The Southeast

The southeast corner of England was traditionally where London went on holiday. In the past, trainloads of East Enders were shuttled to the hop fields and orchards of Kent for a working break from the city; boats ferried people down the Thames to the beaches of north Kent; while everyone from royalty to cuckolding couples enjoyed the seaside at Brighton, a blot of decadence in the otherwise sedate county of Sussex. Although many of the old seaside resorts have struggled to keep their tourist custom in the face of ever more accessible foreign destinations, the region still has considerable charm, its narrow country lanes and verdant meadows appearing, in places, almost untouched by modern life.

The proximity of Kent and Sussex to the continent has dictated the history of this region, which has served as a gateway for an array of invaders. Roman remains dot the coastal area – most spectacularly at Fishbourne in Sussex and Lullingstone in Kent – and many roads, including the main A2 London to Dover, follow the arrow-straight tracks laid by the legionaries. When Christianity spread through Europe, it arrived in Britain on the Isle of Thanet – the northeast tip of Kent, then an island but since rejoined to the mainland by silting. In 597 AD Augustine moved inland and established a monastery at Canterbury, still the home of the Church of England and the county’s prime historic attraction.

The last successful invasion of England took place in 1066, when the Normans overran King Harold’s army near Hastings, on a site now marked by Battle Abbey. The Normans left their mark all over this corner of the kingdom, and Kent remains unmatched in its profusion of medieval castles, among them Dover’s sprawling clifftop fortress guarding against continental invasion and Rochester’s huge, box-like citadel, close to the old dockyards of Chatham, power base of the formerly invincible British navy. Gentler reminders of history can be found in pretty Sandwich and Rye, two of the best-preserved medieval towns in the country.

You can spend unhurried days in elegant old towns such as Royal Tunbridge Wells, Arundel, Midhurt and Lewes, or enjoy the less elevated charms of the traditional resorts. Whitstable is an arty getaway famed for its oysters, Deal has a laidback vibe, and cheeky Margate goes from strength to hipster strength, but chief among them all is Brighton, combining the buzz of a university town with a good-time atmosphere. The rolling chalk uplands of the South Downs National Park get you away from it all, as much as anywhere can in the crowded southeast, with the soaring white cliffs of the Sussex Heritage Coast the unmissable scenic highlight. Kent and Sussex also harbour some of the country’s finest gardens – ranging from the lush flowerbeds of Sissinghurst in the High Weald to the great landscaped estate of Petworth House – and a string of excellent galleries, among them the Pallant Gallery in Chichester, the Turner Contemporary in Margate, the Towner in Eastbourne and the tiny Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft just outside Brighton. Folkestone, meanwhile, with its high-profile triennial art show, is building a strong cultural reputation.

The portion of Surrey within and around the M25 orbital motorway has little for tourists, but beyond the ring road it takes on a more rural aspect, with miles of beautiful countryside and woodlands to explore; the market towns of Guildford and Dorking make handy hubs.

Turner Contemporary, Margate

Highlights

1 The Sportsman, Seasalter Savour impeccable, locally sourced, Michelin-starred food in this simple gastropub by the sea.

2 Margate With its quirky Old Town, its broad sandy beach and the fabulous Turner Contemporary gallery, this brash old resort is an increasingly hip destination.

3 Canterbury Cathedral The destination of the pilgrims in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, with a magnificent sixteenth-century interior that includes a shrine to the murdered Thomas Becket.

4 White Cliffs of Dover Immortalized in song, art and literature, the famed chalky cliffs offer walks and vistas over the Channel.

5 Rye Ancient hilltop town of picturesque cobbled streets, with some great places to eat, shop and sleep.

6 Walking the South Downs Way Experience the best walking in the southeast – and some fantastic views – on this national trail, which spans England’s newest National Park.

7 The Lanes and North Laine, Brighton Explore the café- and shop-crammed streets of the maze-like Lanes and the buzzy, hip North Laine: Brighton at its best.

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Getting around: The Southeast

By train Southeastern (southeasternrailway.co.uk) covers Kent and the easternmost part of Sussex, and runs the high-speed services from London St Pancras to the North Kent coast and Chichester. The rest of Sussex, and parts of Surrey, are served by Southern Railway (southernrailway.com). Surrey is mainly served by South West Trains (southwesttrains.co.uk).

By bus National Express services from London and other main towns are pretty good, though local bus services are less impressive, and tend to dry up completely on Sundays outside of the major towns. Traveline (travelinesoutheast.org.uk) has route details and timetables. The Discovery Ticket (£8.50, family ticket £16) allows a day’s unlimited bus travel across most bus services in the southeast; see southdowns.gov.uk /discovery-ticket for details.

By car Outside of the main towns, driving is the easiest way to get around, although commuter traffic in this corner of England is very heavy. The A2, M2 and M20 link the capital with Dover and Ramsgate, while the M23/A23 provides a quick run to Brighton. The A27 runs west–east across the Sussex coast, giving access to Chichester, Arundel, Brighton, Lewes, Eastbourne and Hastings, but can be slow-going.

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North Kent

North Kent has a good share of appealing destinations, all easily accessible from London. The attractive little town of Rochester has historic and literary interest, but it’s the seaside resorts that really pull in the visitors: arty Whitstable; appealingly old-fashioned Broadstairs; and Margate, which combines a dash of offbeat bucket-and-spade charm with the big-name Turner Contemporary gallery and a thriving vintage scene.

Rochester and around

The handsome Medway town of ROCHESTER was first settled by the Romans, who built a fortress on the site of the existing castle. The town’s most famous son is Charles Dickens, who spent his youth and final years near here – mischievously, it appears as “Mudfog” in The Mudfog Papers, and “Dullborough” in The Uncommercial Traveller as well as featuring in The Pickwick Papers and much of his last, unfinished novel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood. Many of the buildings Dickens described can still be seen today.

In neighbouring Chatham, the colossal Chatham Historic Dockyard records more than four hundred years of British maritime history – even if ships don’t float your boat, it is well worth a trip.

Huguenot Museum

95 High St, ME1 1LX • Wed–Sat 10am–5pm, bank hol Mon 10am–4pm; last admission 30min before closing • £4 • 01634 789347, huguenotmuseum.org

Above the tourist office on Rochester’s historic High Street, the Huguenot Museum makes interesting connections between the fifty thousand French Protestants who fled France for Britain between 1685 and 1700 and modern-day refugees. The small display focuses on the dire religious persecution that drove them to flee their homes, the hostility they faced on arrival, and the huge contribution they made to British culture. Though many Huguenots settled in east London, there were significant populations in Kent – including an important silk-weaving community in Canterbury.

Guildhall Museum

17 High St, ME1 1PY • Tues–Sun 10am–5pm • Free • 01634 332900, medway.gov.uk

The best section in the Guildhall Museum, in two buildings at the riverside end of the High Street, is its chilling exhibition on the decommissioned prison ships – or hulks – used to house convicts and prisoners of war in the late eighteenth century. The Dickens Discovery Rooms, in the adjoining building, include a wordy display about his life, and a short film about the locations that feature in his work.

Rochester Castle

Northwest end of the High St, ME1 1SW • Daily: April–Sept 10am–6pm; Oct–March 10am–4pm; last entry 45min before closing • £6.40; EH • 01634 335882, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/rochester-castle

Built around 1127 by William of Corbeil, Archbishop of Canterbury, Rochester Castle, though now ruined, remains one of the best-preserved examples of a Norman fortress in the country. The stark 113ft-high ragstone keep glowers over the town, while the interior is all the better for having lost its floors, allowing clear views up and down the dank shell. The outer walls and two of the towers retain their corridors and spiral stairwells, allowing you to scramble up rough and uneven damp stone steps to the uppermost battlements.

Rochester Cathedral

Boley Hill, ME1 1SX • Mon–Fri 7.30am–6pm, Sat & Sun 7.30am–5pm • Free • 01634 843366, rochestercathedral.org

Rochester Cathedral, built on Anglo-Saxon foundations, dates back to the eleventh century – though the structure has been much modified since. Plenty of Norman features have endured, however, particularly in the nave and on the cathedral’s west front, with its pencil-shaped towers and richly carved portal and tympanum. Some fine paintings survived the Dissolution; look out for the thirteenth-century depiction of the Wheel of Fortune (only half survives) on the walls of the quire.

Restoration House

17–19 Crow Lane, ME1 1RF • June–Sept Thurs & Fri 10am–5pm • £8.50; gardens only £4 • 01634 848520, restorationhouse.co.uk

An elegant Elizabethan mansion, the inspiration for Miss Havisham’s Satis House in Great Expectations, Restoration House was given its current name after Charles II stayed here just before his restoration. Delightfully, the owners have avoided the manicured renovations of so many old houses; its ragged, crumbling beauty reveals far more about the house’s long life and many alterations than would something more formal.

Chatham Historic Dockyard

About 1 mile north of Chatham along Dock Rd, ME4 4TE • Daily: mid-Feb to end March & Nov 10am–4pm; end March to Oct 10am–6pm; Victorian Ropery and Ocelot tours by timed ticket only • £24; under-15s £14; tickets valid for a year • 01634 823800, thedockyard.co.uk • Bus #190 runs to the docks from Rochester (every 7–20min; 5min); there are also trains to Chatham station from Rochester (see below) and St Pancras International (every 30min; 40min) – from the station you can walk (30min), catch a bus (#101; 15min) or take a taxi (£7)

Two miles east of Rochester, the Chatham Historic Dockyard, founded by Henry VIII, was by the time of Charles II the major base of the Royal Navy. The dockyards were closed in 1984, with the end of the shipbuilding era, but reopened soon afterwards as a tourist attraction. The eighty-acre site, with its array of historically and architecturally fascinating ships and buildings, is too big to explore in one trip. Highlights include the interactive Command of the Oceans displays, the Victorian sloop HMS Gannet, the Victorian Ropery and the Ocelot submarine, the last warship to be built at the yard.

Arrival and information: Rochester

By train Trains arrive in the heart of town just east of the High St, opposite the back entrance of the tourist office.

Destinations Canterbury (every 20–45min; 40–50min); Chatham (every 5–25min; 3min); London Charing Cross (Mon–Fri every 30min; 1hr 20min); London St Pancras (every 30min; 35–40min); London Victoria (every 10–20min; 45min–1hr 20min); Ramsgate (every 5–40min; 1hr 10min).

Tourist office 95 High St (April–Sept Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 10.30am–5pm; Oct–March Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; 01634 338141, visitmedway.org).

Accommodation

Golden Lion 147–151 High St, ME1 1EL 01634 405402, jdwetherspoon.com. Rochester’s most central option, with nine well-equipped en-suite rooms above a busy Wetherspoons pub. Breakfast is available in the pub (for an extra fee). £80

Ship & Trades Maritime Way, Chatham, ME4 3ER 01634 895200, shipandtradeschatham.co.uk. Fifteen contemporary B&B rooms in a great location above a waterside brasserie-bar near the dockyard. Many rooms have marina views and some have terraces. £100

Eating

The Deaf Cat 83 High St, ME1 1LX thedeafcat.com. A hop away from the cathedral, this coffee shop, dedicated to the memory of Dickens’s deaf cat, is a laidback place serving espresso drinks, cookies, cakes and sandwiches to tourists and locals. Mon–Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–5pm.

Topes 60 High St, ME1 1JY 01634 845270, topesrestaurant.com. Rochester’s best restaurant, near the cathedral, in a wood-panelled dining room with sloping ceilings. Lunch sees gourmet burgers (£8) and inventive dishes (from £12) – basil gnocchi with Jerusalem artichoke and salsify, perhaps – with a two-/three-course set menu on Sun (£19.50/25); dinner is also prix fixe (£28/£35). Afternoon tea Wed–Sat 3–4pm (from £12.50). Wed–Fri & Sun noon–4pm, Sat noon–4pm & 6.30–9pm.

Whitstable

Fishermen, artists, yachties and foodies rub along in lively, laidback WHITSTABLE. The oysters for which the town is famed have been farmed here since Roman times, and today the annual Oyster Festival (end July; whitstableoysterfestival.co.uk) is a high-spirited party of parades, live music, the “Landing of the Oysters” ceremony and raucous oyster-eating competitions.

Formal sights are few, which is part of the appeal. Follow the signs from the lively High Street and trendy Harbour Street, with its delis, restaurants and boutiques, to reach the seafront, a quiet shingle beach punctuated by weathered groynes and backed for most of its length by seaside houses and colourful beach huts in varying states of repair.

The Victorian harbour, a mix of pretty and gritty that defines Whitstable to a tee, bustles with a fish market, whelk stalls and a couple of seafood restaurants, and offers plenty of places to sit outside and watch the activity. The handsome 1892 Thames sailing barge, Greta (07711 657919, greta1892.co.uk), offers boat trips around the estuary.

Arrival and information: Whitstable

By train From the train station it’s a 15min walk to the centre, along Cromwell Road to Harbour St, the northern continuation of High St.

Destinations Broadstairs (every 10–45min; 25min); London St Pancras (hourly; 1hr 15min); London Victoria (hourly; 1hr 30min); Margate (every 10–45min; 20min); Ramsgate (every 10–45min; 35min).

By bus Buses to Canterbury (every 15min; 30min) stop on the High St.

Tourist information The Whitstable Shop, 34 Harbour St (Jan–March Mon–Sat 10am–4pm, Sun 11am–4pm; April–Dec Mon–Fri 10am–4pm, Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm; 01227 770060).

