3 compelling reasons to visit Worcestershire: Lea & Perrins sauce, a unique style of Morris dancing, and the world's smallest theatre (in Malvern, seating 12 people in what was once a Victorian gentlemen's urinal).
More seriously, it's a place of massive historical significance. The English Civil War both started and ended here, kicking off with the Battle of Powick Bridge in 1642 and concluding with the historic Battle of Worcester 9 years later. Worcester itself is home to a magnificent Norman cathedral, with medieval cloisters and Royal tombs, including that of King John, of Magna Carta fame. Nearby Friar Street houses modern restaurants and bars in medieval timbered buildings.
The city is surrounded by some of the most beautiful country landscapes in England. Walk along the eight-mile ridge of the Malvern Hills and you'll spot 13 different English counties. To the north are the old industrial towns of Redditch, Bromsgrove and Kidderminster; to the south are the northern Cotswolds villages, including honey-hued Broadway, with its gorgeous folly tower.