For more information and to book please visit www.mrandmrssmith.com or let us arrange your whole trip, by calling +44 (0)20 8987 4312 or from the USA dial 1 866 610 3867.
Harrogate also lays claim to the title 'antiques centre of the north', and there's knick-knack browsing aplenty to punctuate gentle afternoon strolls across the Stray or through the RHS gardens; refuel with a slap-up high tea at one of the town's many cake-focused establishments. Don't make the mistake of thinking things are stuffy round here, though: the high-fashion boutiques, top-notch restaurants, retro interiors shops and on-the-pulse organic delis provide more than enough amusement for hard-to-please urban escapees…
No visit to Harrogate is complete without a visit to Bettys tea rooms. The queues may look offputting, but once you're inside, the towering cake stands and delicate brews will have you by the heartstrings. Traditionalists won't be able to resist the classic 'tea for two', with delicate finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and cakes of toothache-inducing sweetness; however, since menus give the best of Yorkshire a Swiss twist, rebels might prefer a melting gruyere rösti and a glass of Gewürtztraminer, followed by a Matterhorn sundae.
… checking out what a real fishmonger should look like: Ramus Seafood Emporium at 136 Kings Road (+44 (0)1423 563271; www.ramus.co.uk) is a lesson in fishy perfection from its smoked salmon to its barracuda fillets.
Our round-up of the hippest hideaways and romantic boutique hotels in Harrogate
With Victorian architecture, Edwardian antiques and strikingly contemporary furnishings all clamouring for the attention, The Balmoral Hotel in Harrogate mixes past and present with boldness and flair.
Planes, trains, automobiles, or maybe even helicopter – we tell you the best way to go.
Late April The Harrogate Spring Flower Show at the Great Yorkshire Showground sees the whole town blossom into life (www.flowershow.org.uk). May The prestigious Harrogate Antique & Fine Art Fair brings the country's best wheeler dealers to town (www.harrogateantiquefair.com). July Prize bulls, sheep racing, showjumping, flowers, food and more at the Great Yorkshire Show (www.greatyorkshireshow.com). September Mid-month sees summer's last gasp with floral displays and autumn foliage at the Harrogate Autumn Flower Show (www.flowersho.org.uk). The dealers roll out their wares again towards the end of the month for the second Harrogate Antique Fair of the year (www.harrogateantiquefair.com).
Ah, Weeton's. Three magic words: hot pork pies. This deli par excellence will have you cooing in wonder over its fantastic range of local and organic produce, its amazing cuts of meat, its tangy cheeses and freshly baked pies. There's also a small sit-in café, where you can scoff BLTs made with grilled free-range, dry-cured bacon; Yorkshire rare beef and red onion sandwiches; and sticky toffee pudding (plenty of healthy, vegetarian options, too). You can even have a glass of wine (www.weetons.com).
23–24 West Park, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 1BJ
The mother of British tea rooms, with an eccentric Swiss twist and a menu to satisfy even the pickiest of teatime eaters (and coffee addicts). Kick the day off with a full English breakfast, fill a brunchtime hole with a Swaledale cheese omelette, lunch on Alpine macaroni or smoked salmon rösti, and round things off with cream tea for two, finger sandwiches 'n' all. Jolly good show.
1 Parliament Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 2QU
This impeccable vegetarian bistro apparently does a fantastic vegan cooked breakfast – everything that goes on plates here is pure organic loveliness. Great smoothies and veggie burgers, too.
5 Station Parade, Harrogate HG1 1UF, North Yorkshire
This restaurant is a Harrogate institution; it won't win any awards for its interiors, but it has won many fans for its excellent seafood menu. Book ahead for an evening of gentleman's club classics, from smoked salmon pâté and lobster bisque to Dover sole and grilled king scallops, or sit at the old-school bar with Pacific oysters and champagne.
Montpellier Gardens, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 2TF
Modern European dishes served with flair in a relaxed bistro setting, plus tip-top wine list - make friends with your sommelier and be blown away by the flights of wine on offer. Pitch up a little early and have a few cocktails at the equally well-stocked bar first, or taste wines from drawn direct from the cellar by the Cruvinet machine.
Prospect Place, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 1LB
Tucked away eaterie that's pleasant for a light alfresco lunch in summer or an early supper; Nidderdale lamb and beef features frequently on the menu, as all ingredients are seasonal and sourced as locally as possible. Closed Sundays.
1 Montpellier Mews, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 2TQ
This hotel restaurant just outside Harrogate is worth a visit just for the decor: there's a 400-year-old Spanish olive tree in the conservatory, a pink chandelier in the dining room, and 27-foot limestone bar. On top of that, the menu is a fascinating blend of cuisines, the hallmark of which is the Yorkshire Tapas menu. Food is seasonal and locally sourced, so your Nidderdale lamb and Whitby smoked haddock may well be served with English wine.
Rudding Park, Follifoot, Harrogate HG3 1JH, North Yorkshire
Sister establishment to the Hoxton Grille, this suave modern bistro serves cunning blend of classic French and English dishes.
Franklin Mount, Harrogate, HG1 5EJ
Snazzy-looking conversion bar on popular pedestrianised street, with updated pub classics on the menu (gourmet burgers; haddock and chips; panini; you get the idea). Good for low-key lunch or a couple of drinks.
John Street, Harrogate, North Yorkshire HG1 1JZ
An old-fashioned gas-lit ale house with Victorian fittings and leather Chesterfield-style booth seating. Weekly guest ales include Daleside Bitter and Blonde; Black Sheep Bitter and Bass and Tetley Cask Ale. Enjoy a proper pub meal, surrounded by slightly sinister cases of stuffed fowl (we're sure the gulls were looking at us strangely).
1 Crescent Road, Harrogate HG1 2RS, North Yorkshire
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