Accommodation

Duke of Cumberland High St, CT5 1AP 01227 280617, thedukeinwhitstable.co.uk. Eight comfortable, good-value en-suite B&B rooms above a friendly, boho music pub. It can be noisy on weekend nights, when they have live bands, but the music (which is invariably excellent) usually winds up around midnight. On sunny mornings breakfast in the garden is a treat. £80

Fishermen’s Huts Near the harbour 01227 280280, whitstablefishermanshuts.com. Thirteen two-storey weatherboard cockle-farmers’ stores (sleeping 2–6 people), offering cute, characterful accommodation near the harbour. Most have sea views, and some have basic self-catering facilities. Rates include breakfast, served at the nearby Continental Hotel, and drop considerably out of season. Mon–Thurs & Sun £125, Fri & Sat (two-night minimum) £195

Eating

The Sportsman Faversham Rd, Seasalter, CT5 4BP 01227 273370, thesportsmanseasalter.co.uk. The drab exterior belies the Michelin-starred experience inside this fabulous gastropub, in a lonesome seaside spot four miles west of town. The deceptively simple food takes local sourcing to the extreme: fresh seafood, marsh lamb, seaweed from the beach, bread and butter made right here – even the salt comes from the sea outside. Mains from £21 – roast gurnard with bouillabaisse and green olive tapenade, say. Reservations essential. Tues–Sat noon–2pm & 7–9pm, Sun noon–2.30pm.

Wheeler’s Oyster Bar 8 High St, CT5 1BQ 01227 273311, wheelersoysterbar.com. A Whitstable institution dating back to 1856, this is one of the best restaurants in Kent. It’s an informal, friendly little place, with just four tables in a back parlour and a few stools at the fish counter, but the inventive, super-fresh seafood is stunning, whether you choose raw oysters or more substantial mains (from £16) like roasted bass with coriander mash in a prawn and mussel broth with samphire. Delicious quiches available from the counter, too. BYO; cash only; reservations essential. Mon & Tues 10.30am–9pm, Thurs 10.15am–9pm, Fri 10.15am–9.30pm, Sat 10am–10pm, Sun 11.30am–9pm.

Windy Corner Stores 110 Nelson Rd, CT5 1DZ 01227 771707, facebook.com/windycornerstoresandcafe. Homely neighbourhood café with a couple of outdoor tables on the quiet residential street. The home-made food includes breakfasts (£3–7) from a full veggie to a bacon sarnie, creative salads, sandwiches and daily specials (lasagne, perhaps, or vegetable gratin; from £7), and good coffee and cakes. Daily 8am–4.30pm.

Drinking

Black Dog 66 High St, CT5 1BB facebook.com/TheBlackDog13. Don’t be deceived by the vaguely Goth exterior – this quirky micropub is a cheery place, with (mainly) Kentish ales, ciders and wines, inexpensive local snacks, and a friendly regular crowd. No cards, no vaping, no children. Mon–Wed noon–11pm, Thurs–Sun noon–midnight.

Old Neptune Marine Terrace, CT5 1EJ 01227 272262, thepubonthebeach.co.uk. A white weatherboard landmark standing alone on the beach, the “Neppy” is the perfect spot to enjoy a sundowner at a picnic table on the shingle, or to hunker down with a pint after a bracing beach walk. Some real ales, plus live music on Sat & Sun. Mon–Wed 11.30am–10.30pm, Thurs–Sat 11.30am–11.30pm, Sun noon–10.30pm.

Margate

After a few decades in decline, the tide in MARGATE is undoubtedly turning. It may not be the prettiest town on the Kent coast, but its energetic combination of eccentricity, nostalgia and cheery seaside fun give it a definite appeal. With the splendid Turner Contemporary gallery, the retro-cool Dreamland amusement park, a cluster of vintage shops and indie galleries in the Old Town and some superb places to eat and stay – not to mention the big, sandy beach – Margate is a must-see.

Dreamland

Marine Terrace/Belgrave Rd, CT9 1XG • Days and hours vary widely, depending on school holidays and special events: check website • Free entry; attractions £1.50–3.50 – buy an unlimited wristband (£13.50/children £9.50) or load cash onto a rechargeable “Dream Pass” and pay as you go • 01843 295887, dreamlandmargate.com

Dreamland, which grew from Victorian pleasure gardens to become a wildly popular theme park in the 1920s, stood derelict on the seafront for nearly ten miserable years following its closure in 2003. Restored in 2015 under the guiding eye of designers Wayne and Geraldine Hemingway, it’s become the flagbearer for the new, improved Margate – a hit with hipsters and hen dos alike. There’s more here than knowing vintage cool, however. Certainly the look of the place – old-school roller disco and retro pinball machines, jaunty helter skelter and 1920s wooden rollercoaster – plays on beloved memories of the traditional British seaside, but there’s lots for today’s kids, too, from the Octopus’s Garden playground to the gravity-defeating Barrel of Laughs ride. It also hosts a lot of cool music events, featuring acts from Slaves to the Dub Pistols.

Turner Contemporary

Rendezvous, CT9 1HG • Tues–Sun 10am–6pm • Free • 01843 233000, turnercontemporary.org

Rearing up on the east side of the harbour, the opalescent Turner Contemporary is a seafront landmark. Named for J.M.W. Turner, who went to school in the Old Town in the 1780s, and who returned frequently as an adult to take advantage of the dazzling light, the gallery is built on the site of the lodging house where he created some of his famous sea paintings. Offering fantastic views of the ever-changing seascape through its enormous windows, the gallery hosts temporary exhibitions of contemporary art – previous shows have featured Yinka Shonibare and Grayson Perry.

Shell Grotto

Grotto Hill, CT9 2BU • Easter–Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov–Easter Sat & Sun 11am–4pm • £4 • 01843 220008, shellgrotto.co.uk

Discovered, or so the story goes, in 1835, Margate’s bizarre Shell Grotto has been captivating visitors ever since. Accessed via a damp subterranean passageway, the grotto’s hallways and chambers are completely covered with mosaics made from shells – more than 4.5 million of them, tinted silvery grey and black by the fumes of Victorian gas lamps. The origins of the grotto remain a mystery – some believe it to be an ancient pagan temple, others a Regency folly – which only adds to its offbeat charm.

Arrival and information: Margate

By train The station is near the seafront on Station Rd.

Destinations Broadstairs (every 5–30min; 5min); Canterbury (hourly; 30min); London St Pancras (every 25min–1hr; 1hr 30min); London Victoria (Mon–Sat hourly; 1hr 50min); Ramsgate (every 5–30min; 15min); Whitstable (every 10–45min; 20min).

By bus Buses pull in at the clocktower on Marine Terrace.

Destinations Broadstairs (every 10–30min; 30min); Canterbury (every 30min; 1hr); Herne Bay (hourly; 50min); London (7 daily; 2hr–2hr 30min); Ramsgate (every 10–15min; 45min).

Tourist office Droit House, Harbour Arm (April–Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov–March Tues–Sat 10am–5pm; 01843 577577, visitthanet.co.uk).

Accommodation

Sands Hotel 16 Marine Drive, CT9 1DH 01843 228228, sandshotelmargate.co.uk. This airy boutique refurb of an old seafront hotel has twenty luxe, tasteful rooms, some with little balconies and sea views. The swanky restaurant has glorious sunset views, and there’s a roof terrace for relaxing. £200

Walpole Bay Hotel Fifth Ave, Cliftonville, CT9 2JJ 01843 221703, walpolebayhotel.co.uk. This family-run hotel has changed little since Edwardian times, and exudes an air of shabby gentility from its pot-plant-cluttered dining room to its clanky vintage elevator. Don’t miss the museum of, well, everything – including a collection of napery (household linen) art. Rooms vary, but most have sea views, many have small balconies and all are comfy, clean and well equipped. £85

Eating

Cheesy Tiger 7–8 Harbour Arm, CT9 1AP 01843 448550, facebook.com/cheesytigermargate. Rickety, boho little deli/café/wine bar offering small plates (pea and wild garlic risotto, for example) and cheese dishes made with the finest ingredients. Choose a sinfully unctuous toastie – or just sit with a simple cheese platter and glass of red gazing across at the sands. Dishes from £6. Hours vary; usually Mon & Wed 6–9pm, Thurs 6–10pm, Fri & Sat noon–10pm, Sun noon–9pm.

GB Pizza Co 14 Marine Drive, CT9 1DH 01843 297700, greatbritishpizza.com. A buzzing contemporary pizza joint on the seafront, with smiley staff and a lively vibe, dishing up gourmet crispy pizza (£5–9.50) made with ingredients from small producers. Mon–Fri 11.30am–9.30pm, Sat & Sun 10am–9.30pm; shorter hours in autumn/winter.

Hantverk & Found 18 King St, CT9 1DA 01843 280454, hantverk-found.co.uk. Tiny Old Town gallery café serving fabulous, inventive fish. It’s hard to choose – prawn and squid ink croquettes? Plaice with seaweed and caper butter? Clams in dashi miso? – but you simply can’t go wrong. Starters/small plates from £7, large plates £13–20. Thurs & Fri noon–4pm & 6.30–11pm, Sat noon–4pm & 6–11pm, Sun noon–4pm.

Drinking

Fez 40 High St, CT9 1DS. Relaxed and eccentric pub, stuffed with recycled vintage memorabilia – young mods and old soulboys alike perch on Waltzer ride carriages, barber chairs or cinema seats to enjoy a good chat and a pint of real ale or speciality cider. Mon–Sat noon–10.30pm, Sun noon–10pm.

Harbour Arms Harbour Arm, CT9 1JD 07776 183273, the-harbour-arms.co.uk. This cosy, cluttered micropub, with a nautical, sea-salty atmosphere, serves cask ales and ciders to a loyal local crowd. In warm weather the outside benches are at a premium, especially at sunset. Daily from noon; closing hours vary.

Broadstairs

Overlooking its golden sandy beach – Viking Bay – from its clifftop setting, BROADSTAIRS is the smallest and most immediately charming of the resort towns in northeast Kent. A fishing village turned Victorian resort, it’s within walking distance of several sandy bays and has an excellent folk festival. It also has strong Charles Dickens connections: the author stayed here frequently, and rented an “airy nest” overlooking the sea, where he finished writing David Copperfield. A small museum and, in June, the Dickens Festival (broadstairsdickensfestival.co.uk), play up the associations.

Dickens House Museum

2 Victoria Parade, CT10 1QS • Easter to mid-June & mid-Sept to mid-Oct daily 1–4.30pm; mid-June to mid-Sept daily 10am–4.30pm; Nov Sat & Sun 1–4.30pm • £3.75 • 01843 861232, dickensmuseumbroadstairs.co.uk

The broad, balconied cottage that houses the Dickens House Museum was once the home of Miss Mary Pearson Strong, on whom Dickens based the character of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield. Its small rooms are crammed with memorabilia, including Dickens’ correspondence, illustrations from the original novels and a reconstruction of Betsey Trotwood’s parlour.

Arrival and departure: Broadstairs

By train Broadstairs station is at the west end of the High St, a 10min walk to the seafront.

Destinations Canterbury (hourly; 25min); London St Pancras (every 25min–hourly; 1hr 20min–1hr 45min); London Victoria (Mon–Sat hourly; 1hr 50min); Margate (every 5–30min; 5min); Ramsgate (every 5–30min; 6min); Whitstable (every 10–45min; 25min).

By bus Buses stop along the High St.

Destinations Canterbury (hourly; 1hr–1hr 30min); London (7 daily; 2hr 45min–3hr 20min); Margate (every 10–30min; 30min); Ramsgate (every 5–20min; 15min).

Tourist information There’s a small information kiosk on the Promenade by the Royal Albion hotel terrace (visitthanet.co.uk).

Accommodation

Belvidere Place 43 Belvedere Rd, CT10 1PF 01843 579850, belvidereplace.co.uk. This stylish, quirky boutique B&B earns extra points for its warm, friendly management and gourmet breakfasts. The five lovely rooms feature sleek bathrooms, contemporary art and one-off vintage furniture finds. £160

Eating and drinking

Tartar Frigate Harbour St, CT10 1EU 01843 862013, tartarfrigate.co.uk. In an unbeatable location right on the harbour, this eighteenth-century flint pub is a relaxed, friendly hangout, with regular folk bands. Book ahead for the restaurant, which offers classic seafood dishes from £17. Sun lunch sees things go off-piste, with a traditional four-course roast (£19). Pub Mon–Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–10.30pm; restaurant Mon–Sat noon–1.45pm & 7–9.45pm, Sun seatings 12.30pm & 3.30pm.

Wyatt & Jones 23–27 Harbour St, CT10 1EU 01843 865126, wyattandjones.co.uk. Stylish, airy restaurant a pebble’s throw from the beach, dishing up superb Modern British food – try roasted hake with cauliflower, crab, shredded ham hock and beans – using mainly Kentish ingredients. Mains from £14 at lunch (small plates also available from £6), a little more in the evening. Wed & Thurs 9–11am, noon–3pm & 6.30–9pm, Fri & Sat 9–11am, noon–3pm & 6–10pm, Sun 9–11am & noon–4pm.

Ramsgate

RAMSGATE is the largest of the resorts in northeast Kent, its robust Victorian red-brick architecture and elegant Georgian squares set high on a cliff linked to the seafront by broad, sweeping ramps. Down by the harbour (portoframsgate.co.uk) cafés and bars overlook the bobbing yachts, while the town’s small, busy Ramsgate Sands lies just a short stroll away. Sights include the Maritime Museum, on the quayside, which chronicles local maritime history (Easter–Sept Tues–Sun 10.30am–5.30pm; £2.50; ramsgatemaritimemuseum.org) and the Ramsgate Tunnels, on Marina Esplanade (tours Wed–Sun 10am, noon, 2pm & 4pm; 1hr; £6.50; 01843 588123, ramsgatetunnels.org), a subterranean warren of air-raid shelters – equipped with bunk beds, electric lights and lavatories – that saved thousands of lives during World War II.

