on Pinterest.
Discover the architecture of Harrogate
Exploring around Crescent GardensThe area around Crescent Road, Crescent Gardens, and Ripon Road sits at the heart of Harrogate’s historic spa quarter. It showcases a rich layering of architectural styles that reflect Harrogate’s growth from an early 19th century health resort into a prosperous Victorian town.
Royal Baths
On Crescent Road itself, you’ll find gorgeous examples of Victorian architecture. Many buildings here are recognised as Grade II-listed and display stunning design features throughout their façades, such as rusticated pilasters and decorative cornices.
Along Crescent Gardens is Harrogate’s focal point of town planning and civic architecture. The former council offices were built in 1931 in a Neoclassical style with symmetrical façades. Just opposite are the gardens themselves. Crescent Gardens was developed in the late Victorian period as a promenade and park for spa visitors. The gardens are framed by a mix of Georgian and Victorian structures.
Turkish Baths Harrogate
On Crescent Road and nearby streets, you’ll spot many buildings connected with Harrogate’s role as a spa town, including the grand Royal Baths, and just around the corner on Parliament Street is a Grade II listed Victorian Turkish bath complex.
The Turkish Baths Harrogate offer a beautifully restored Victorian-era spa experience in a historic building dating from 1897. Visitors can enjoy traditional heat rooms, steam, and plunge pools in Moorish-inspired surroundings.
Royal Hall, Harrogate
Close to the junction with Ripon Road is Harrogate’s Royal Hall. This early 20th-century theatre is celebrated for its grand interior and live entertainment.
Where to stay in Harrogate
The Crowne Plaza Harrogate
This modern hotel is located in the heart of historical Harrogate and is perfect for a mini-break. The hotel has ample amenities, including an in-house restaurant and fitness centre.
On-site chargeable car parking is available along with an EV charging station.
The Royal Pump Room
A slice of a bygone eraThe Royal Pump Room in Harrogate is a striking Grade II* listed building, originally constructed in 1842. It was built to shelter the town’s natural sulphur springs and provide an elegant indoor space. Here, visitors could drink the famed spa waters believed to have health-giving properties.
The Royal Pump Room, Harrogate
The Royal Pump Room was designed by Isaac T. Shutt. The beautiful octagonal stone rotunda with its later glazed annexe became one of the central social hubs of Harrogate’s spa heyday. This relaxing past-time attracted thousands of visitors each summer who came to “take the waters” and mix with the fashionable crowd.
Since 1953, the Royal Pump Room has served as Harrogate’s Museum, now known as the Royal Pump Room Museum.
Valley Gardens
The extraordinary Royal Pump Room sits opposite the picturesque Valley Gardens. The beautiful gardens are a charming 17-acre English Heritage Grade II listed public park and were originally laid out in 1887 to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee.
Take a stroll through the park and enjoy the colourful formal gardens, woodland walks, the serene water features and without doubt take a rest at the café in the attractive bandstand.
Yorkshire Tourist Information
If you’re tempted to visit Harrogate, the Visit North Yorkshire website is the place to head. They are full of extremely useful information and include handy pointers for around the county of Yorkshire.
Strolling the charming streets of Harrogate
Tea rooms, gardens and mewsStrolling the streets of Harrogate is an easy pleasure, the kind that rewards slowing down and letting the town reveal itself at its own genteel pace. Elegant Victorian and Edwardian buildings line broad avenues, their honey-coloured stone hinting at Harrogate’s spa-town heyday, while leafy corners and well-kept gardens soften the urban feel.
 Elegant architecture
There’s a refined calm in Harrogate, punctuated by the gentle bustle of shoppers, café chatter, and the clink of teacups drifting from historic tearooms. Ensure you seek out Bettys Café Tea Rooms and indulge in a perfect cuppa and of course a slice of homemade cake. Bettys started in Harrogate over 100 years ago.
Bettys Café Tea Rooms
Wander into the Montpellier Quarter and the mood shifts to something more intimate and stylish. Independent boutiques, antique shops, and art galleries tuck themselves into graceful crescents and side streets. This gves the area a quietly cosmopolitan air. It’s the sort of place where window-shopping becomes an event in itself, and where turning down a side lane often leads to an unexpected café or a beautifully preserved façade.
Montpellier Mews
Head towards Valley Gardens and the town opens up again, trading architecture for greenery without ever losing its charm. Curving paths, floral borders, and views back towards the town create a seamless blend of nature and heritage.
Mr Arkwright's Tool Emporium
Whether you’re meandering with no plan at all or deliberately tracing Harrogate’s prettiest lanes, it’s a place that invites you to linger unhurriedly, amongst elegant surroundings and is effortlessly welcoming.
We have a few of these books on our shelves by Christopher Winn; they are so fascinating and reveal hidden secrets across the UK.
Packed full of historical facts, intriguing journeys, and snippets of life. It tells tales of history you could never imagine through our ancient lands.
Available in Kindle & Hardback editions, it's an excellent addition to anyone's collection who loves history and legends.
Places to visit near Harrogate
Explore Knaresborough and SkiptonKnaresborough is a picturesque market town in North Yorkshire. It’s dramatically set above the River Nidd. Its history stretches back to Anglo-Saxon times, but it really came into prominence after the Norman Conquest, when a royal castle was built on the cliffs overlooking the river.
Knaresborough Castle
Knaresborough Viaduct
Knaresborough Castle became a strategic stronghold and later a royal residence, visited by kings including John and Edward I, before being largely destroyed after the English Civil War.
Beyond its castle, Knaresborough is best known for its charming riverside setting and fascinating heritage. With its historic viaduct, traditional market square, and colourful boats along the Nidd, Knaresborough blends medieval history with a relaxed, postcard-perfect atmosphere making it one of Yorkshire’s most appealing small towns.
Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Skipton
Another delightful place to visit is Skipton, a historic market town often called the “Gateway to the Dales” thanks to its easy access to the Yorkshire Dales National Park. Its origins stretch back over a thousand years, but like Knaresborough, Skipton rose to importance after the Norman Conquest with the construction of Skipton Castle in 1090. The castle played a strategic role during the English Civil War and today offers a fascinating window into medieval life and military history.
The town’s lively High Street reflects its long market tradition, with regular markets still held beneath the shadow of the castle walls. Skipton also sits on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, completed in the late 18th century, which brought trade and industry to the area and now provides a peaceful waterside setting for walks and boat trips.
Ribblehead Viaduct
A little further afield but undeniably worth a visit is Ribblehead Viaduct. Ribblehead Viaduct is a dramatic Victorian railway viaduct crossing the remote Batty Moss in the Yorkshire Dales. It was built between 1870 and 1874 for the Settle–Carlisle line.
The viaduct was constructed from over 1.5 million bricks and limestone; its 24 soaring arches stand as a testament to Victorian engineering and the thousands of workers who laboured in harsh conditions to create one of the most iconic and photogenic landmarks in northern England.
Escape for a few days
Are you in search of a tranquil hideaway to relax and unwind in, while you discover the beautiful British countryside?
Browse through the handpicked properties and unique retreats at Holiday Cottages.
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