Royal Tunbridge Wells is boosting its Christmas experience this year to attract more visitors to the spa town to ensure it remains one of the UK’s top Christmas destinations.

With exceptional hotels, restaurants offering all types of cuisine and shopping this already popular spa town will have two real outdoor ice rinks this Christmas and beautifully lit streets where winter scenes will be projected onto some of the town’s most iconic buildings. The magic of falling snow will also be recreated using special effects near Royal Victoria Place shopping centre.

The impressive ice rink in Calverley Grounds will be open from 15 November and this year will have an additional ice rink for parents and toddlers to skate. In the evening it will be somewhere to try your hand at Bavarian Curling which is a traditional German ice game somewhere between curling and bowls. Pop-up restaurants, bars and live music events will add to the festive atmosphere. Don’t forget to book a magical experience to see Father Christmas in his delightful authentic real log cabin next to the ice rink. 

Royal Tunbridge Wells offers a unique shopping experience where big brands sit alongside independent retailers and department stores, Hoopers and Fenwick.

Royal Victoria Place is home to all your favourites stores, excellent family facilities and a great range of places to eat and relax. Santa will be arriving at his magical Arctic themed Grotto on Thursday 14

November from 4.30pm along with Chase and Marshall from the popular TV series PAW Patrol. Santa will be in his beautifully decorated grotto every day until 24 December. A festive Farmers Market will take place each Saturday throughout December between 9am and 3pm in Market Square where shoppers can buy speciality produce.

Royal Victoria Place also have a festive entertainment programme taking place every Sunday throughout December when all day parking is only £2. Royal Victoria Place will be open late ‘til 8pm every night from Monday 16 December until Monday 23 December with free parking between 4pm and 8pm. (except Sunday 22 December when opening hours are 10.30am to 4.30pm). Find out more about what’s on at www.royalvictoriaplace.com

New this year is a special all-day parking rate of £2 on a Sunday at various car parks around the town. To find out more visit www.visittunbridgewells.com

Take a stroll down the picturesque High Street with its unique shops and restaurants to the historic Pantiles which is quite a winter wonderland with beautifully lit trees, pretty buildings and a Georgian colonnade once famous for attracting royal visitors. The Pantiles is now the idyllic setting in which to enjoy the wine bars, cafés and restaurants. 

Just a five-minute walk from the Pantiles is the Spa Valley Railway which will be running steam trains throughout the Christmas period. Children can meet Santa and receive a present on board the Santa Specials which run between Eridge and Tunbridge Wells West on selected days from the end of November to Christmas Eve.

Royal Tunbridge Wells has two theatres and Flying into the Assembly Hall Theatre this Christmas will be Peter Pan so come and meet Peter and the lost boys, Tiger Lily and Tinker Bell and get ready for a family show full of fun, fairy dust and pirates galore! Set sail for Neverland and take on Captain Hook and prepare for out-of-this-world flying effects, galleons of laughter and the hungriest of crocodiles.

The delightful Trinity Theatre has an amazing programme of events including a new production of the ‘

Snow Queen’ which sees Kai lured away from his village by the icy embrace of The Snow Queen. Original music, puppetry and more than a sprinkling of snow will bring this classic tale to life for families between 12 December and 5 January. Or why not book to see a performance of Dicken’s famous ghost story A Christmas Carol on 28 November. Music lovers can listen to a musical trio and soloists while enjoying Christmas lunch on 1 and 8 December. Ballet fans can watch a live production of Coppélia by The Royal Ballet on 15 December at 6.30pm and the The Nutcracker will be shown on 17 December on 7.15pm.

For further information about Royal Tunbridge Wells including where to stay visit www.visittunbridgewells.com