Arrival and departure: Ramsgate

By train Ramsgate’s station lies about 1.5 miles northwest of the centre, at the end of Wilfred Rd, at the top of the High St.

Destinations Broadstairs (every 5–30min; 6min); Canterbury (every 20–40min; 20min); London St Pancras (every 10min–1hr; 1hr 15min–1hr 45min); London Charing Cross (hourly; 2hr 10min); London Victoria (Mon–Sat hourly; 2hr); Margate (every 5–30min; 15min); Whitstable (every 10–45min; 35min).

By bus Buses pull in at the harbour.

Destinations Broadstairs (every 5–20min; 15min); Canterbury (hourly; 45min); London (7 daily; 2hr 30min–3hr); Margate (every 10–15min; 45min).

Accommodation

Albion House Albion Place, CT11 8HQ 01843 606630, albionhouseramsgate.co.uk. Boutique hotel in an elegant clifftop Regency house. Most of the fourteen rooms, decorated in soothing contemporary syle, offer sea views and some have balconies. Townleys, their brasserie/bar, is good, too, serving anything from afternoon tea to cheeseboards or Modern British mains. Two-night minimum stay at weekends. £155

Eating and drinking

Belgian Café 98 Harbour Parade, CT11 8LP 01843 587925, www.belgiancafe.co.uk. Big, brash, casual place near the seafront, its outside tables spilling over with an eclectic crowd enjoying breakfasts, brunches, Belgian beers, real ales and marina views. Mon–Thurs & Sun 7am–2am, Fri & Sat 7am–3am.

Vinyl Head Café 2 The Broadway, Addington St, CT11 9JN 07901 334653, facebook.com/vinylheadramsgate. Cool, chilled-out neighbourhood café offering home-made cakes, crêpes and veggie food, plus interesting events, from haircuts to live music – and vinyl for sale, of course. Mon–Thurs & Sun 9am–5pm, Fri & Sat 9am–10pm.

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Canterbury

The fine old city of CANTERBURY offers a rich slice through two thousand years of English history, with Roman and early Christian remains, a ruined Norman castle and a famous cathedral that looms over a medieval warren of time-skewed Tudor buildings. Its compact centre, partly ringed by ancient walls, is virtually car-free, but this doesn’t stop the High Street seizing up in high summer with the milling crowds.

Brief history

The city that began as a Belgic settlement was known as Durovernum Cantiacorum to the Romans, who established a garrison and supply base here, and was renamed Cantwaraburg by the Saxons. In 597 the Saxon King Ethelbert welcomed the monk Augustine, despatched by the pope to convert England to Christianity; one of the two Benedictine monasteries that Augustine founded – Christ Church, raised on the site of the Roman basilica – was to become England’s first cathedral.

After the Norman invasion, a power struggle ensued between the archbishops, the abbots from the nearby monastery – now St Augustine’s Abbey – and King Henry II. This culminated in the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in the cathedral in 1170, a martyrdom that created one of Christendom’s greatest shrines and made Canterbury one of the country’s richest cities. Believers from all over Europe flocked to the cathedral on pilgrimages to Becket’s tomb – ribald events portrayed to great effect in Geoffrey Chaucer’s fourteenth-century Canterbury Tales.

Becket’s tomb was later destroyed on the command of Henry VIII, who also ordered the dissolution of St Augustine’s Abbey, and the next couple of centuries saw a downturn in Canterbury’s fortunes. The city suffered extensive damage from German bombing in 1942 during a “Baedeker Raid” – a Nazi campaign to destroy Britain’s most treasured historic sites as identified in the eponymous German travel guides. The cathedral survived, however, and today, along with St Augustine’s Abbey and St Martin’s Church (at the corner of B. Holmes Rd and St Martin’s Lane), has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Canterbury Cathedral

Buttermarket, CT1 2EH • April–Oct Mon–Sat 9am–5.30pm (crypt from 10am), Sun 12.30–2.30pm; Nov–March Mon–Sat 9am–5pm (crypt from 10am), Sun 12.30–2.30pm; last entry 30min before closing • £12 • 01227 762862, canterbury-cathedral.org

Mother Church of the Church of England, Canterbury Cathedral dominates the northeast quadrant of the city. A cathedral has stood here since 602, established by Augustine, but the structure you see today owes most to the Normans, who rebuilt it in 1070 after a huge fire. Modified over successive centuries, today it is characterized by the puritanical lines of the late medieval Perpendicular style.

The spot where Thomas Becket was murdered, known as the Martyrdom, is just off the nave in the northwest transept, marked by a modern-day flagstone etched with the name “Thomas”. Next to it, the Altar of the Sword’s Point – where, in medieval times, the shattered tip of the sword that hacked Becket’s scalp was displayed as a relic – is marked by a modern sculpture of the assassins’ weapons. From the Martyrdom you descend to the low, Romanesque crypt, one of the few surviving parts of the Norman cathedral and the finest of its type in the country. Amazingly well-preserved carvings adorn the capitals of the sturdy columns, showing flowers, animals, scallops, sea monsters and winged beasts. Becket’s original shrine stood down here until 1220, when it was moved to a more resplendent position in the Trinity Chapel, beyond the Quire. The new shrine, far more ornate than the earlier tomb, studded, according to the writer Erasmus in 1513, with jewels as big as goose eggs, was demolished during the Dissolution of the Monasteries in 1538; a candle marks where it once stood. You can get a sense of what the shrine looked like in the thirteenth-century stained-glass Miracle Windows, on the north side of the chapel.

The Beaney

18 High St, CT1 2RA • Tues–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun noon–5pm • Free • 01227 862162, canterburymuseums.co.uk/beaney

A sturdy terracotta, brick and mock-Tudor ensemble built in 1898, the Beaney – officially the Beaney House of Art and Knowledge – has the not unlikeable feel of a Victorian collection. The stuffed animals, pinned beetles and cases of antiquities and archeological finds are intriguing, but make sure to spend time with the paintings. Highlights include the Van Dyck portrait of Kent MP Sir Basil Dixwell (1638), a Walter Sickert landscape (1936) painted during his four-year stay on the Kent coast, and the vigorous images of 1930s Kentish hop-pickers by English Impressionist Dame Laura Knight.

Roman Museum

Butchery Lane, CT1 2JR • Daily 10am–5pm • £8; joint ticket with Canterbury Heritage Museum £12 • 01227 785575, canterburymuseums.co.uk/romanmuseum

Following the devastating German bombings of 1942, excavations of the destroyed Longmarket area, off the High Street, exposed the foundations of a Roman townhouse complete with mosaic floors. These are now preserved in situ in the subterranean Roman Museum, but it’s the rich haul of artefacts, domestic and military, that proves to be the big attraction.

Canterbury Tales

St Margaret’s St, CT1 2TG • April–Aug daily 10am–5pm; Sept & Oct daily 10am–4pm; Nov–March Wed–Sun 10am–4pm • £9.95 • 01227 696002, canterburytales.org.uk

Based on Geoffrey Chaucer’s medieval stories, the Canterbury Tales is a quasi-educational, and fun, attraction. Costumed guides set you on your way through odour-enhanced galleries depicting a series of fourteenth-century tableaux as you follow the progress of a group of pilgrims (or rather, suitably scrofulous mannequins) from London to Becket’s fabulously ornate shrine. Each space provides a setting for one of the famous tales.

Canterbury Heritage Museum

Stour St, CT1 2NR • 11am–5pm: April–Sept Wed–Sun; Oct & some hol weeks daily • £8; joint ticket with Roman Museum £12 • 01227 475202, canterburymuseums.co.uk/heritagemuseum

The Canterbury Heritage Museum provides a lively jaunt through local history, with particularly strong sections on the Roman city, the medieval pilgrimage era and the Tudors and Stuarts – and interesting sections on local literary figures Christopher Marlowe, Joseph Conrad and Oliver Postgate (originator, in the 1970s, of children’s television programmes Bagpuss and The Clangers).

St Augustine’s Abbey

Longport, CT1 1PF • April–Sept daily 10am–6pm; Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov–March Sat & Sun 10am–4pm • £6.20; EH • 01227 767345, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/st-augustines-abbey

St Augustine’s Abbey, founded as a monastery by Augustine in 598, was vastly altered and enlarged by the Normans before being destroyed in the Dissolution. Today, it is an atmospheric site, with more to see than its ruinous state might suggest. Ground plans, delineated in stone on soft carpets of grass, along with scattered semi-intact chapels, altar slabs and tombstones, powerfully evoke the original buildings, while illustrated information panels recount the abbey’s changing fortunes.

From top Landing of the oysters at the whitstable oyster festival; Hastings

Arrival and information: Canterbury

By train Canterbury has two train stations: Canterbury East (in the south) and Canterbury West (in the north), each a 15min walk from the cathedral. Canterbury West is used by the high-speed train from London St Pancras.

Destinations from Canterbury East Chatham (every 20–40min; 45min); Dover (every 30min–1hr; 15–30min); London Victoria (every 30–40min; 1hr 35min); Rochester (every 20–40min; 40min–1hr).

Destinations from Canterbury West Ashford (every 10–30min; 15–25min); Broadstairs (hourly; 25min); London Charing Cross (Mon–Sat hourly; 1hr 45min); London St Pancras (hourly; 55min); Margate (hourly; 30min); Ramsgate (every 20–40min; 20min).

By bus National Express services and local Stagecoach East Kent buses use the station just inside the city walls on St George’s Lane beside the Whitefriars shopping complex.

Destinations Broadstairs (hourly; 1hr–1hr 30min); Deal (Mon–Sat every 30min–1hr; 45min–1hr 20min); Dover (every 15min–1hr; 45min); Folkestone (every 15min–1hr; 45min); London Victoria (hourly; 2hr); Margate (every 30min; 1hr); Ramsgate (hourly; 45min); Sandwich (every 20min; 40min); Whitstable (every 15min; 30min).

Tourist office In the Beaney, 18 High St (Mon–Wed & Fri 9am–6pm, Thurs 9am–8pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–5pm; 01227 862162, canterbury.co.uk).

Accommodation

Cathedral Gate 36 Burgate, CT1 2HA 01227 464381, cathgate.co.uk; map. Built in 1438 and with a fantastic location next to the cathedral, this ancient pilgrims’ hostelry – all crooked, creaking floors and narrow, steep staircases – is in no way fancy, but it’s comfortable, with cathedral views from many of the rooms and a simple continental breakfast. The cheapest rooms share toilets and showers, but have basins and tea- and coffee-making facilities. £81.50

Corner House 1 Dover St, CT1 3HD 01227 780793, cornerhouserestaurants.co.uk; map. Set on a busy corner just outside the city wall, these three gorgeous B&B rooms combine rustic charm and contemporary cool. The same people run the superb Modern British restaurant downstairs. £99

House of Agnes 71 St Dunstan’s St 01227 472185, houseofagnes.co.uk; map. You can’t fail to be charmed by the crooked exterior of this quirky B&B, which has eight individually designed rooms in the main fifteenth-century house (mentioned in David Copperfield), and another eight options in the old stable block in the walled garden (£95). £115

Kipps 40 Nunnery Fields, CT1 3JT 01227 786121, kipps-hostel.com; map. A 10min walk from Canterbury East station, this excellent self-catering hostel – with mixed en-suite dorms plus single and double rooms – is clean and very friendly, with homely touches and a large cottage garden. Regular events mean you can be sociable, but it’s more a home from home than a party place. No curfew. Breakfast £3.50. Dorms £24, doubles £75

No. 7 Longport 7 Longport, CT1 1PE 01227 455367, 7longport.co.uk; map. This fabulous little hideaway – a tiny, luxuriously decorated fifteenth-century cottage with a double bedroom, wet room and lounge – is tucked away in the courtyard garden of the friendly owners’ home, opposite St Augustine’s Abbey. Breakfasts are wonderful, with lots of locally sourced ingredients, and can be eaten in the main house, in the cottage or in the courtyard. £100

Eating

The Ambrette 14–15 Beer Cart Lane, CT1 2NY 01227 200777, theambrette.co.uk; map. Smart nouvelle Indian cuisine with a strong focus on local produce, with delicious flavours infusing everything from quinoa and mushroom biryani to goat stew with jasmine rice. Mains £17–30; two-/three-course lunch menus (Mon–Sat) £21.95/£24.95. Mon–Thurs 11am–2.30pm & 6–9.30pm, Fri & Sat 11am–2.30pm & 5.30–10pm, Sun noon–2.30pm & 5.30–10pm.

Boho Café 27 High St, CT1 2AZ 01227 458931, bohocafecanterbury.co.uk; map. This funky café-bar, with its paintbox-bright, mismatched decor, has an informal feel. The Mediterranean-accented menu (mains from £8) ranges from big breakfasts via tapas to home-made burgers, with coffee and cake all day. There’s a little suntrap garden at the back. Mon–Thurs 9am–6pm, Fri & Sat 9am–9pm, Sun 10am–5pm.

Café des Amis 95 St Dunstan’s St, CT2 8AD 01227 464390, cafedez.com; map. Lively Mexican/Tex-Mex/South American place with eclectic, carnivalesque decor and delicious food. Try the paella (£26.95 for two) followed by a bubbling chocolate fundido. Mon–Thurs noon–10pm, Fri noon–10.30pm, Sat 11am–10.30pm, Sun 11am–9.30pm.

