Welcome to Malvern

Culture, Heritage and Nature come together in The Malverns

This uniquely beautiful place has more to offer than just landscape, since there is always something happening in the area.

There are towns and villages to explore, alongside festivals and a wide choice of events - all reasons to visit time and again throughout the year.

The Malvern Hills boast some of the most spectacular views in the Midlands, with routes for both beginners and the more experienced walkers.

Visit Malvern this autumn to enjoy:

• An afternoon concert of some of Bach’s most beautiful cantatas at Great Malvern Priory
• Visit Elgar’s Birthplace Museum for a fascinating insight into the life and music of one of England’s greatest composers
• Spend an afternoon walking in the glorious Malvern Hills and lose yourself in the views of Hereford and Worcestershire
• Visit the picturesque towns of Upton on Severn and Tenbury Wells
• Travel just 40 mins south and visit the beautiful Gloucester Cathedral and stay to attend a performance of Buxtehude’s masterpiece Membra Jesu Nostri.

Getting here

• By Road: Great Malvern is on the main A449 Hereford to Kidderminster Road. Coming by car from the direction of Hereford, or from Worcester City, visitors should use the A449 right to the centre of Great Malvern. If travelling to Malvern from the north via the M5 motorway, visitors should leave the motorway at Junction 7 and follow the signs for the A449 to Malvern. If travelling to Malvern from the south via the M5 motorway, visitors should leave the motorway at Junction 8 and join the M50. Stay on the M50 for only about 2km, taking the first exit you come to, signposted Malvern A38.

• By Train: Malvern has two train stations: Great Malvern and Malvern Link For the latest timetable information call National rail enquiries on 08457 484950 or visit www.nationalrail.co.uk

• By Bus: For timetable information contact Midland Red West on 01905 763888. For alternative bus travel from around the country visit the national Express Website or call 08705 808080.

• Car parking: Visit the Malvern Hills council website for details on car parking in Malvern

For more information

• Find out more things to do on the Visit the Malverns website
• Explore the Leisure and Culture pages on the Malvern Hills council website
• Drop by the Tourist  Information Centre: 21 Church Street, Malvern WR14 2AA (map); call them on 01684 892289; or email them at info@visitthemalverns.org
• Sign up to English Touring Opera’s mailing list

Exploring Britain’s Churches & Chapels

The Automobile Association (AA) has worked in partnership with the National Churches Trust to publish Exploring Britain’s Churches & Chapels, a practical and inspirational guide to churches and chapels across England, Wales and Scotland. Due to be published on 31^st October 2011, the Guide includes over 870 of the most inspiring of these buildings, and is available for pre-order on Amazon. Drawing on this guide we have provided the tours nearest to each of our Autumn concert locations for you to see the glorious churches and chapels well worth a visit whilst you are in the area (click on the reader below to view the tour in fullscreen).

Open publication - Free publishing - More churches

The National Churches Trust is the only national, independent, non-profit organisation dedicated to promoting and supporting church buildings of historic, architectural and community value across the UK. They have coordinated local knowledge from a number of other trusts across Britain to offer this collection of tours. For more information about their work, visit their website at www.nationalchurchestrust.org.

© AA Media Limited 2011.  Reproduced with permission.
137 Top Left AA/Caroline Jones, Top Right © gordonplumb/Flickr; 138 AA/Caroline Jones; 139 © G Southwell

Recommended by locals

Are you from Malvern or surrounding areas or have you been to the Malvern Hills before? Do you have a favourite restaurant/cafe/shop or any other local secrets that you would like to share with the ETO crowd?

Then leave a comment on this page to make your recommendation. Follow the same link to check out what other people have recommended so far!