Worcester Travel Guide, United Kingdom

Worcester is located within 30 miles distance from Birmingham and 29 miles from Gloucester, in the heart of the West Midlands region. Worcester is the capital of Worcestershire county, one of the most intensely visited areas from England. Many people come to Worcestershire to enjoy the rural landscape, but Worcester is itself an attraction, highly appreciated for its role in England’s history, for the numerous historical landmarks and its impressive gothic cathedral.

Worcester Overview – Some Interesting Facts

Worchester is the town where the Worcestershire Sauce was invented in 1937. The Berrow’s Worcester Journal is the oldest newspaper in the world, dating back from 1690. Also, The British Medical Association was founded in the building of the old Worchester Royal Infirmary in the mid 19th century. The city’s name comes from the Anglo-Saxons, in whose language the word ‘caester’ used to designate the place of a former Roman fort. The biggest celebration in Worcester is the Christmas Fayre, a themed street market held between the 26th and the 29th of November.

Worcester overview – Climate and Geography

As any Worcester overview will tell you, the weather in Worcester hardly goes to extremes. The climate is mild, with warm and sunny summers and rainy winters. The average temperature in August is 20ºC and the average temperature in January is 8ºC. The Worcestershire relief is mostly hilly and very favorable for farming. The Severn River flows through the middle of the city.

Worcester Overview – Transportation

Even from ancient times, Worcester was situated on major transportation routes, which made it an important economic centre even during the Roman Empire. Worcester is only 120 miles away from London. The M5 Motorway, which crosses the town from north to south, is the easiest accessible route for those traveling by car. There are 2 railway stations in Worcester that connect the town with the rest of the country. The internal transportation is assured by several buss companies. There are also busses connecting Worcester with other towns from Worcestershire county.

Worcester Overview – Economy

Worcester’s most stable industry is the production of the Worcestershire sauce that has been made and bottled here since the 19th century. Once, Worcester was famous for its production of gloves and fine porcelain, but these industries are now almost extinct. Worcester is an important retail centre in the region: the main shopping area is represented by the High Street in downtown Worcester. The city has three major shopping centers: CrownGate, Cathedral Plaza and Reindeer Court, that you can find listed in most Worchester overviews.