The Goods Shed Station Rd West, CT2 8AN 01227 459153, thegoodsshed.co.uk; map. It doesn’t get any more locally sourced than this – a buzzing, shabby-chic Modern British restaurant in the fabulous Goods Shed farmers’ market, where most of the ingredients are provided by the stalls themselves. The regularly changing menu might feature dishes such as pressed leek and goat curd with herb salad (£7) or steamed hake with wilted chard (£17.50). Great breakfasts, too. Tues–Fri 8–10.30am, noon–2.30pm & 6–9.30pm, Sat 8–10.30am, noon–3pm & 6–9.30pm, Sun 9–10.30am & noon–3pm.

Tiny Tim’s 34 St Margaret’s St, CT1 2TG 01227 450793, tinytimstearoom.com; map. This incongruously named, elegant, 1930s-inspired tearoom offers some thirty blends of tea as well as all-day breakfasts, light lunches (from £7), cakes and filling afternoon teas (all day, from £18.50). In good weather sit in the cute back garden. Tues–Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 10.30am–4pm.

Drinking

Canterbury is a nice place for a drink, with a number of pubs serving real ales in cosy, historic buildings. The Kentish Shepherd Neame-owned places are in the majority, but look out, too, for beers from Canterbury’s own Wantsum, Canterbury Brewers and Canterbury Ales breweries.

Dolphin 17 St Radigund’s St, CT1 2AA 01227 455963, thedolphincanterbury.co.uk; map. Likeable, unpretentious 1930s-built pub with a good selection of local real ales, a roaring fire in winter and a big, grassy beer garden. Tasty modern pub grub, too (mains from £9). Mon–Wed noon–11pm, Thurs–Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10pm; kitchen Mon–Wed noon–2pm & 6–9pm, Thurs & Fri noon–2pm & 6–10pm, Sat noon–10pm, Sun noon–3pm & 6–9pm.

Parrot 1–9 Church Lane, CT1 2AG 01227 454170, theparrotonline.com; map. Ancient hostelry – among the oldest in Canterbury – in a quiet location, with loads of character, a decent selection of ales and a gastropub menu (mains from £9). There’s a beer terrace at the back. Daily noon–11pm; kitchen Mon–Sat noon–10pm, Sun noon–9.30pm.

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Sandwich

SANDWICH, one of the best-preserved medieval towns in England, is a sleepy, picturesque place, with some fine half-timbered buildings lining its narrow streets and a lovely location on the willow-lined banks of the River Stour. It’s also a major destination for golfers – the Royal St George’s, perhaps the finest link course in England, fringes the coast to the east (royalstgeorges.com).

Sandwich’s riverfront quayside, peaceful today, was once the heart of a great medieval port. While the river estuary began silting up in the sixteenth century, and the sea is now miles away, the waterfront gives the place a breezily nautical atmosphere, with small boats moored by the toll bridge, open countryside stretching out across the river and the cry of seagulls raking the air. Seal- and bird-spotting boat trips (£7–35; 07958 376183, sandwichriverbus.co.uk) run from the toll bridge over the Stour.

The Cinque Ports

In 1278 Dover, Hythe, Sandwich, Romney and Hastings – already part of a long-established but unofficial confederation of defensive coastal settlements – were formalized under a charter by Edward I as the Cinque Ports (pronounced “sink”, despite the name’s French origin). In return for providing England with maritime support, the five ports were granted trading privileges and other liberties – including self-government, exemption from taxes and tolls and “possession of goods thrown overboard” – that enabled them to prosper while neighbouring ports struggled.

Rye, Winchelsea and seven other “limb” ports on the southeast coast were later added to the confederation. The ports’ privileges were eventually revoked in 1685; their maritime services had become increasingly unnecessary after Henry VIII had founded a professional navy and, due to a shifting coastline, several of their harbours had silted up anyway, stranding some of them miles inland. Today, of all the Cinque Ports, only Dover is still a major working port.

Arrival and information: Sandwich

By train Sandwich station is off St George’s Rd, from where it’s a 10min walk north to the town centre and the quay.

Destinations Deal (every 30min–1hr; 6min); Dover (every 30min–1hr; 25min); Ramsgate (hourly; 15min).

By bus Buses pull in and depart from outside the tourist office.

Destinations Canterbury (every 20min–1hr; 45min); Deal (every 20min–1hr; 25–35min); Dover (every 45min–1hr; 45min–1hr); Ramsgate (hourly; 45min–1hr).

Tourist office Guildhall, Cattle Market, in the town centre (April–Oct Mon–Sat 10am–4pm; 01304 613565, sandwichtowncouncil.gov.uk or whitecliffscountry.org.uk).

Accommodation

Bell Hotel The Quay, CT13 9EF 01304 613388, bellhotelsandwich.co.uk. Rambling hostelry that has stood on this site since Tudor times; today’s buildiing is largely Edwardian. Rooms are comfy, in an uncontroversial, contemporary style; the priciest have balconies overlooking the Stour. There’s a good restaurant serving Modern European food (mains from £13). Minimum two-night stay on summer weekends. £130

Eating and drinking

George and Dragon 24 Fisher St, CT13 9EJ 01304 613106, georgeanddragon-sandwich.co.uk. A fifteenth-century inn and popular, unpretentious gastropub, with delicious Modern British food (mains £11–18), cask ales, roaring fires in winter and a courtyard for alfresco dining. Booking advised for dinner. Mon–Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–4pm; kitchen Mon–Sat noon–2pm & 6–9.15pm, Sun noon–2pm.

No Name 1 No Name St, CT13 9AJ 01304 612626, nonameshop.co.uk. For picnic supplies, including baguettes, look no further than this excellent French deli near the Guildhall. You can also eat in, from a daily-changing menu (£7–14) of light dishes – salads, soups, quiches – and heartier mains such as confit de canard or tartiflette. Mon–Sat 8am–5pm, Sun 9am–4pm.

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Deal

The low-key seaside town of DEAL, six miles southeast of Sandwich, was the site of Julius Caesar’s first successful landfall in Britain in 55 BC. Today it’s an appealing place, with a broad, steeply shelving shingle beach backed by a jumble of faded Georgian townhouses, a picturesque Old Town redolent with maritime history and a striking concrete pier lined with hopeful anglers casting their lines. Henry VIII’s two seafront castles, linked by a seaside path, are the main attractions, and there are enough good places to eat, drink and stay to make the town an appealing weekend destination.

Deal Castle

Marine Rd, CT14 7BA • April–Sept daily 10am–6pm; Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov–March Sat & Sun 10am–4pm • £6.60; EH • 01304 372762, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/deal-castle

Diminutive Deal Castle, at the south end of town, is one of the most striking of Henry VIII’s forts. Its distinctive shape – viewed from the air it looks like a Tudor rose – owes less to aesthetics than to sophisticated military engineering: the squat rounded walls were good at deflecting missiles. Self-guided audio tours outline every detail of the design, with the bare rooms revealing how the castle changed over the years and giving a good sense of how the soldiers lived.

Walmer Castle

Kingsdown Rd, 1 mile south of Deal, CT14 7LJ • Jan to mid-Feb Sat & Sun 10am–4pm; mid-Feb to March Wed–Sun 10am–4pm; April–Sept daily 10am–6pm; Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov & Dec Sat & Sun 10am–6pm • £10.70; EH • 01304 364288, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/walmer-castle-and-gardens • Hourly buses (#82/#82A) from Deal; also accessible on foot or by bike along the seafront (30min) or from Walmer train station, a mile away

Walmer Castle is another of Henry VIII’s Tudor-rose-shaped defences, built to protect the coast from its enemies across the Channel. Like Deal Castle it saw little fighting, and changed use when it became the official residence of the Lords Warden of the Cinque Ports in 1708 (which it remains, though the title itself is now strictly ceremonial). Adapted over the years, today the castle resembles a heavily fortified stately home; the best-known resident was the Duke of Wellington, who was given the post of Lord Warden in 1828 and who died here in 1852. You can see the armchair in which he expired and a pair of original Wellington boots.

Arrival and information: Deal

By train The station is on Queen St, a 10min walk from the sea.

Destinations Dover (every 15min–1hr; 15min); Ramsgate (every 30min–1hr; 20min); Sandwich (every 30min–1hr; 6min); Walmer (every 30min–1hr; 3min).

By bus Buses run from South St, Queen St and Victoria Rd, all near each other in the centre.

Destinations Canterbury (hourly; 1hr 15min); Dover (every 30min–1hr; 45min); London Victoria (2 daily; 2hr 50min–3hr 45min); Sandwich (every 20min–1hr; 25–35min); Walmer (every 15min–1hr; 15–30min).

Tourist office Town Hall, High St (April–Sept Mon–Fri 10am–2pm, Sat 10am–2pm; Oct–March Mon–Fri 10am–2pm; 01304 369576, deal.gov.uk or whitecliffscountry.org.uk).

Accommodation and eating

Bear’s Well 10 St George’s Rd, CT14 6BA 01304 694144, bearswell.co.uk. In a central but peaceful Old Town house, this airy boutique B&B has three lovely en-suite rooms with views of the church or the pretty back garden. Breakfasts, made using local produce, are great. £120

Frog and Scot 86 High St, CT14 6EG 01304 379444, frogandscot.co.uk. Delightful neighbourhood haven serving superlative French-inspired dishes, from sea bass with bouillabaisse to chestnut soup with goose confit, and a fabulous wine list. Mains from £15; two-/three-course lunch menus £13.95/£16.95. Wed–Sat noon–2.30pm & 6.15–9.15pm, Sun noon–3.30pm.

Poppy’s Kitchen 119 High St, CT14 6BB 01304 371719, poppyskitchen.co.uk. Simple, fresh and delicious food, with a focus on organic ingredients. Dishes (from £5.50) might include chard and Cheddar tart or kale, apple, spelt and hazelnut salad, while breakfasts range from home-made granola to a Full English. Gorgeous cakes, too. Mon–Sat 9am–5.30pm, Sun 10am–3pm.

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Dover and around

Given its importance as a travel hub – it’s the busiest ferry port in Europe – DOVER is surprisingly small and, badly bombed during World War II, the town centre is unprepossessing. The nearby attractions, however, are big ones: Dover Castle, looming proudly above town, and the iconic White Cliffs.

Dover Castle

Castle Hill, CT16 1HU • Mid-Feb to March Wed–Sun 10am–4pm; April–July & Sept daily 10am–6pm; Aug daily 9.30am–6pm; Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov to mid-Feb Sat & Sun 10am–4pm • £19.40, under-16s £11.60; EH • 0370 333 1181, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/dover-castle • Buses #15, #15X, #80, #80A & #93 from Dover town centre (hourly; 20min)

No historical stone goes unturned at Dover Castle, an astonishingly imposing defensive complex that has protected the English coast for more than two thousand years. In 1068 William the Conqueror, following the Battle of Hastings, built over the earthworks of an Iron Age hillfort here; a century later, the Normans constructed the handsome keep, or Great Tower, that now presides over the heart of the complex. The grounds also include a Roman lighthouse, a Saxon church – with motifs graffitied by irreverent Crusaders still visible near the pulpit – and all manner of later additions, including a network of tunnels dug during the Napoleonic Wars and extended during World War II.

You should allow a full day for a visit. If time is short, head first for the Operation Dynamo tunnel tours (at regular intervals; 40min), which are affecting immersive experiences that, accompanied by the muffled sound of anti-aircraft guns and screaming Spitfires, shed light on the build-up to the war and the Dunkirk evacuation. From there, make your way to Henry II’s Great Tower. Here the opulent medieval royal court has been painstakingly re-created, with everything from the pots and pans in the kitchen to the richly coloured furniture in the King’s Chamber.

White Cliffs of Dover

Stretching sixteen miles along the coast, a towering 350ft high in places, the vast White Cliffs of Dover are composed of chalk plus traces of quartz, shells and flint. A large area of the cliffs lies within the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and with their grasslands home to rare plants, butterflies and migrant birds, have been designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest. A walk along the cliffs affords you amazing views of the Straits of Dover – and on a clear day you may well even see France.

A significant stretch is owned by the National Trust, which has a visitor centre on Upper Road, Langdon Cliffs (daily: March–June, Sept & Oct 10am–5pm; July & Aug 10am–5.30pm; Nov–Feb 11am–4pm; parking £3.50; nationaltrust.org.uk/white-cliffs-dover). The NT manages two clifftop attractions: Fan Bay Deep Shelter, an underground labyrinth that housed troops during World War II (tours every 30min April–Oct Mon & Fri–Sun 11am–3pm; 45min; £10); and the South Foreland lighthouse, above St Margaret’s Bay, built in 1843 to guide ships past the perilous Goodwin Sands (tours leave regularly 11am–5pm: mid-March to mid-July, Sept & Oct Mon & Fri–Sun; mid-July to Aug daily; 30min; £6; nationaltrust.org.uk/south-foreland-lighthouse) – there’s a good tearoom in the lighthouse, too.

Arrival and information: Dover and around

By train Dover Priory station is off Folkestone Rd, a 10min walk west of the centre.

Destinations Canterbury (every 30min–1hr; 15–30min); Deal (every 15min–1hr; 15min); London Victoria (every 30min–1hr; 2hr); Sandwich (every 30min–1hr; 25min).

By bus The town-centre bus station is on Pencester Rd.

Destinations Canterbury (every 15min–1hr; 45min); Deal (every 30min–1hr; 45min); London Victoria (11 daily; 1hr 55min–3hr 20min); Sandwich (every 45min–1hr; 45min–1hr).

Tourist office Dover Museum, Market Square (April–Sept Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 10am–3pm; Oct–March Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm; 01304 201066, whitecliffscountry.org.uk).

