How To Do Cheltenham Literature Festival In Style: The C&TH Guide

The best in the literary business are back in the Cotswolds for the 10-day Cheltenham Literature Festival, running from 10 to 19 October 2025. With more than 400 events on the roster – a mixture of ticketed talks and panels, free family activities and more – headliners this year include Shon Faye, Joanna Lumley, Richard Osman, Jojo Moyes, Graham Norton, Mary Portas and so many more.

But if you’ve landed on this page, we’re sure you know all of that already. You’re here for the inside scoop: the intriguing factoids to impress your fellow literary lovers with, the tastiest places to eat between events, and the loveliest places to stay if you’re extending your trip. We’ve got you covered: here’s the C&TH guide to Cheltenham Literature Festival.

Cheltenham Literature Festival: The C&TH Guide

Cheltenham Literature Festival is an annual celebration of the written word, bringing novelists, poets, writers and thinkers together in the pretty Gloucestershire town on the edge of the Cotswolds. Founded in 1949 by Spa Manager George Wilkinson and author John Moore, the Festival is the oldest literary festival in the world (though it is slightly pre-dated by the Cheltenham Music Festival, which formed in 1945).

Moore served as the festival’s first director, booking actor Ralph Richardson and poet Cecil Day-Lewis for the first edition, the former being born in Cheltenham and the latter teaching at Cheltenham College. It has grown to become one of Britain’s most prestigious literary events, with renowned authors, thinkers and artists flocking from across the globe to host talks, workshops, debates and readings.

It’s not just literature, but film, dance, visual arts and the spoken word are all well represented at this 10-day festival, which takes over the spa town’s pretty Montpellier Gardens, with events also taking place at Cheltenham Town Hall and Imperial Square.

How Does The Programme Work?

There is not one catch-all ticket for Cheltenham Literature Festival; instead individual events are ticketed, with bookings made on the Cheltenham Festivals website (or call +44 1242 850270 10am–4pm, Tuesday–Friday) and prices starting from about £14. This is where you will find the headline events, which take place in specific venues across Cheltenham’s city centre, from the Town Hall to Queens Hotel.

It’s not just fiction – far from it. You can also expect to hear from the day’s most fascinating thinkers, esteemed chefs, and even popular musicians.

Free events meanwhile include live comedy and music across the Festival’s VOICEBOX series, as well as roaming family friendly entertainment and drop-in workshops. If you are coming with little ones in tow, don’t miss the Wild Wood, a dedicated zone for mini creatives.

This all mainly takes over Montpellier Gardens (GL50 1UL) in the heart of Cheltenham, with a Festival Village popping up for the duration. However, some events take place elsewhere across the city, so make sure you check your ticket.

YOKU, Cheltenham

Where To Eat

Cheltenham is a treasure-trove of marvellous restaurants, from a Japanese-inspired joint helmed by fashion designer Jade Holland Cooper to a posh French restaurant that dates back to 1987, headed up by a chef who has never missed a service.

Check out our full guide to Cheltenham’s best restaurants here.

Where To Stay

Two C&TH-approved options for you here encapsulating our own country and town ethos.

The country option is Ellenborough Park, one of the finest estates in the Cotswolds which is just moments away from Cheltenham Racecourse and the city centre while prioritising countryside tranquility. The vibe fittingly blends the horsey location with contemporary glory: find 61 rooms and suites in the 15th-century manor house, antique furniture paired with rich fabrics and rolltop baths, a delightful spa garden, and a converted horsebox trailer of a bar.

The town option is No. 131, a hip base in the heart of Cheltenham helmed by Jade Holland Cooper and Superdry co-founder Julian Dunkerton. Spread across three handsome Georgian townhouses, expect 36 stylish bedrooms with refined yet bold design, destination restaurant YOKU, the more casual restaurant The Terrace and buzzy bar Gin & Juice.

A bedroom at No 131, Cheltenham

What To Wear

Let’s get one thing clear: Cheltenham Festival this is not – the annual horse jump racing event that attracts countrycore lovers in droves (think tweed and Holland Cooper galore). But the festivals do have two things in common: they take over Cheltenham, the picturesque spa town on the edge of the Cotswolds; and they don’t (technically) have a dress code.

Naturally Literature Festival goers won’t be donning quite so smart attire as their horsey counterparts, but if you have a when-in-Rome attitude to the affair, make sure you check out our Claudia Winkleman in the Traitors inspired edit of countryside style.

Otherwise we recommend layering up some cosy British knitwear and donning comfortable shoes for zipping between events.

How To Get There

Direct trains run from London Paddington to Cheltenham Spa hourly. Otherwise you can drive, but note that parking will be limited.