Derby Silk Mill
Located in the Heart of England, Derby is a chic cosmopolitan city packed with culture, designer shops and a thriving real ale scene. The Pride Park Stadium is the proud home of Derby County Football Club, offering plenty of live action for sports fans, whilst the cathedral demonstrates the city’s cultural heritage enveloped in a glorious and historic building.
Sitting on the banks of the River Derwent, this dynamic city is a great place for a cultural break. Famous as one of the birthplaces of the Industrial Revolution, and home to transport manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce and Toyota, it also hosts many museums reflecting the area’s heritage. Crammed with shops and great places to eat, you can be sure that you will find lots of things to do during your stay.
A visit to Derby wouldn’t be the same without a trip to some of its famous buildings. Derby Cathedral is famously home to a pair of breeding falcons which are monitored by webcam; see if you can spot them for yourself without needing to resort to the internet! Other points of interest are Pickford’s House Museum, whilst Derby Museum and Art Gallery has a lovely selection of Royal Crown Derby porcelain.
Derby Cathedral
Derby Industrial Museum in Derby Silk Mill showcases the industrial heritage of the area and is great to visit if you are interested in Rolls-Royce aero engines and railway paraphernalia. For something a tad more exciting, visit Derby Gaol which is based in the dungeons of the County Gaol, dating back to the 18th century.
The skyline of the city is lit up at night with lots of places to go; The Brunswick Inn and The Abbey Pub are two popular spots, or for a more Latin feel check out the Revolucion de Cuba which has tasty tacos and cocktails.
"Derby is known as ‘the best place to drink ale in the world’ so make sure that you visit one or two of the many breweries during your stay.
Head along to Jack Rabbits and the award-winning Exeter Arms for lunch or dinner and take a tour around one of the many breweries where you can sample some of the local beers – Derby is known as ‘the best place to drink ale in the world’ so make sure that you visit one or two of them during your stay. The city also hosts the Summer Beer Festival and the Book Festival which are popular with both locals and visitors alike.
Derby’s Intu Centre is a hive of activity with lots of shops and places to eat and drink. The Cathedral Quarter is great for independent little shops and you can while away the time there, browsing in the antique shops and markets. The Derby QUAD is also a great place to grab a snack and shows the latest films. For something a little quirkier, pop into the Two Birds Gallery in Castle Donington, which is a little den of arts and crafts. Design at 44 in Sadler Gate is a great space, full of vintage style items.
South of the Peak District and within easy reach of Nottingham, Leicester and Stoke-on-Trent, Derby is a great place to base yourself from if you are looking for a holiday in the Heart of England.