Accommodation

Maison Dieu 89 Maison Dieu Rd, CT16 1RU 01304 204033, maisondieu.co.uk. Welcoming, central guesthouse with six spotless single, double, twin and family rooms, most of which are en suite. A few have views over the garden to Dover Castle. Optional breakfast £6.50 extra. £85

White Cliffs Hotel High St, St-Margaret’s-at-Cliffe, 4 miles northeast of Dover, CT15 6AT 01304 852229, thewhitecliffs.com. Friendly place – a hit with walkers and cyclists – with a sociable restaurant/bar. The seven rooms tucked away in the main building – a sixteenth-century weatherboard house – come in all shapes, sizes and styles, from rustic and cosy to glamorous and huge; there are nine less expensive options (£90) in outbuildings around the spacious beer garden. Tasty full breakfast included. £120

Eating and drinking

Allotment 9 High St, CT16 1DP 01304 214467, facebook.com/allotmentdover. The best option on Dover’s high street, this bistro serves tasty, unpretentious food in a light space. Try a simple breakfast or lunch (wild boar sausages in Kentish cider; baguettes), or fancier dinner mains including Whitstable fish stew or partridge in perry sauce. Mains £10–16. Tues–Thurs 10.30am–9.30pm, Fri 9am–9.30pm, Sat 9am–10pm, Sun noon–4pm.

The Coastguard St Margaret’s Bay, 4 miles northeast of Dover, CT15 6DY 01304 853051, thecoastguard.co.uk. This nautically themed beachside pub/restaurant, at the bottom of the White Cliffs, is a good spot for a Kentish cask ale, either on the large terrace or in the small beer garden. They serve traditional English dishes (fish and chips, burgers, pies) and interesting daily specials (razor clams with garlic and toasted nuts, say); mains £10–20. Mon–Sat 10am–11pm, Sun 10am–10pm; kitchen Mon–Sat noon–2.45pm & 6–8.45pm, Sun noon–2.30pm & 6–8pm.

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Folkestone

In the early 2000s, depressed after the demise of its tourist industry and the loss of its ferry link to France, FOLKESTONE was a doleful place. Thus began a concerted effort to start again, with hopes pinned on the arts and the creative industries. Cue Folkestone’s Triennial (folkestonetriennial.org.uk), a contemporary art show that since its premier in 2008 has been gradually bringing Folkestone out of its extended limbo. With the regenerating Creative Quarter and the salty little fishing harbour, the gloriously landscaped Lower Leas Coastal Park, a sandy town beach, and the wild Warren cliffs and beach nearby, Folkestone has plenty to offer.

Arrival and information: Folkestone

By train Folkestone Central station is off Cheriton Rd, just under a mile northwest of the Creative Quarter.

Destinations Dover (every 10–50min; 20min); London Charing Cross (every 30min–1hr; 1hr 40min); London St Pancras (every 30min–1hr; 55min).

By bus The bus station is in the centre of town.

Destinations Dover (every 20–30min; 30min); London Victoria (4 daily; 2hr 10min–3hr).

Tourist office 1–2 Guildhall St (Mon–Fri 9am–5pm; 01303 257946, discoverfolkestone.co.uk).

Accommodation and eating

Rocksalt Rooms 1–3 Back St, CT19 6NN 01303 212070, rocksaltfolkestone.co.uk. Four “boutique bolt holes” (they’re small) in an unbeatable harbourside location. It’s run by the people who own the excellent Smokehouse chippy downstairs, and the sophisticated Rocksalt restaurant, footsteps away. Rooms at the front are the best, with French windows and water views, but they’re all chic and super-comfy. Continental breakfast is delivered to your room in a hamper. £85

Steep Street 18–24 Old High St, CT10 1RL 01303 247819, steepstreet.co.uk. This gorgeous coffee house, lined ceiling to floor with books, buzzes with a Creative Quarter crowd. They serve simple, good food, from sandwiches to salads, quiches to cakes (cakes from £2; savoury tarts £4). Mon–Fri 8.30am–6pm, Sat 9am–6pm, Sun 9am–5pm.

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Romney Marsh

In Roman times, what is now the southernmost chunk of Kent was submerged beneath the English Channel. The lowering of the sea levels in the Middle Ages and later reclamation created a hundred-square-mile area of shingle and marshland, now known as Romney Marsh. Once home to important Cinque and limb ports, and villages made wealthy from the wool trade, this rather forlorn expanse now presents a melancholy aspect, given over to agriculture and with few sights – unless you count the sheep, the birdlife and several curious medieval churches. While this flat, depopulated area makes good walking and cycling country, its salt-speckled, big-skied strangeness can also be appreciated on the dinky Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway (RH&DR; mid-March to Oct daily; Nov to mid-March Sat & Sun, plus special events and tours; £18 Hythe–Dungeness return, less for shorter journeys; 01797 362353, rhdr.org.uk), a fifteen-inch-gauge line whose miniature steam trains run the 13.5 miles between the lonesome shingle spit of Dungeness and the seaside town of Hythe. Around five miles west of the latter, Port Lympne Reserve, working on a conservation and breeding programme for wild and endangered species, is home to more than seven hundred animals, including spectacled bears, Western Lowland gorillas and black rhino (daily: April–Oct 9.30am–6.30pm, last admission 3.30pm; Nov–March 9.30am–5pm, last admission 2.30pm; £25, under-16s £21; 01303 264647, aspinallfoundation.org/port-lympne).

Dungeness

An end-of-the-earth eeriness pervades DUNGENESS, the windlashed shingle headland at the marsh’s southernmost tip. Dominated by two hulking nuclear power stations (one of them disused), “the Ness” is not conventionally pretty, but there’s a strange beauty to this lost-in-time spot, where a scattering of weatherboard shacks and disused railway carriages houses fishermen, artists and recluses drawn to the area’s bleak, otherworldly allure. The late Derek Jarman, artist and filmmaker, made his home here, at Prospect Cottage – on Dungeness Road, a twenty-minute walk from the RH&DR station – and the shingle garden he created from beachcombed treasures and tough little plants remains a poignant memorial. Panoramic views over the headland can be had from the decommissioned Old Lighthouse (10.30am–4.30pm: March–May & late Sept to Oct Sat & Sun; June Tues–Thurs, Sat & Sun; July to late Sept daily; £4; dungenesslighthouse.com), built in 1904.

The unique ecology around here attracts huge colonies of gulls, terns, smews and gadwalls; you can see them, and all manner of waterbirds, waders and wildfowl, from the RSPB visitor centre (daily: March–Oct 10am–5pm; Nov–Feb 10am–4pm; free; rspb.org.uk) on the Lydd road three miles from Dungeness.

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The High Weald

The Weald stretches across a large area between the North and South Downs and includes parts of both Kent and Sussex. The central part, the High Weald, is epitomized by gentle hills, sunken country lanes and somnolent villages as well as some of England’s most beautiful gardens, including Sissinghurst, Great Dixter, Wakehurst Place and Sheffield Park – the last of these the southern terminus of the vintage Bluebell Railway. The bracken and gorse-speckled heathland that makes up nearby Ashdown Forest – setting for the Winnie-the-Pooh stories – is a lovely spot for longer walks. The Weald also offers a wealth of picturesque historical sites, including a couple of picture-book castles – Hever Castle and Bodiam Castle – as well as stately homes at Penshurst and Knole, a well-preserved Roman villa at Lullingstone, the fascinating home of wartime leader Winston Churchill at Chartwell and Rudyard Kipling’s countryside retreat at Bateman’s. Tunbridge Wells, set in the heart of the beautiful High Weald countryside, makes a good base.

Royal Tunbridge Wells

The handsome spa town of ROYAL TUNBRIDGE WELLS was established after a bubbling ferrous spring discovered here in 1606 was claimed to have curative properties, and reached its height of popularity during the Regency period when restorative cures were in vogue. It remains an elegant place, with some smart places to stay and eat and three lovely urban parks: the Grove and Calverley Grounds offer formal gardens, while the wilder Common, spreading out to the west, is laced with historic pathways.

The Pantiles

Tucked off the southern end of the High Street, the colonnaded Pantiles – named for the clay tiles, shaped in wooden pans, that paved the street in the seventeenth century – is a pedestrianized parade of independent shops, delis and cafés that exudes a faded elegance. Here, at the original Chalybeate Spring, outside the 1804 Bath House, a costumed “dipper” will serve you a cup of the iron-rich waters (Easter–Sept Wed–Sun 10.30am–3.30pm; £1), a tradition dating back to the eighteenth century.

Tunbridge Wells Museum

Mount Pleasant Rd, TN1 1JN • Tues–Sat 9.30am–5pm • Free • 01892 554171, tunbridgewellsmuseum.org

Sitting above the town library, Tunbridge Wells Museum offers an intriguing mishmash of local history, its old glass cabinets filled with everything from fossils to dandy Georgian glad rags, fading maps and scruffy stuffed animals. Take a look at its exquisite Tunbridge ware, the finely crafted wooden marquetry, dating from the late eighteenth century and popular until the 1920s, that was applied to everything from boxes to book covers to furniture.

Arrival and information: Royal Tunbridge Wells

By train The train station stands where the High St becomes Mount Pleasant Rd.

Destinations Hastings (every 30min–1hr; 40–50min); London Charing Cross (every 15–30min; 55min); Sevenoaks (every 20min; 20–25min).

By bus Buses set down and pick up along the High St and Mount Pleasant Rd.

Destinations Brighton (every 30min–1hr; 1hr 50min); Hever (Mon–Sat 2 daily; 40–50min); Lewes (every 30min–1hr; 1hr 20min); London Victoria (1 daily; 1hr 40min); Sevenoaks (every 30min–2hr; 45min).

Tourist office Corn Exchange, The Pantiles (10am–3pm: April–Sept Mon–Sat; Oct–March Tues–Sat 3pm; 01892 515675, visittunbridgewells.com).

Accommodation

Hotel du Vin Crescent Rd, TN1 2LY 01892 320749, hotelduvin.com. Elegantly set in a Georgian mansion overlooking Calverley Grounds, this member of the luxe Hotel du Vin chain is quietly classy, with a cosy bar, romantic French restaurant and a beautifully sloping old staircase leading up to the rooms. £175

Eating and drinking

The Black Pig 18 Grove Hill Rd, TN1 1RZ 01892 523030, theblackpig.net. Smart gastropub, where locally sourced dishes might include slow-roast pork belly, crispy squid or honey-roasted butternut squash risotto. On a sunny day, settle down with a steak sandwich and a glass of wine in the beer garden. Mains from £11. Daily noon–11pm; kitchen Mon–Thurs noon–2.30pm & 6.30–9.30pm, Fri noon–2.30pm & 6.30–10pm, Sat noon–3pm & 6–10pm, Sun noon–3pm.

Mount Edgcumbe The Common, TN4 8BX  01892 618854, themountedgcumbe.com. Hidden away in an old Georgian house, this food pub has a deliciously rural feel, with a nice garden. It makes a cosy, offbeat place for a Modern British meal – from veggie sharing plates to fish and chips – or a pint of local ale. Check out the real cave in the bar area, strewn with fairy lights. Mains from £12. Mon–Wed 11am–11pm, Thurs–Sat 11am–11.30pm, Sun noon–10.30pm; kitchen Mon–Thurs noon–3pm & 6–9.30pm, Fri & Sat noon–9.30pm, Sun noon–8pm.

Sankey’s 39 Mount Ephraim, TN4 8AA 01892 511422, sankeys.co.uk. Lively pub, decked out with enamel signs, brewery mirrors, squishy sofas and a wood-burning stove. It has a host of specialist beers and a good pub-grub menu (burgers, bangers, salads) but is best known for its seafood. Mains from £7. Mon–Wed & Sun noon–11pm, Thurs–Sat noon–1am; kitchen Mon noon–3pm, Tues–Fri noon–3pm & 6–9pm, Sat noon–9pm, Sun noon–8pm.

Sissinghurst

Biddenden Rd, 15 miles east of Tunbridge Wells, TN17 2AB • Gardens mid-March to Oct daily 11am–5.30pm, last admission 45min before closing; estate daily dawn–dusk • Mid-March to Oct £12.50; Nov & Dec £9; NT • 01580 710700, nationaltrust.org.uk/sissinghurst

When she and her husband took it over in 1930, the writer Vita Sackville-West described the neglected Tudor estate of Sissinghurst as “a garden crying out for rescue”. Over the following thirty years they transformed the five-acre plot into one of England’s greatest country gardens, the romantic abundance of flowers, spilling over onto narrow brick pathways, defying the formality of the great gardens that came before. Don’t miss the magical White Garden, with its pale blooms and silvery-grey foliage, and, in summer, the lush, overblown Rose Garden. In the Tudor tower that Vita used as her quarters you can climb 78 steep stairs to get a bird’s-eye view of the gardens and the ancient surrounding woodlands; halfway up, peep into Vita’s study, which feels intensely personal still, with rugs on the floor and a photo of her lover, Virginia Woolf, on her desk.

Great Dixter

Near Northiam, TN31 6PH, 22 miles southeast of Tunbridge Wells • April–Oct Tues–Sun & bank hols: gardens 11am–5pm; house 2–5pm • £11, gardens only £9 • 01797 252878, greatdixter.co.uk • Stagecoach bus #2 passes through Northiam on its way from Hastings to Tenterden (Mon–Sat hourly; 45min from Hastings)

One of the best-loved gardens in the country, Great Dixter was the creation of gardener and writer Christopher Lloyd, who lived here until his death in 2005. Exuberant and informal, the gardens – now maintained by Lloyd’s friend and head gardener Fergus Garrett – spread around a splendid medieval half-timbered house in a series of intimate garden “rooms” and sweeps of wildflower-speckled meadow.

