The big draw, of course, is the world famous Hay Festival (running since 1988) which takes place every year at the end of May. During that time, Hay becomes awash with celebrities, authors, musicians and comedians. Some taking part or performing at the Festival, others joining thousands of other visitors, as part of the Festival audience, or just taking in the laid-back Hay vibes. Want to see your favourite author up close? Check out the website. Tickets for next year’s festival go on sale on from December 3^rd.

But Hay is more than just a festival

Forget boring chain stores, Hay is filled with one-of-a-kind shops, packed with local goodies. From calming lavender to funky vinyl records, fascinating maps to pre-historic fossils! This quirky and unusual mix of shops, which sell a great mixture of good quality products, make Hay a treasure trove for browsing.

The main kind of shop you’ll find? Book shops. Hay – the world’s first book town, has, last time we checked, 26 bookshops! Ones that specialise “Murder and Mayhem”, ones that sell new, used and antique books “Richard Booth’s Bookshop” ones that hold book groups, author events and sell new only “North Books”. From historical tomes to graphic novels, there’s a book, and a shop, for every bookworm’s fancy.

Talking of Richard Booth, this eccentric individual put Hay on the map back in 1977, when he declared it an independent monarchy and crowned himself King of Hay. A story for another day…..

The historic Hay Castle, beautifully restored, is now a centre for art, and has a great café too!

And the Castle café is not alone, Hay’s got your taste buds covered! You can enjoy everything from traditional pub grub through to fine dining, from sheep’s milk ice cream to home-made soup.

Did I forget to mention, it also has a cinema, in a bookshop, of course!