Buxton

Discover the breathtaking beauty of Buxton, a beautiful 18th century Spa and market town, situated in the heart of the Peak District - an area of stunning beauty and spectacular scenery.

Buxton is the main centre for accommodation in the Peak District - from four star grandeur to first class, family run hotels and B&Bs.

Like Bath, it owes its existence to the thermal springs that bubble up beneath the Crescent. The Romans found the natural warm pale blue waters very beneficial and called the town "Aquae Arnemetiae" which means "The Spa of the Goddess of the Grove".

For centuries Buxton has been a Spa town popular with visitors from around the world, renowned for its spa water, its summer festivals, music and its impressive architecture.

Notable buildings form an elegant cluster around the restored Georgian Crescent, built by the Fifth Duke of Devonshire in 1784 to provide accommodation for visitors attracted by the health-giving thermal spring.

In the centre of the town, St Ann's Well, a fountain located opposite the Tourist Information Centre, continues to give forth a constant flow of spring water. The Opera House, built by renowned theatre architect Frank Matcham in 1903, is the venue of high-standard performances of music, dance, drama and opera throughout the year.

The adjacent 23-acre complex of the Pavilion Gardens embraces a recently restored Victorian park, fully licensed catering facilities, a swimming pool and a conservatory. Nearby is the remarkable Royal Devonshire Hospital originally built as the Duke of Devonshire's Great Stables and once the largest unsupported dome structure in Europe. It is currently being converted into a major new campus for the University of Derby.

There is a fantastic range of outdoor leisure activities available in the area, and the whole of the peak District is rich in special events, festivals and local traditions - including a very special one - Well Dressing. Since pagan times local groups have decorated their wells with colourful, intricately designed mosaics made from natural materials, mainly flower petals. Buxton has all this, and more...