Bodiam Castle

Bodiam, TN32 5UA, 18 miles southeast of Tunbridge Wells • Daily 10.30am–5pm, or dusk if earlier • £9.30; NT • 01580 830196, nationaltrust.org.uk/bodiam-castle • Bus #349 from Hastings (Mon–Fri every 2hr; 40min); steam train from Tenterden (April–Sept up to 5 services a day; 01580 765155, kesr.org.uk)

One of the country’s most picturesque castles, Bodiam is a classically stout square block with rounded corner turrets, battlements and a wide moat. When it was built in 1385 to guard what were the lower reaches of the River Rother, Bodiam was state-of-the-art military architecture, but during the Civil War, a company of Roundheads breached the fortress and removed its roof, and over the following centuries Bodiam fell into neglect. Inside the castle walls there are plenty of nooks and crannies to explore, and steep spiral staircases leading up to the crenellated battlements; look out for the castle’s portcullis, claimed to be the oldest in the country.

Bateman’s

Bateman’s Lane, Burwash, TN19 7DS, 13 miles southeast of Tunbridge Wells off the A265 • Daily: garden 10am–5pm or dusk; house April–Oct 11am–5pm, Nov–March 11am–3pm • £10.40; NT • 01435 882302, nationaltrust.org.uk/batemans

Half a mile south of the picturesque village of Burwash, Bateman’s was the idyllic home of the writer and journalist Rudyard Kipling from 1902 until his death in 1936. The house is set amid attractive gardens, which feature a still-working watermill converted by Kipling to generate electricity. Inside, the house displays Kipling’s letters, early editions of his work and mementos from his travels.

Penshurst Place

Penshurst, TN11 8DG, 5 miles northwest of Tunbridge Wells • April–Oct daily: house noon–4pm; gardens noon–6pm • £11, gardens only £9 • 01892 870307, penshurstplace.com • Bus #231 or #233 from Tunbridge Wells (Mon–Sat); Penshurst train station is 2.5 miles north (no taxis)

Tudor timber-framed houses and shops line the pretty main street of Penshurst. Presiding over it all is fourteenth-century Penshurst Place, home to the Sidney family since 1552 and birthplace of the Elizabethan soldier and poet, Sir Philip Sidney. The jaw-dropping Baron’s Hall is the glory of the interior, with its 60ft-high chestnut-beamed roof still in place. The 48 acres of grounds offer good parkland walks, while the eleven-acre walled garden is a beautiful example of Elizabethan garden design.

Hever Castle

Hever, TN8 7NG, 10 miles northwest of Tunbridge Wells • Daily: castle April–Oct noon–6pm, Nov noon–4.30pm; gardens April–Oct 10.30am–6pm, Nov 10.30am–4.30pm; last entry 1hr 30min before closing • £16.90, gardens only £14.20 • 01732 865224, hevercastle.co.uk • Hever train station is a mile west (no taxis)

The moated Hever Castle was the childhood home of Anne Boleyn, second wife of Henry VIII, and where Anne of Cleves, Henry’s fourth wife, lived after their divorce. In 1903, having fallen into disrepair, the castle was bought by William Waldorf Astor, American millionaire-owner of The Observer, who had it assiduously restored in mock-Tudor style. Today, Hever has an intimate feel, and though it does display some intriguing Elizabethan and Jacobite artefacts it tells you more about the aspirations of American plutocrats than the lifestyle of Tudor nobles. Anne Boleyn’s room is the most affecting; small and bare, dominated by a wooden chest carved with the words “Anne Bullen”. You can also see the book of prayers she carried to the executioner’s block, inscribed in her own writing and with references to the pope crossed out. Outside is Waldorf Astor’s beautiful Italian Garden, decorated with statues, some more than two thousand years old, as well as a traditional yew-hedge maze, adventure playground, splashy water maze and boating lakes.

Chartwell

Mapleton Rd, Westerham, TN16 1PS, 17.5 miles northwest of Tunbridge Wells • House March–Oct Mon–Fri 11.30am–5pm, Sat & Sun 11am–5pm; Dec (some rooms only) Sat & Sun 11am–3pm • Studio Daily: March–Oct noon–4pm; Nov & Dec noon–3.30pm • Gardens Daily: March–Oct 10am–5pm; Nov–Feb 10am–4pm • £13.50; studio & gardens only £6.75; NT • 01732 868381, nationaltrust.org.uk/chartwell

Packed with the wartime prime minister’s possessions – including his rather contemplative paintings – there is something touchingly intimate about Chartwell, the country residence of Winston Churchill from 1924 until his death in 1965. The house is set up to look largely as it would have in the 1920s and 1930s, revealing the personal side of this gruff statesman; don’t miss the sweet series of notes between him and his wife, and a letter from his father written when he was a young man, expressing his fears that he was to become “a social wastrel”. In the rolling gardens, dotted with lakes and ponds and shaded by mature fruit trees, you can see Churchill’s studio, which is lined with more than one hundred canvases.

Knole

Sevenoaks, entered from the south end of Sevenoaks High St, TN15 0RP • House March–Oct Tues–Sun noon–4pm • £8.15; NT • Gatehouse tower Daily: mid-March to Oct 10am–5pm; Nov–Feb 10am–4pm • £3.15; NT • Parkland Daily dawn–dusk • Free; NT • 01732 462100, nationaltrust.org.uk/knole • The High St entrance is a mile south of Sevenoaks train station and half a mile south of the bus station; it’s a 15min uphill walk from the entrance through the estate to the house

Covering a whopping four acres, Knole palace, in the commuter town of Sevenoaks, is an astonishingly handsome ensemble. Built in 1456 as a residence for the archbishops of Canterbury, it was appropriated in 1538 by Henry VIII, who loved to hunt in its thousand acres of parkland (still today home to several hundred wild deer). Elizabeth I gave the estate to her Lord Treasurer, Thomas Sackville, who remodelled the house in Renaissance style in 1605; it has remained in the family’s hands ever since. Bloomsbury Group writer and gardener Vita Sackville-West was raised here, and her lover Virginia Woolf derived inspiration for her novel Orlando from frequent visits. Highlights of this endlessly fascinating treasure-trove range from the lustrous Venetian Ambassador’s Room with its staggering carved and gilded eighteenth-century bed, to the Gatehouse tower, filled with the private possessions of Eddy Sackville-West, a Bloomsbury Group stalwart, who lived here from 1926 to 1940. Knole is undergoing a major restoration, slated for completion in 2018; until then some rooms will be closed for conservation. Admission prices will increase once the work is complete.

Wine in the Southeast: a sparkling success story

With almost identical soil and geology to the Champagne region, and increased temperatures due to global warming, the Southeast is home to many of the country’s best vineyards, several of which offer tours and tastings. For more details of vineyards throughout Kent, Sussex and Surrey – including a downloadable wine routes map – check the website of the Southeastern Vineyard Association, seva.uk.com.

Kent

Biddenden Gribble Bridge Lane, Biddenden, TN27 8DF 01580 291726, biddendenvineyards.com. Kent’s oldest commercial vineyard, producing wines from eleven varieties of grape, plus traditional ciders and juices – there’s a shop/café on site. Short, self-guided tours and occasional themed tours are all free. Jan & Feb Mon–Sat 10am–5pm; March–Dec Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 11am–5pm.

Chapel Down Small Hythe, Tenterden, TN30 7NG 01580 763033, chapeldown.com. Multi-award-winning winemaker – they do a great lager, too – with a wine and produce store on site, and a smart terrace restaurant overlooking the vines. Pop in for a wander, or take a guided tour. Daily 10am–5pm; guided tours & tastings (1hr 45min; £10) April–Nov daily.

Hush Heath Five Oak Lane, Staplehurst, TN12 0HT 01622 832794, hushheath.com. Family-owned estate devoting around twenty of its four hundred acres to Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier vineyards. It’s famed for its sparkling wines, made using traditional methods, and in particular the Balfour Brut Rosé. The free self-guided trail through the glorious estate is stunning, as are the free tastings. Daily 11am–5pm.

sussex

Bolney Wine Estate Foxhole Lane, Bolney, RH17 5NB 01444 881894, bolneywineestate.co.uk. This small, family-run vineyard has a lovely setting and offers a variety of tours, plus an on-site café. The vineyard has won awards for its sparkling wines, but is also known – unusually for the UK – for its red wines. Shop Mon–Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–3pm; café Tues–Fri 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–3pm; tours £10–42.50 (see website for dates).

Ridgeview Wine Estate Fragbarrow Lane, Ditchling Common, off the B2112, BN6 8TP 01444 241441, ridgeview.co.uk. Multi-award-winning vineyard, known for its sparkling wines. Try one of the tours (pre-booking essential), or just turn up at the cellar door and taste before you buy. 11am–4pm: Jan & Feb Mon–Fri & Sun, March–Dec daily; tours (1hr 30min–2hr; £15) regularly in summer.

Tinwood Estate Tinwood Lane, Halnaker, PO18 0NE 01243 537372, tinwoodestate.com. Smart vineyard near Chichester producing sparkling wines from classic Champagne-variety grapes. There are tours (pre-booking essential) in summer, plus there’s a stylish, modern tasting room. Daily 9am–6pm; tours (1hr 30min; £15) regularly in summer.

surrey

Denbies Wine Estate London Rd, Dorking, RH5 6AA 01306 876616, denbies.co.uk. Vast commercial vineyard specializing in sparkling wines and whites. Indoor tours lead you through the winery; outdoor options include a truck ride through the estate, which also has public footpaths. Tastings and meals can be added to some tours. Tours (50min–1hr; £6.50–16.95) March–Oct daily 11am, noon, 2pm, 3pm & 4pm (occasionally more on Sat); Nov–Feb limited options.

Lullingstone Roman Villa

Eynsford, DA4 0JA, 8 miles north of Sevenoaks • April–Sept daily 10am–6pm; Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov–March Sat & Sun 10am–4pm • £7.60; EH • 01322 863467, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/lullingstone-roman-villa • The villa is a 2-mile walk from Eynsford train station

Located in a rural spot alongside the trickle of the River Darent, Lullingstone Roman Villa, believed to have started as a farm around 100 AD, grew to become an important estate and remained occupied until the fifth century. The site is known for its brilliantly preserved mosaics, including a fine mosaic floor depicting Bellerophon riding Pegasus and slaying the Chimera, a fire-breathing she-beast, but displays throughout – including a couple of human skeletons – offer lively and often poignant glimpses into Roman domestic life.

Ashdown Forest

Information Barn Wych Cross, RH18 5JP, 14 miles southwest of Tunbridge Wells • April–Sept Mon–Fri 2–5pm, Sat & Sun 11am–5pm; Oct–March Sat & Sun 11am–dusk • 01342 823583, ashdownforest.org • There are dozens of free parking sites on the main roads through the Forest; Metrobus # 291 runs between Tunbridge Wells and East Grinstead, stopping at Hartfield and Coleman’s Hatch (Mon–Sat hourly, Sun every 2hr) and #270 runs from Brighton to East Grinstead via Wych Cross (Mon–Sat hourly)

The ten-square-mile expanse of Ashdown Forest – which is in fact almost two-thirds heathland – is best known as the home of the much-loved fictional bear Winnie-the-Pooh. A.A. Milne wrote his famous children’s books from his weekend home at the northeastern edge of the forest, modelling the stories closely on the local area. Today you can visit Pooh Bridge and many other spots described in the stories; download a leaflet from the website, or, for Pooh Bridge, park at the dedicated car park just off the B2026.

Sheffield Park and Garden

On the A275 East Grinstead–Lewes main road, TN22 3QX, 18 miles southwest of Tunbridge Wells • Garden Daily 10am–5pm, or dusk if earlier • £11.20; NT • Parkland Daily dawn–dusk • Free; NT • 01825 790231, nationaltrust.org.uk/sheffield-park-and-garden • Bus #121 from Lewes (Sat every 2hr; 30min); Bluebell Railway (see below) Sheffield Park station is a 10min walk away

First laid out by Capability Brown in the eighteenth century, the beautifully landscaped gardens at Sheffield Park and Garden are set around five deep lakes, linked by cascades and waterfalls, and are particularly famed for their autumn colours. On the other side of the access road lies the estate’s 265-acre parkland, dotted by grazing sheep, and home to a natural play trail.

Bluebell Railway

Sheffield Park Station, on the A275 East Grinstead–Lewes main road, TN22 3QL, 18 miles southwest of Tunbridge Wells • April–Oct daily; Nov–March Sat, Sun & school hols • Day ticket with unlimited travel £19, station admission £1.50 Kingscote, £2.50 Horsted Keynes, £3 Sheffield Park • 01825 720800, bluebell-railway.com • The railway is connected to the mainline station at East Grinstead; bus #121 from Lewes (Sat every 2hr; 30min) runs to Sheffield Park station

A mile southwest of Sheffield Park lies the southern terminus of the Bluebell Railway, whose vintage steam locomotives chuff eleven miles north via Horsted Keynes and Kingscote stations to the mainline station at East Grinstead. The stations have all been beautifully restored in period style, and Sheffield Park station is also home to the railway sheds and a small museum.

Wakehurst Place

On the B2028 between Ardingly and Turners Hill, RH17 6TN, 20 miles west of Tunbridge Wells • Daily: March–Oct 10am–6pm; Nov–Feb 10am–4.30pm; Millennium Seed Bank closes 1hr earlier • £12.50 (includes parking); NT members and others groups with reciprocal arrangements get free entry but are required to pay for parking (£2/1hr 30min, £10/day) • 01444 894066, kew.org/visit-wakehurst • Metrobus #272 from Haywards Heath (Mon–Sat every 2hr; 15min)

The country home of Kew Royal Botanic Gardens, Wakehurst Place sprawls over 465 acres and encompasses formal gardens, lakes and ancient woodland; you’ll need a whole day to explore it properly. Wakehurst Place is also home to the Millennium Seed Bank, the world’s largest seed conservation project, which aims to safeguard 25 percent of the Earth’s plant species by 2020.

