Reading is an idyllic historic site with tranquil parks and abbey ruins, but this Berkshire town transforms every August when the famous music festival kicks off here.
One of England's most historically important cities with a fascinating past, nestled in the heart of hilly, green countryside. Walk around the city center on foot and gaze at the changing face of the city: from the ancient abbey, ancient estates to modern buildings and vibrant urban culture.
The city is located between Bristol , Oxford and London in the south of England. Central London is 40 miles (64 km) east of Reading, with a 60 to 90 minute journey between the two cities and a 30-minute express train.
Reading climate
In Reading, summers are short, comfortable, cloudy, and winters are long, very cold, windy and also do not indulge in sunny days. Average temperatures in winter and summer range from + 2 ° C to + 22 ° C, rarely below -3 ° C or above + 29 ° C.
The city is located at an altitude of 0 m above sea level, so there is a lot of precipitation here: the least amount of rain falls in March - 48 mm, the greatest amount of precipitation falls in November, on average 68 mm.
Reading landmarks
Thames trail
The villages along the Berkshire waterways are almost all charming; any of them could be a source of inspiration for the writers of Purely English Murders. Trains stop at Pangborn and Goring. The five-mile walk spans a maze of paths that traverse the downtown Forbury Gardens, the impressive battle site of Maiwand Layo, Forbury Hill Peak for panoramic views. The route is enough to get hungry for a traditional pub lunch!
Reading Abbey
King Henry I ordered the construction of the once impressive Reading Abbey, which also served as a kind of hotel for Elizabeth I, part of Jane Austen's boarding school, and the prison that housed Oscar Wilde before it fell into ruin. These are well-preserved ramparts of the religious giant, arches, portals of the surviving walls.
The ruins of the abbey reopened in June 2018 after a partial renovation funded by the municipality and a lottery. In the schedule of events:
- painting workshops
- open air theater
- guides in medieval costumes
- in the summer - plays by Shakespeare.
Kenneth and Avon Channel
Reading is the eastern point of the Kenneth Avon Canal, which runs to Bristol. Travel like a Victorian horse-drawn barge - round trip ships depart from Kintbury, a short train ride from Reading.
The channel provides many opportunities to watch people (and ducks), and Shire's horses are very happy to be social media stars if you pay them with carrots.
Enjoy a picnic by the canal, which takes place next to the gardens, ruins. Hire a boat and sail along the waterway to the scenic outskirts of Berkshire (returning the canal through Oracle Shopping Center). Watch a movie in the mall's large cinema, shop and restaurant.
Reading churches
Get an insight into the local community by visiting the historic churches of Reading. The Church of St. Lawrence with a Norman façade dates back to the 12th century, hosts youth club events, and even has billiard tables.
Admire the Gothic façade of the Church of the Holy Virgin Mary, the oldest religious building in the city.
Tapestry of Bayeux at the Reading Museum
The Reading Museum began life as an exhibition of antiques, featuring a Stone Age hand ax, a woolly rhinoceros fossil, a Reading 1980 festival poster and a crab-shaped mouth organ. Technically, the Bayeux tapestry is just a Victorian copy, but embroidering a 70-meter medieval battle comic takes a lot of effort, even if you copy it!
MERL history
The Museum of English Rural Life tells the story of rural England. Collections are an important source of knowledge about how people lived and worked in rural areas. The collections contain over a million authentic photographs, films relating to the countryside, tens of thousands of technical drawings, personal notes and journals of farmers, agricultural workers.
Newbury Racecourse
A 29-minute train ride takes you directly to Newbury Racecourse, open since 1905. It is admittedly not Ascot, but also very well known in the world of horse racing. Tickets can be booked online.
Highclere Castle
If you watch TV shows, Highclere Castle will probably sound familiar to you - "Downton Abbey" was filmed here. It is a mecca for fans of all nationalities, but the pristine castle and grounds are a great attraction in themselves. Located 40 minutes from the city.
King's meadow
King's Meadow's beautiful Edwardian women's pools were abandoned for nearly 50 years until they reopened in 2017 after a £ 3.5 million renovation. Now it is a spa, pool and restaurant on site. The walls are designed like a one-way mirror - no one can look inside and swimmers can enjoy the beautiful views.
View Island
View Island near Caversham Lock was converted from an abandoned shipyard to a nature reserve about 20 years ago. The island is surrounded by a path, there are many secluded corners where you can find peace, quiet and beautiful views. Tree stumps, carved in the shape of faces, are scattered throughout the island.
Where to eat in Reading
All bar one reading
All Bar One Reading is a lively bar in the city center where you can eat, drink, escape from the stress of the day in a relaxed atmosphere. Modern food, extensive wine list, perfectly blended cocktails, excellent service with attentive, friendly staff.
Caprice Terrace
Vibrant colors and refreshing interior designs are greeted upon arrival, while the talented chef will surprise you with delectable creations. Guests are spoiled for choice: a seasonal à la carte menu with the finest local produce, set menus from £ 24.95. Leave room for exceptional desserts! The Caprice Terrace offers the opportunity to enjoy outdoor dining in a relaxed atmosphere.
7Bone Burger
American comfort food made with the finest local ingredients with love, care and attention, excellent service in a relaxed atmosphere. A simple American-style diner with bare brick walls and striped floors serving burgers, hot dogs and cocktails.
The nag's head
This provincial pub wins the CAMRA Pub of the Year in Central South England award almost every year. The drink selection is epic, the walls are adorned with posters, and the smoking area - the car park - is an absolute classic. If you don't drink even three pints, you will be kicked out.
Blue collar
Every Wednesday lunchtime, there is a street food market in the Abbey's charming Forbury Gardens. The Blue Collar company behind this was created specifically to support street food vendors in Reading to improve local life. Here you can have a good meal, try anticucho from a bull's heart (barbecue, if in a simple way). Blue Collar hosts special weekend events.
Transport in Reading
Reading has excellent bus connections: Reading Buses serves the entire urban area, some local villages.
Newbury Buses offer routes between Reading and Newbury / West Berkshire. Other rural areas are served by Arriva, First and Thames Travel buses.
Reading Station was opened in 1840 as a stop on the London-Bristol line. It has undergone many expansions over the years, most recently in 2015, and is now the second largest traffic junction outside London. Reading station is used by about 20 million passengers annually, and about 140 trains leave London Paddington to Reading per day.
The station is used by participants in the Reading Festival, which attracts up to 90,000 people. They travel by train and then walk a short distance to the venue. Trains to Reading Station run on both the Great Western Railroad and the Southwest Railroad.
Communication in Reading
British mobile operators (members of the Big Four - EE, O2, Three, Vodafone) provide high-quality communications and mobile Internet services in Reading. For tourists, the best choice is prepaid cards for local calls and network access.
