HISTORY or heritage, music or museums, sport or specialities – Worcester has the lot.

No visit to the city is complete without a look at the imposing, world-famous Cathedral, with its 200ft tower, royal tombs and medieval cloisters. Sir Edward Elgar, England’s greatest composer, played there and a memorial window commemorates the occasion.

Worcester also gives its name to the Royal Worcester Visitor Centre, where a fascinating behind-the-scenes factory tour shows how Royal Worcester porcelain is made, allows visitors to paint their own plates, and buy from a choice of Bestware, Seconds and Clearance.

Serious shoppers might like to know that GR Pratley & Sons in the city’s Shambles area give savings on “Best” Worcester. The pedestrianised CrownGate Shopping Centre, the new Cathedral Plaza, Reindeer Court and the Hop Market offer other “shoppertunities”.

Elgar’s Birthplace Museum, three miles out of Worcester in Lower Broadheath, houses a fascinating collection of Elgar memorabilia that gives you an insight into the man and his music.

The historic house and gardens of The Commandery also supply a glimpse of times gone by (especially around the English Civil War period), as does The Greyfriars (National Trust) A fine, timber-framed merchant's house built in 1480.

Walkers have no shortage of tours and trails to choose from, with treks around the city, along the river, or, farther afield, following the Elgar Trail or the Severn Way.

Sports fans, too, are well catered for, with football, rugby, cricket, golf and both horse riding and racing in the area, while a wide range of bars, hotels and clubs means night owls will be kept busy from the minute they arrive.