I visited a much-loved West Midlands town and saw a side far beyond its famous castle

Like many people in the West Midlands, whenever I hear of Warwick what immediately springs to mind is Warwick Castle.

It's been a while since I had taken a trip to this charming town, but I was keen to see what Warwick looks like today, beyond its famed castle walls.

From its cultural institutions to its restaurants and to its range of independent shops, I can tell you with certainty that Warwick has lots of things to offer and it's well worth a visit the next time you’re planning on venturing out into the more scenic parts of the West Midlands.

The town recently featured on a list of 260 locations in the UK deemed some of the best places to live.

Muddy Stilettos described Warwick as an “easy-on-the-eye market town” with “Georgian townhouses, Queen Anne mansions, tottering half-timbered Tudor buildings and a castle, all washed down with chi-chi tea shops and artisan bakeries”.

• Read more: The 8 best places to live or move to in Warwickshire in 2027, according to Muddy Stilettos

In my view, this is an accurate assessment as I recently took the approximately 30-minute train ride from Birmingham Moor Street to Warwick. As soon as you arrive you notice the town’s charming centre with a range of independent shops and restaurants.

I couldn’t help but pop into lots of different shops while there. One place that stood out to me was the bookshop Warwick Books situated at the heart of the town centre. The bookshop was small but had lots of great reads as well as games. I spent a while perusing through the shelves and it was a really cosy atmosphere.

After that, I visited St Mary’s Church with the aim of seeing the tower as I heard that if you climb all the way up you can see panoramic views of the town. Unfortunately, I went on a day with rather bad weather so the tower wasn’t open.

The next time I go to Warwick I’ll make sure I’m able to go up. Nonetheless, St Mary’s Church is a lovely place to visit with many friendly volunteers who were able to let me know about the role the church has played in the town for hundreds of years.

• Read more: Pumpkins are taking over this idyllic town an hour from Wolverhampton as spooky half-term events planned

During the school half-term leading up to Halloween, the Market Hall Museum proved to be a fantastic destination for families. Visitors enjoyed a variety of festive activities, including a free pumpkin giveaway, the haunted house trail, and a "guess the weight of the pumpkin" game.

There were also lots of fabulous Halloween window displays in front of many public buildings in the town.

I paid a visit to the Lord Leycester, a magnificent half-timbered building that gave me the impression I had travelled back in time.

A guide led us through the castle's many halls, sharing a variety of spooky stories along the way. I had the chance to experience the Lord Leycester Hospital both by day and at night. For those who might not know, the Lord Leycester is one of the world's oldest veteran charities, housed in a medieval property transformed by Robert Dudley back in 1571.

It’s extremely impressive that the Lord Leycester is still running today, and its a great place to head to if you’d like to soak up some history.

In terms of dining options, there is a wide variety of options available.

I dined at The Craftsman on Smith Street for lunch and I was impressed by the restaurant’s selection that was available on offer.

I enjoyed a tasty halloumi rice bowl that was loaded with flavourful vegetables including peppers, citrus flavours, and sriracha mayo.

The atmosphere was relaxed and seemed to be more akin to a café, where lots of people were working during the day, which changes into a vibrant bar at night.

Co-owners Paul and Harvey Brown told me that a second restaurant is due to open in nearby Leamington Spa in early 2027.

All in all, I had a wonderful day trip to Warwick and it was pleasant to see the town beyond the castle's gates.