Thirty Two

Local restaurants

Monty's Bar & Brasserie on St Georges Road (+44 (0)1242 227678) is a good bet for lunch or dinner, with international gastropub-style dishes (from Thai crispy duck to beer-battered cod and chips, via Wiener schnitzel and whole Bibury trout) and there's a decent cocktail bar, too. The elegant Lumière on Clarence Parade serves modern ‘global’ cuisine and always looks lively (+44 (0)1242 222200), but if it’s an immaculate, Michelin-starred French feast you’re after, book a table at the incomparable Le Champignon Sauvage on Suffolk Road (+44 (0)1242 573449).

Local bars

Slake your thirst alfresco style In the Imperial Square gardens, where a temporary open-air bar dispenses liquid refreshments during summer. For a pre-supper spritzer or after-dinner drinks, Thirteen Degrees on St George’s Road (+44 (0)1242 241144) is the perfect restored-Regency cocktail hang-out.

Local cafes

Gusto, a deli on Montpellier Walk (+44 (0)1242 239111), shakes the best coffee beans in town and will pop goodies from the shop into a picnic hamper for you. Get your alfresco fix at the Hot Pepper Jelly café on Suffolk Road (+44 (0)1242 719999), which has a sun-dappled courtyard.

For a full list of eating and drinking recommendations in Cotswolds, check out our Cotswolds eating & drinking guide

Worth getting out of bed for

Nearby and perfect for picnics, Cleeve Hill is the highest point in the Cotswolds, with incredible views of the Black Mountains and across Cheltenham Racecourse (www.cheltenham.co.uk), home of the Gold Cup.

Diary

March The Cheltenham Festival and Gold Cup (www.cheltenham.co.uk). August If it’s flared nostrils and shimmering fetlocks you’re after, head to the Festival of British Eventing at Gatcombe Park (www.gatcombe-horse.co.uk) for daredevil displays of dressage, showjumping and cross-country riding.

For a full list of recommended activities in Cotswolds, check out our Cotswolds destination guide