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Rye and around

Perched on a hill overlooking Romney Marsh, the pretty, ancient town of RYE was added as a “limb” to the original Cinque Ports, but was subsequently marooned two miles inland by the retreat of the sea and the silting-up of the River Rother. It is now one of the most visited places in East Sussex – half-timbered, skew-roofed and quintessentially English, with plenty of interesting independent shops to poke around in and some excellent places to eat.

Rye’s most picturesque street – and the most photographed – is the sloping cobbled Mermaid Street, the town’s main thoroughfare in the sixteenth century. At the top of Mermaid Street, just around the corner in West Street, lies Lamb House (mid-March to Oct Tues, Fri & Sat 11am–5pm; £5.85; NT; 01580 762334, nationaltrust.org.uk/lamb-house), home of the authors Henry James and (subsequently) E.F. Benson. Just a few cobbled yards away is the peaceful oasis of Church Square, where St Mary’s Church boasts the oldest functioning pendulum clock in the country; the ascent of the church tower (£3.50) offers fine views over the rooftops. In the far corner of the square stands the stout Ypres Tower (daily: April–Oct 10.30am–5pm; Nov–March 10.30am–3.30pm; £4; 01797 227798, ryemuseum.co.uk), built to keep watch for cross-Channel invaders; it now houses a number of relics from Rye’s past, including paraphernalia from the town’s smuggling heyday.

Rye’s acclaimed literary festival (ryeartsfestival.co.uk) takes place over two weeks in September and also features a wide range of musical and visual arts events. The other big annual event is Rye Bay Scallop Week (scallop.org.uk), held at the end of February.

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve

Rye Harbour Rd, TN31 7TU • Nature Reserve open access; Information centre most days 10am–4/5pm • Free • 01797 227784, sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk • Bus #313 runs from Rye station to Rye Harbour (roughly hourly)

A few miles south of town is Rye Harbour Nature Reserve, by turns bleak and beautiful. Miles of footpaths meander around the shingle ridges, salt marsh and reed beds; you can download walks from the website, or pick up a map from the information centre situated down the path opposite the car park.

Winchelsea

Perched on a hill two miles southwest of Rye, Winchelsea was rebuilt by Edward I after the original settlement, Old Winchelsea – one of the Cinque Ports – was washed away in the great storm of 1287. Today the tiny town (no more than a few streets arranged around a central square) feels positively deserted, but it’s well worth the trip from Rye to visit the ruined Gothic Church of St Thomas à Becket, with its beautiful 1930s stained-glass windows.

Camber Sands

Around three miles east of Rye, on the other side of the River Rother estuary, Camber Sands is a two-mile stretch of gorgeous dune-backed sandy beach that has become a renowned centre of wind- and watersports. The nicest way to reach it from Rye is by bike, on the three-mile dedicated cycle path.

Arrival and getting around: Rye and around

By train Rye’s train station is at the bottom of Station Approach, off Cinque Ports St; it’s a 5min walk up to High St.

Destinations Ashford (hourly; 20min); Hastings (hourly; 20min); London St Pancras (hourly; 1hr 25min).

By bus Bus #100 runs into the centre of Rye from Hastings (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 40min), passing through Winchelsea en route. Bus #101 (Mon–Sat hourly, Sun every 2hr; 15min) runs from Rye station to Camber Sands (Mon–Sat hourly, Sun every 2hr; 15min).

By bike You can rent bicycles from Rye Hire, 1 Cyprus Place (Mon–Fri 8am–5pm, Sat 8am–noon, Sat afternoon & Sun by appointment only; £13/half-day, £18/day; 01797 223033, ryehire.co.uk).

Information

Rye Heritage and Information Centre Strand Quay, TN31 7AY (daily 10am–5pm; check website for winter hours; 01797 226696, ryeheritage.co.uk). This privately run information centre sells town maps (30p) and rents out walking tour audioguides (£4). Its excellent sound-and-light show (every 30min; 20min; £3.50) gives you a potted history of Rye using a model of the town as it would have looked in the early nineteenth century.

Accommodation

The George 98 High St, TN31 7JT 01797 222114, thegeorgeinrye.com. This luxurious small hotel manages to get everything just right, from the cosy, wood-beamed bar and excellent restaurant to the tasteful, individually furnished rooms: there are 34 to choose from, ranging from an Arts and Crafts-styled room decked out in William Morris textiles to a Miami-themed hangout with circular bed. £145

Hayden’s 108 High St, TN31 7JE 01797 224501, haydensinrye.co.uk. Friendly, popular B&B with seven elegant, contemporary rooms set above a restaurant in the heart of town. Rooms at the back have lovely views out over Romney Marsh. £125

Rye Windmill Off Ferry Rd, TN31 7DW 01797 224027, ryewindmill.co.uk. Great value for Rye, this 300-year-old Grade II listed smock windmill contains eight smart en-suite rooms, plus two suites in the windmill itself; splash out on the Windmill Suite (£170) for panoramic views over Rye. Minimum two-night stay at weekends. £90

Eating and drinking

Knoops Tower Forge, Hilders Cliff, Landgate 01797 225838, facebook.com/KnoopsChocolateBar. This little place only offers one thing – hot chocolate – but it does it with style. Choose your chocolate (from 27 to 80 percent solids; £3), add your extras (various spices, peppers, fruits, even flowers – all 50p, or a shot of something stronger for £1) and wait to be presented with your own bowl of made-to-order chocolately loveliness. Mon & Fri–Sun 10am–6pm, plus Tues & Wed same hours in school hols.

Landgate Bistro 5–6 Landgate, TN31 7LH 01797 222829, landgatebistro.co.uk. Perhaps the best restaurant in Rye, this small, intimate place – housed in two interconnected Georgian cottages – is known for its traditionally British food: there’s plenty of fish from the local fishing fleet, Romney Marsh lamb and game in season (mains £11–20). Wed–Fri 7–11pm, Sat noon–3.30pm & 6.30–11pm, Sun noon–3.30pm.

Standard Inn The Strand, TN31 7EN 01797 225231, thestandardinnrye.co.uk. Beautifully restored inn, with bare brick walls and beams. There’s a good selection of craft beer and local ale, including the pub’s own Standard Inn Farmer’s Ale, plus excellent food (mains £10–16). Mon–Thurs noon–11pm, Fri & Sat noon–midnight, Sun noon–10pm; kitchen daily noon–3/4pm & 6–9/9.30pm.

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Hastings and around

The seaside town of HASTINGS has all the ingredients for a perfect break: a picturesque Old Town crammed with independent shops and cafés; a seafront that combines plenty of tacky seaside amusements with a sleek modern art gallery and a splendid new pier; a still-working fishing quarter supplying a multitude of excellent fish and seafood restaurants; and miles of lovely countryside right on its doorstep.

Just inland is the town of Battle, where William, Duke of Normandy, marched to meet King Harold’s army in the famous battle of 1066. Bexhill’s striking De La Warr Pavilion lies a few miles west of Hastings along the coast.

Old Town

The pretty Old Town is the nicest part of Hastings. High Street and pedestrianized George Street are the focus, both lined with antiques shops, galleries, restaurants and pubs. Running parallel to the High Street is All Saints Street, punctuated with the odd, rickety, timber-framed dwelling from the fifteenth century. Midway along George Street, the West Hill Cliff Railway (March–Sept daily 10am–5.30pm; Oct–Feb Sat & Sun 11am–4pm; return ticket £2.60) ascends West Hill, depositing you a short walk from Hastings Castle (hours vary but generally April–Oct daily 10am–4pm; £4.75; 01424 422964, smugglersadventure.co.uk/hastings-castle-experience), of which very little remains bar a few crumbling walls.

The Stade

Down by the seafront, the area known as The Stade is characterized by its tall, black weatherboard net shops, most dating from the mid-nineteenth century, and still in use today. The Stade is home to the town’s fishing fleet – the largest beach-launched fleet in Europe – and many of the net shops sell fresh-off-the-boat fish. Just west of the net huts, the wide expanse of the Stade Open Space is used for various events throughout the year.

Jerwood Gallery

Rock-a-Nore Rd, TN34 3DW • Feb–Dec Tues–Sun & bank hols 11am–5pm; first Tues of month open until 8pm • £9, free first Tues of month 4–8pm • 01424 425809, jerwoodgallery.org

Adjacent to the fishing quarter, the sleek Jerwood Gallery, covered in shimmering dark-glazed tiles, provides a home for the Jerwood Foundation’s modern art collection, which includes works by Stanley Spencer, Walter Sickert and Augustus John. A café up on the first floor overlooks the fishing boats on the beach.

East Hill and Hastings Country Park

Just behind the net shops, the venerable East Hill Cliff Railway (March–Sept daily 10am–5.30pm; Oct–Feb Sat & Sun 11am–4pm; return ticket £2.60) climbs up to East Hill, for wonderful views over the town and access to Hastings Country Park (hastingscountrypark.org.uk), a beautiful expanse of heathland, sandstone cliffs and ancient woodland ravines which spreads east for three miles.

Hastings Pier

Open daily; hours vary depending on season, weather and events – check website • Free • hastingspier.org.uk

West of The Stade, the beautifully restored Hastings Pier has risen phoenix-like from the ashes of an arson attack in 2010. Wide expanses of bare deck allow it to be used for everything from markets to concerts to open-air film screenings – check the website to see what’s on. The centrepiece is The Deck, a beautifully designed visitor centre and café.

Hastings festivals

The biggest weekend of the year is the Jack-in-the-Green Festival (May Day weekend; hastingsjack.co.uk), three days of festivities culminating in a riotous parade of dancers, drummers and leaf-bedecked revellers through the streets of the Old Town up to Hastings’ hilltop castle, where “the Jack” – a garlanded, leaf-covered figure whose origins date back to the eighteenth century – is ritually slain and the spirit of summer released.

Other events include three separate food festivals celebrating Hastings’ fishing industry; Hastings Week in October; and Fat Tuesday (hastingsfattuesday.co.uk) held over four days in February, which sees hundreds of gigs taking place around town, many of them free.

St Leonards-on-Sea

Shabby, arty, quirky and a bit rough around the edges, St Leonards – once a separate town but now more or less absorbed into Hastings – lies at the western end of the seafront. It’s worth spending a morning or afternoon checking out some of the cool art galleries, shops, cafés and restaurants along Norman Road and Kings Road.

Battle Abbey and Battlefield

At the south end of High St, Battle, TN33 0AD • Feb half term daily 10am–4pm; mid-Feb to March Wed–Sun 10am–4pm; April–Sept daily 10am–6pm; Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov to mid-Feb Sat & Sun 10am–4pm • £11.20; EH • 01424 775705, www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/1066-battle-of-hastings-abbey-and-battlefield • Buses #304 and #305 from Hastings (Mon–Sat hourly; 15min), or regular trains from Hastings and London Charing Cross to Battle station, a 10min walk away

Six miles inland from Hastings in the small town of Battle, the remains of Battle Abbey occupy the site of the most famous land battle in British history. Here, or hereabouts, on October 14, 1066, the invading Normans swarmed up the hillside from Senlac Moor and overcame the army of King Harold, spelling an end to Anglo-Saxon England. Before the battle took place, William vowed that, should he win, he would build a religious foundation on the very spot of Harold’s slaying to atone for the bloodshed, and, true to his word, Battle Abbey was built four years later and subsequently occupied by a fraternity of Benedictines.

The abbey, once one of the richest in the country, was partially destroyed in the Dissolution and much rebuilt and revised over the centuries. The magnificent 1330s gatehouse (topped by a rooftop viewing platform) still survives, along with the thirteenth-century rib-vaulted dormitory range, but all that remains of William’s original abbey church is an outline on the grass, with the site of the high altar – the spot where Harold was supposedly killed – marked by a memorial stone. An excellent visitor centre shows a film about the battle and the events leading up to it. Audioguides (40min) take you round the site of the battlefield, vividly re-creating the battle and its aftermath.

De La Warr Pavilion

Marina, Bexhill-on-Sea, TN40 1DP • Daily: April–Oct 10am–6pm; Nov–March 10am–5pm • Free • 01424 229111, dlwp.com • Bus #98 from Hastings (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 40min); train from Hastings (every 20min; 10min); or seafront cycle path from Hastings to Bexhill

The seaside town of Bexhill-on-Sea, five miles west of Hastings, is home to the iconic De La Warr Pavilion, a sleek Modernist masterpiece overlooking the sea. Built in 1935 by architects Erich Mendelsohn and Serge Chermayeff, the Pavilion slid gradually into disrepair after World War II, but today it has been restored to its original glory, hosting contemporary art exhibitions and live performances.

Arrival and information: Hastings and around

By train Hastings station is a 10min walk from the seafront along Havelock Road. There’s another station, St Leonards Warrior Square, at the north end of Kings Rd.

Destinations Ashford (hourly; 40min); Battle (every 30min; 15min); Brighton (every 30min; 1hr 5min); Eastbourne (every 20min; 25min); Lewes (every 20min; 55min); London Victoria (hourly; 2hr–2hr 15min); Rye (hourly; 20min); Tunbridge Wells (every 30min; 35–50min).

By bus Bus services operate from outside the train station.

Destinations Battle (Mon–Sat hourly; 15min); Dover (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 2hr 50min); Eastbourne (Mon–Sat every 20–30min, Sun hourly; 1hr 15min); London Victoria (1 daily; 2hr 35min); Rye (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 40min).

