'I visited a historic town 30 miles from London - it was pretty but the locals were rude'

Royal Tunbridge Wells is considered one of the "jewels in the crown" of Kent and it's easy to see why.

Located less than an hour from London via train, the Georgian spa town has become a popular spot for commuters travelling to the capital.

The town is also popular with families with Royal Tunbridge Wells being named as the safest major town in Kent.

The area is most famous for its beautiful parks, Georgian architecture and fantastic facilities as well as its moated castles and country manors.

While the above factors may not seem important, they did contribute to my overall view of the town when I visited.

January is never the best time to visit a town - the buzz of Christmas has lifted leaving behind a month of sales, cold weather and a touch of the winter blues.

However, it can also be one of the best times to visit a new town or city. Accommodation tends to be cheaper, shoppers can bag a bargain in the sales and areas tend to be less touristy meaning you often get a more authentic experience when it comes to liaising with the locals.

One of the first places I visited in Tunbridge Wells was The Pantiles. The Georgian colonnade, which was previously known as "The Walks", is a bustling parade of shops, cafes, bars and restaurants that leads from the well that gave the town its name.

The Pantiles was developed after the chalybeate spring was discovered in 1606. Since then, the area and surrounding town have been developed extensively and are now a hive of activity with thousands of tourists visiting every year.

Last year, The Pantiles was named one of the best places for independent shops in the UK, according to research commissioned by American Express.

In the summer months, jazz bands play outside on the bandstand which can attract hundreds of people to the cobbled streets.

One of my favourite shops in The Pantiles is Collared, a dog accessory and gift shop that sells quality products for dog owners and their pooches.

The shop always has fantastic window displays and has the most unique gifts for dogs.

Another must-visit is The CakeShed which sells delicious cakes and tea as well as an array of savoury options.

If you're after great coffee then I'd highly recommend trying Fine Grind. The shop was packed with families, dogs and couples vying for a table while ordering coffees, cakes and pastries.

I ordered a coffee to go and was really impressed with the beverage's flavour as well as the speed at which the barista made it. Next time I visit, I plan to grab a table and enjoy one of the cafe's popular sausage rolls.

Once you've explored The Pantiles, visitors can walk up the hill to Royal Victoria Place where you'll find an array of luxury well-known clothes shops as well as a Fenwick department store.

The shopping centre is one of the cleanest I've visited and has all the essentials you could possibly need.

If you prefer long walks in the countryside over shopping then there's plenty of rambles to choose from. Tunbridge Wells Common offers plenty of picturesque views and dog-friendly walks in the winter months and is a great spot for a picnic in the summer.

Not far from the common is High Rocks, an ancient monument that was once a Neolithic Settlement and an Iron Age Fort. The giant rocks are linked by 11 bridges making it a fun and historic walk for visitors.

The Spa Hotel, which is located just up the road from both Tunbridge Wells Common and High Rocks is a fantastic place to stay if you're visiting the town.

The Spa Hotel has everything you could need on site including a swimming pool, steam room, sauna, gym, bar and restaurant. It's also set among 14 acres of picturesque grounds which means the views from some of the rooms are spectacular.

While I very much enjoyed my visit to Royal Tunbridge Wells, there was one downside to the whole experience - I found some of the locals unfriendly.

Living in Kent myself, I had visited a plethora of towns in the area including Whitstable, Sandwich and Deal and was used to most people saying "thank you" when I held a door open or moved out of their way.

But in Tunbridge Wells, there were moments when I felt like I was back in London. Smiles were met with blank faces, "thank-yous" followed by silence and there were a couple of times when I was almost knocked into the road by someone with a pram - which wasn't followed up with an apology.

It's quite likely that after Christmas, locals may have had enough of tourists like me wandering around the town in awe at its beauty.

As a whole, my visit to the town was very enjoyable, with The Pantiles' quirky array of shops, cafes and restaurants being a particular highlight.

So, would I visit Royal Tunbridge Wells again? Absolutely. But I might give the locals a few months to warm up before I return.