EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

Bedford is on the London St Pancras-Sheffield rail line with trains arriving at Midland Station, from where it's a ten-minute walk east to the centre - just follow the signs. The bus station is on All Hallows and from here it's a couple of minutes' walk east to the short High Street, which runs north-south and spans the River Ouse. The tourist office (Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm; tel 01234/215226) is just off the High Street near the river at 10 St Paul's Square.

The town's best hotel is the Swan (tel 01234/346565, ; £70-90), whose Georgian stonework conceals a lavish and tastefully modernized interior; it's down by the river at the foot of the High Street. As a second choice, the Moat House Hotel (tel 01234/799988; £110-150) occupies a blotchy high-rise across the river from the Swan , but its upper rooms have great views and there's a good range of fitness facilities. The tourist office has a small cachet of B&Bs .

Bedford's large Italian community adds a bit of zip to the local restaurant scene. Pick of the bunch, serving the tastiest pizzas and pastas in town, is Pizzeria Santaniello , 9 Newnham St, immediately to the east of Mill Street's Bunyan Meeting Free Church. Further down Newnham Street, at no. 36, Bar Cappuccino chips in with authentic coffee, ice cream, pizzas and snacks. In between the two, the Castle , has bar food and Real Ales, and occupies ancient (but heavily modernized) premises.