17/06/2026
Did you know Bournemouth was once prescribed by doctors?
Long before wellness retreats and wellbeing trends, a stay in Bournemouth was considered part of the treatment.
For over a century, from the Victorian era through to the early NHS years, doctors recommended visits to Bournemouth for patients suffering from respiratory illnesses, exhaustion and poor health. The town’s mild climate, sea air and pine forests earned it a reputation as one of Britain’s leading health resorts, with people travelling from across the country to recuperate here.
Sanatoriums and convalescent homes were built amongst the pines, while railway posters proudly promoted Bournemouth as “The Centre of Health and Pleasure”.
Today, millions visit for the beaches and coastline. A hundred years ago, many arrived with a doctor’s note.
Not a bad prescription, really. (Although we think the trains ran better back then)
