Letchworth & Hitchin
Both very different, yet both English in the extreme. Letchworth Garden City has a unique art deco feel, idealistic yet part of England’s heritage.
Enjoy the world’s first Garden City as Ebenezer Howard intended it: shop in tree-lined streets and pause in the park, for here everything has its space, and is respectfully given a wide green berth.
Minutes away, Hitchin is steeped in history. Wander medieval streets and share the excitement of market day like countless generations before you. Feel history oozing from the walls of St Mary’s, or find a 17th Century coaching inn to sip a local pint.
Top tip
On foot or by bike, the Garden City Greenway (13.6 miles/21.8km) is great for exploring Letchworth - a refreshing fusion of town and country. Call the Tourist Information Centre for expert advice on 01462 487 868 or visit www.letchworthgc.com
Shopping time
At Letchworth Garden City hunt down the retail giants in Garden Square Shopping Centre, but don’t miss the 1922 art deco Arcade, or The Wynd and The Gallery shopping areas, unique and original in their 1920s feel.
The Tuesday market at Hitchin has been here since the 13th Century, but these days you’ll find the friendly stall holders trading on Saturdays too and overrun with antiques and bric-a-brac on a Friday.
The surrounding historic streets have an array of specialist shops.
Things to do
At Letchworth Garden City, the First Garden City Heritage Museum is a must, whilst the luxurious art deco Broadway Cinema, the Arts Centre and the Art Gallery and Museum all have lively programmes to offer.
Leave the Garden City for St Paul’s Walden Bury for garden delights with recent royal connections, or sniff out the lavender fields of Cadwell Farm.
Half-timbered houses and riverside walks are in order in Hitchin, and who can resist hunting for the Thompson Mouse carved inside Hertfordshire’s largest parish church, St. Mary’s. Step back to Victorian schooldays at the British Schools Museum, snoop around the headmaster’s house, or learn dip-pen techniques in the Victorian galleried classroom.