Official Visitor Website

A short break in Newmarket

TAKE A SHORT BREAK IN NEWMARKET

Newmarket is the home of horseracing and on entering the town, you will find it has quite a unique feel. There are tree-lined avenues but with an extra pavement, one for pedestrians, one for the horses. The traffic light crossings have an extra push button up high for those mounted. In fact, the whole town is designed for horses and humans to move around together, seamlessly.

What you might not realise straight away that behind many of the elegant houses in the town, lie the homes of many famous names of the track, with stable upon stable and paddocks, all hidden from view. The town is home to over 3000 horses; was the home of kings and has the largest cultivated area of heathland in the world.

When you take a short break to this fascinating town you can discover the history and unwind in a choice of luxury accommodation.

Newmarket gallops
Join a tour to see the early risers on the Newmarket gallops (c) Visit England

TAKE A TOUR BEHIND THE SCENES

The best way to discover how Newmarket became the home of horseracing and why this multimillion-pound industry has made its home here, is to take a Discover Newmarket tour.

Expertly informed guides will take you around on a comfortable, branded mini-bus and will show you the places where history was made. You will be able to have a behind-the-scenes tour of a stud and on some tours end up with a glass of champagne and afternoon tea in the Jockey Club Rooms, overlooked by sporting masterpieces. If you don’t want to leave the splendour of ‘The Rooms’, you can spend the night here and wander the corridors travelled by historical legends and reception rooms which have been enjoyed by Royalty.

Afternoon tea at the Jockey Club Rooms in NewmarketTake afternoon tea at Jockey Club Rooms in Newmarket (c) JCR

NATIONAL HORSE RACING MUSEUM

Inside the 5 acres site of The National Horseracing Museum is a three in one attraction including Palace House, The National Horseracing museum and the flagship home for the Retraining of Racehorses.

The Packard Galleries of British Sporting Art is in Palace House, which occupies the last remaining part of King Charles II’s sporting palace and stables, and is an attraction that is steeped in history. You can wander around the King’s bedroom, sitting room and other rooms and see beautiful works of art and sporting memorabilia. The paintings by George Stubbs and Sir Alfred Munnings, amongst other great artists, showcase the finest British sporting art from around the UK along with loans from the Tate, Victoria & Albert Museum, and a number of private and public art collections.

Cross the road and you will be in the former stable yard of the Palace. This houses the National Horse Racing Museum in the Trainer’s House and King’s Yard Galleries. If you want to get a feel of what it’s like to be a jockey, jump on the racehorse simulator, it’s great fun for all ages to try. Also on the site is The Tack Room Restaurant, a welcoming place to enjoy some delicious, local food.

Seeing the horses at the National Horseracing MuseumSee some of the retired racehorses at the National Horseracing Museum

STAY THE NIGHT

After a day exploring the town, it’s now time to pause. Newmarket’s Bedford Lodge is the perfect place to relax as it also has its own luxury spa.

Close to the town centre, the comfortable 4 red star, boutique hotel has a range of dining choices, including the Squires restaurant, which takes its name from George Baird aka ‘The Squire’, a notorious gentlemen rider and trainer and who once owned the Lodge.

Bedford Lodge HotelRelax on a short break at the Bedford Lodge Hotel and Spa

HOW TO GET TO NEWMARKET

Newmarket is easily accessible from all directions as it is located just off the main A14 which runs through Suffolk. This historic town is also just over 13 miles from the world-famous city of Cambridge.