Pantiles
A good place to begin a visit to Tunbridge Wells is at the Pantiles, a famous promenade with colonnaded shops near the spring on one side of town. Most of the notable buildings are from the 17th century, and the odd name derives from the Dutch "pan tiles" that originally paved the area. Now sandwiched between two busy main roads, the Pantiles remains an elegant, tranquil oasis. It's also home to the restored Chalybeate (pronounced ka-lee-bee-at) Spring. The name means "iron-rich," which becomes obvious when you taste the water, either via a "dipper" (a costumed local who serves water directly from the spring) or through a bottle of branded Royal TW Spring Water. It's available in natural, sparkling, and botanically-infused varieties from a vending machine beside the spring.
