Hertford, Hertfordshire
This county town offers a taste of English antiquity that is postcard-pretty enough to please both eager tourists from further away and weary Londoners looking for fresher air, shorter lines, and somewhere different to look at for the day. Its higgledy-piggledy, pastel-colored buildings and cobbled streets. With trains departing every 30 minutes, it is feasible to visit the 15th-century castle grounds (check the schedule in advance for movie showings, talks, and events), catch fish from a sandy cove in Hartham Common, and see the little museum all in an hour. You might even ride down the River Lea towpath from London if you're feeling ambitious. When you arrive, browse the small number of locally owned stores (the Women's Society Boutique is a fantastic find despite its intimidating facade) before visiting one of the several little cafés and eateries.
Giambrone's, a well-known deli-bar, provides genuine Italian food, Hertford Coffee Lab is a hip pit break, and Number One Port Hill, a Georgian mansion and B&B, occasionally holds pop-up suppers. Additionally, the trendy Dog and Whistle, formerly a pop-up café, has evolved into a music venue with rooms and a culinary pub. Indeed, Hertford, a sleepy market town by day and a lively nightlife center by night, is known for its pubs, especially the traditional ones. There is the 16th-century White Horse, the 17th-century Blackbirds, and the riverfront Old Barge (precise date unclear, although "old" is part of the name). Oliver Cromwell is claimed to have stayed in the Salisbury Arms Hotel during the Civil War, and the building is said to be haunted by several spirits. If you have the time, take a three-mile walk along the River Lea towpath to Ware, a nearby town with several bars, and take the train back to London from there.
- Ticket price: £10 - £16
- Tripadvisor Rating: N/A
- Review: Just fantastic
- Phone: 01992 517440
- Official site: hertfordhouse.co.uk
