How to get the most out of 24 hours in Newmarket
Racecourses, royalty and a healthy dose of R&R; here’s how to spend one fine day in the historic home of horse racing
1. Caffeine fix
As anyone knows, all good sightseeing begins with caffeination.
Thankfully, with ample transport connections from nearby Cambridge and located just over an hour from London, most journeys to Newmarket aren’t too taxing.
Kick-start your day with a local institution – Cortado Espresso Bar on Exeter Road.
This trendy spot was co-founded by ex-jockey Eva, who designed the space with art deco flair and a nod to her racing career.
Named after its signature drink, the bar is known for quality coffee, with a preference for personally sourced, slow-roasted beans.
If you have more of an appetite, there’s also a covetable selection of locally sourced organic produce to choose from.
2. Culture calling
From here, it’s just a five-minute trot down the high street to your next destination and one of the town’s top attractions.
Branching off down Palace Street, make your way to the National Horse Racing Museum.
This cultural landmark is situated in Palace House – the last remaining part of King Charles II’s sporting palace and stables.
Inside, discover an impressive collection that will guide you through the history of British sporting art and its royal connections, with standout highlights from George Stubbs and Sir Alfred Munnings.
The five-acre site of the museum complex also extends to the King’s Yard Galleries and Trainer’s House across the road, where you can trace the evolution of horse racing from the cornerstones of the sport to the global phenomenon it is today.
No visit is complete without a go on the site’s famous racehorse simulator and meeting former racehorses in the flagship home of the Retraining of Racehorses.
Having worked up an appetite, you can enjoy a spot of lunch in one of the town’s finest restaurants without having to leave the museum complex.
A tasteful setting, especially if the weather permits you to pull up a chair overlooking the Frankel statue in the perfectly manicured courtyard, The Tack Room restaurant offers seasonal British produce in a unique location.
3. Time for check-in
Appetites satiated, make your way to the evening’s accommodation. Rather like the museum, The Jockey Club Rooms are another opulent jewel in the crown of Newmarket’s racing history.
Defined by its Georgian splendour, these hallowed halls are adorned with equine masterpieces and have housed royalty and historical legends.
This is a setting of unrivalled elegance.
You will find The Jockey Club Rooms, otherwise known as HQ, right in the heart of the town on the high street.
This has been the spiritual heartland of racing for over 250 years and home to the globally respected private club from which it takes its name.
As the country’s largest commercial horse racing organisation, The Jockey Club owns 15 of Britain’s most prestigious racecourses, including the July Course and the Rowley Mile on the outskirts of the town itself.
4. The lap of luxury
For afternoon relaxation, look no further than Bedford Lodge Hotel & Spa. Located in the grounds of the hotel, its award-winning spa has been recognised as one of the leading destinations in the east of England and has been awarded the prestigious five-bubble rating from the Good Spa Guide. Better yet, Bedford Lodge has the seal of approval from the queen of countryside romps, Dame Jilly Cooper, who unveiled the spa herself in 2018.
This serene retreat offers an extensive menu of treatments, many of them using luxury Espa products, while the spa’s facilities are guaranteed to sink your shoulders back to exactly where they should be.
Float away in the spacious hydrotherapy pool, soak up the views in the rooftop outdoor hot tub, and feel the heat in the wood-panelled sauna and steam room before braving the ice fountain!
Suitably relaxed, we suggest popping next door to the two AA Rosette Squires Restaurant for a sumptuous afternoon tea (available Wednesday to Sunday, 2.30pm to 4.30pm) or booking in for dinner – almost all ingredients used in this award-winning restaurant are sourced from within a 50-mile radius of the hotel itself.
5. A spot of dinner
After a full day, head to the outskirts of Newmarket to pay a visit to The Packhorse Inn in the charming village of Moulton.
A firm local favourite for the past decade, the pub has recently undergone a refurbishment including the addition of a timber and flint barn extension overlooking the village green.
It’s a fine spot to enjoy a modern British menu where hearty Sunday roasts rub shoulders with fresh seafood and an impressive selection of vegan dishes.
If you’d prefer somewhere in town, Unico is a relatively new addition to the high street having opened in 2021.
A spacious setting that has been decorated with a contemporary feel, this ristorante and pizzeria is known to offer an authentic taste of Italy.
Family-run, you can expect true hospitality and a mouth-watering meal before turning in for the night.
6. Early bird
With over 3,000 equine residents that need exercising on a daily basis, Newmarket is a town that wakes early.
We suggest you do the same for unparalleled insight into the sport of kings thanks to an expert-led tour from Discover Newmarket.
Available only on Fridays (£70pp), the Newmarket Experience provides a quintessential taste of the town, starting with the famed training grounds where you can watch the horses take their exercise and learn about the history of the gallops.
Enjoy behind-the-scenes insight into a training yard then embark on a tour of The National Stud – the prestigious home of thoroughbred breeding.
The Ultimate Newmarket Experience (£99pp) is also available and includes entrance to the National Horse Racing Museum.
If all this has made you catch the horse racing bug, find out more about what it’s like to see your horse train and get a glimpse of the Winner’s Enclosure by contacting the Newmarket Racing Club.
This local enterprise offers you the chance to join a friendly syndicate, meaning you can enjoy the undisputed thrill of racehorse ownership at a fraction of the cost and take a slice of the action back home with you.