Tourist office On the seafront at Aquila House, Breeds Place, TN34 3UY (April–Oct Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9.30am–5.30pm, Sun 10.30am–4pm; Nov–March Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat 9.30am–4.30pm, Sun 11am–3pm; 01424 451111, visit1066country.com).

Accommodation

The Laindons 23 High St, TN34 3EY 01424 437710, thelaindons.com. Set in a Georgian townhouse, this friendly boutique B&B has five gorgeous rooms, all with a crisp Scandi vibe. Breakfast includes coffee from The Laindons’ own coffee bar and roastery, No. 23, below the B&B. £120

Senlac Guesthouse 46–47 Cambridge Gardens, TN34 1EN 01424 435767, senlacguesthouse.co.uk. Stylish yet affordable, this friendly guesthouse with smart, contemporary rooms and located near the station, is fantastic value. The cheapest rooms share bathrooms. Breakfast costs £8.50 extra. £60

Swan House 1 Hill St, TN34 3HU 01892 430014, swanhousehastings.co.uk. Beautiful B&B in a half-timbered fifteenth-century building on one of the Old Town’s most picturesque streets. Rooms are luxurious and tasteful, and there’s a pretty decked patio garden for sunny breakfasts. Minimum two-night stay at weekends. £120

Eating and drinking

The Crown 64–66 All Saints St, TN34 3BN 01424 465100, thecrownhastings.co.uk. Great pub with a lovely ambience and a trendy crowd. There’s plenty of local produce on the menu (Hastings fish, Bodiam ice cream, Rye Bay coffee, and so on) and behind the bar (Sussex ales, gins and ciders). Mon–Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–10.30pm; kitchen Mon–Fri noon–5pm & 6–9.30pm, Sat & Sun 11am–5pm & 6–9.30pm.

Maggies Above the fish market, Rock-a-Nore Rd 01424 430205. The best fish and chips in town can be found at this first-floor café, right on the beach. It’s open for lunch only, and is very popular, so book ahead. Mon–Sat noon–2pm.

Webbe’s 1 Rock-a-Nore Rd, TN34 3DW 01424 721650, webbesrestaurants.co.uk. Good seafood restaurant opposite the Jerwood Gallery. Mains such as steamed panache of Hastings fish cost around £15, or you can pick and choose from tasting dishes at £3.75 each. There’s plenty of outside seating in summer. Mon–Fri noon–2pm & 6–9pm, Sat & Sun noon–9.30pm.

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Eastbourne

Like so many of the southeast’s seaside resorts, EASTBOURNE was kick-started into life in the 1840s, when the Brighton, Lewes and Hastings Rail Company built a branch line from Lewes to the coast. Nowadays Eastbourne has a solid reputation as a retirement town by the sea, and though the contemporary Towner Gallery has introduced a splash of modernity, the town’s charms remain for the most part sedate and old-fashioned. The Towner Gallery lies in the Cultural Quarter, centred on Devonshire Park; three theatres sit on the park’s fringes, while the park itself is home to lawn tennis courts, which play host to big-name players during the Aegon International Eastbourne in June. The focus of the elegant seafront is the Victorian pier; just to the west is the splendid bandstand (eastbournebandstand.co.uk), which hosts various musical events throughout the year. Continue west to the end of the seafront and you’ll come to the start of the steep two-mile-long path climbing up to Beachy Head, one of the scenic splendours of the South Downs National Park.

Towner Art Gallery and Museum

Devonshire Park, BN21 4JJ • Tues–Sun & bank hols 10am–5pm • Free • 01323 434670, townereastbourne.org.uk

Housed in a sleek modern edifice by Devonshire Park, the excellent Towner Art Gallery and Museum puts on four or five exhibitions a year, which are shown alongside rotating displays of modern and contemporary art from its own permanent collection; it’s especially well known for its modern British art.

The South Downs Way

The long-distance South Downs Way rises and dips over one hundred miles along the chalk uplands between the city of Winchester and the spectacular cliffs at Beachy Head, and offers the southeast’s finest walks. The OS Explorer maps OL11 and OL25 cover the eastern end of the route; you’ll need OL10, OL8, OL3 and OL32 as well to cover the lot. Several guidebooks are available (some covering the route in just one direction); you can also check out the website nationaltrail.co.uk/south-downs-way.

Arrival and information: Eastbourne

By train Eastbourne’s splendid Italianate station is a 10min walk from the seafront up Terminus Rd.

Destinations Brighton (every 20min; 35min); Hastings (every 20min; 30min); Lewes (every 20min; 30min); London Victoria (Mon–Sat 4 hourly, Sun 2 hourly; 1hr 20min–1hr 50min).

By bus The National Express coach station is on Junction Rd, right by the train station. Most local bus services are run by Stagecoach.

Destinations Brighton (every 10–15min; 1hr 15min); Hastings (Mon–Sat every 20min, Sun hourly; 1hr 10min); London Victoria (2 daily; 3hr 15min); Tunbridge Wells (Mon–Sat hourly; 50min).

Tourist office 3 Cornfield Rd, just off Terminus Rd (March, April & Oct Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm, Sat 9am–4pm; May–Sept Mon–Fri 9am–5.30pm, Sat 9am–5pm, Sun 10am–1pm; Nov–Feb Mon–Fri 9am–4.30pm, Sat 9am–1pm; 01323 415415, visiteastbourne.com).

Accommodation and eating

Beach Deck Royal Parade, BN22 7AE 01323 720320, thebeachdeck.co.uk. The perfect spot for an alfresco lunch, with a big suntrap deck overlooking the beach. Food (including gluten-free options) ranges from burgers to fresh fish. Summer Mon–Wed & Sun 8.30am–6pm, Thurs–Sat 8.30am–late; winter hours vary – check website.

Fusciardi’s 30 Marine Parade, BN22 7AY 01323 722128, fusciardiicecreams.co.uk. This ice-cream parlour is an Eastbourne institution, with piled-high sundaes that are a work of art. Daily 9am–7pm; June & Aug generally open until 10/10.30pm.

Pebble Beach 53 Royal Parade 01323 431240, pebblebeacheastbourne.com. Boutique B&B at the eastern end of town, with six stylish, good-value rooms set across three floors of a Victorian seafront townhouse. £80

Urban Ground 2a Bolton Rd, BN21 3JX 01323 410751, urbanground.co.uk. Fab little independent coffee shop with great coffee and a range of tasty sandwiches, soups and cakes. There’s a second branch in the Towner Gallery. Mon–Sat 7.30am–6pm, Sun 9am–5pm.

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Sussex Heritage Coast and around

Just west of Eastbourne lies the most dramatic stretch of coastline in the South Downs National Park, the Sussex Heritage Coast, where the chalk uplands are cut by the sea into a sequence of splendid cliffs that stretch for nine pristine miles. The most spectacular of these is Beachy Head (575ft high), the tallest chalk sea-cliff in the country. A couple of miles to the west of here the cliffs dip down to Birling Gap, where’s there’s access to the beach, and a National Trust-run café and information centre. Birling Gap marks the eastern end of a series of magnificent undulating chalk cliffs known as the Seven Sisters, which end three miles further west at the meandering River Cuckmere – an area encompassed by the Seven Sisters Country Park. This stretch of coast provides some of the most impressive walks in the region; head to one of the visitor centres for advice and route maps.

Alfriston and around

Three miles inland from the Seven Sisters Country Park along the River Cuckmere is the picture-perfect village of ALFRISTON, with plenty of creaky old smuggling inns, a picturesque village green (“The Tye”) and some lovely riverside walks. On The Tye sits the fourteenth-century timber-framed and thatched Clergy House (mid-March to Oct Mon–Wed, Sat & Sun 10.30am–5pm; Nov & Dec Sat & Sun 11am–4pm; £5.35; NT; 01323 871961, nationaltrust.org.uk/alfriston-clergy-house), the first property to be acquired by the National Trust, in 1896. At the other end of the green is the Gun Room (daily 10am–4pm; 01323 870 022, rathfinnyestate.com), the shop-cum-cellar door of the Rathfinny Wine Estate, which sprawls over the hillsides on the southern outskirts of Alfriston; tours of the vineyard are available.

A mile or so up the valley, the excellent Drusillas Park (daily: March–Oct 10am–6pm; Nov–Feb 10am–5pm; £18.50–19.50 depending on season, under-2s free; cheaper tickets available if booked online; 01323 874100, drusillas.co.uk) has penguins, meerkats, lemurs and more, plus a miniature railway, paddling pool and an adventure playground.

Arrival and information: Sussex Heritage Coast and around

By bus Bus #13X runs from Eastbourne and Brighton via Beachy Head, Birling Gap and the Seven Sisters Country Park Visitor Centre (late April to mid-June Sat & Sun hourly; mid-June to mid-Sept Mon–Fri 3 daily, Sat & Sun hourly; 35min). The Cuckmere Valley Ramblerbus operates an hourly circular service (50min) from Berwick train station – with hourly connections to Eastbourne, Lewes and Brighton – to the Seven Sisters Country Park via Alfriston (April–Oct Sat, Sun & bank hols; cuckmerebuses.org.uk).

Tourist information Beachy Head Countryside Centre, Beachy Head (Easter–Oct Mon 1–4pm, Tues–Sun 10am–4pm; Nov Sat & Sun 11am–3pm; volunteer-run, so opening times can vary, especially in winter; 01323 737273, beachyhead.org). Birling Gap Information Centre, Birling Gap (daily 10am–5pm, or 4pm in winter; 01323 423197, nationaltrust.org.uk/birling-gap-and-the-seven-sisters). Seven Sisters Country Park Visitor Centre, Exceat, on the A259 between Seaford and Eastbourne (March & Nov Sat & Sun 11am–4pm; April–Sept daily 10.30am–4.30pm; Oct daily 11am–4pm; volunteer-run, so opening times can vary, especially in winter; 0345 608 0194, sevensisters.org.uk).

Accommodation

Belle Tout Beachy Head 01323 423185, belletout.co.uk. For a real treat book into this fabulous lighthouse, perched high up on the dramatic cliffs just west of Beachy Head. The cosy rooms boast stupendous views, there’s a snug residents’ lounge and – best of all – there’s unrestricted access to the lamproom at the top of the lighthouse, where you can sit and watch the sun go down. £190

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Lewes and around

LEWES, the county town of East Sussex, straddles the River Ouse as it carves a gap through the South Downs on its final stretch to the sea. Though there’s been some rebuilding, the core of Lewes remains remarkably good-looking: replete with crooked older dwellings, narrow lanes – or “twittens” – and Georgian houses. With numerous traces of its long history still visible (not least a medieval castle), plus a lively cultural scene, plenty of independent and antiques shops, and some of England’s most appealing chalkland on its doorstep, Lewes makes a great Sussex base. Nearby are the Bloomsbury Group’s country home at Charleston, Virginia Woolf’s former home Monk’s House, and the Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft – all a short hop by car.

Lewes Castle

169 High St • Mon & Sun 11am–5.30pm (dusk in winter), Tues–Sat 10am–5.30pm (dusk in winter); closed Mon in Jan • £7.70, joint ticket with Anne of Cleves House £12.30 • 01273 486290, sussexpast.co.uk

Both Lewes Castle and St Pancras Priory were the work of William de Warenne, who was given the land by William I following the Norman Conquest. Inside the castle complex – unusual for being built on two mottes, or mounds – the shell of the eleventh-century keep remains, and can be climbed for excellent views over the town to the surrounding Downs. Tickets include admission to the museum (same hours as castle) by the entrance, where exhibits include archeological artefacts and a town model.

Lewes bonfire night

Each November 5, while the rest of Britain lights small domestic bonfires or attends municipal firework displays to commemorate the 1605 foiling of a Catholic plot to blow up the Houses of Parliament, Lewes puts on a more dramatic show, whose origins lie in the deaths of the Lewes Martyrs, the seventeen Protestants burned here in 1556 at the height of Mary Tudor’s militant revival of Catholicism. The town’s six tightly knit bonfire societies spend much of the year organizing the spectacular Bonfire Night extravaganza, when their members dress up in traditional costumes and parade through the narrow streets carrying flaming torches and flares, before marching off to the outskirts of town for their society’s individual bonfire and fireworks display.

Boisterous and anarchic, the Lewes Bonfire Night experience is brilliant, but it does get packed, especially on years when November 5 falls on a weekend. Roads close early, parking is restricted and there can be horrendously long queues for trains at the end of the night; it’s best to stay over if you can (book early). With loud bangs, flying sparks and lots of open flames, the event is definitely not suitable for small children. If the 5th falls on a Sunday the celebrations take place on the 4th. For more, see lewesbonfirecouncil.org.uk.

Southover

From the High Street, the steep, cobbled and much photographed Keere Street leads to Southover, the southern part of town. At the foot of Keere Street, tranquil Grange Gardens (daily dawn–dusk; free) sprawl around Southover Grange, childhood home of the diarist John Evelyn. Nearby on Southover High Street is the timber-framed Anne of Cleves House (Feb–Nov Mon & Sun 11am–5pm, Tues–Sat 10am–5pm; closes 4pm in Feb & Nov; sometimes closed for private functions – call to check; £5.60, joint ticket with Lewes Castle £12.30; 01273 474610, sussexpast.co.uk), a fifteenth-century hall house laid out as it would have looked in Tudor times. Cross the road and head down Cockshut Lane to reach the evocative ruins of St Pancras Priory (open access; free); in its heyday it was one of Europe’s principal Cluniac institutions, with a church the size of Westminster Abbey.

Glyndebourne

Founded in 1934, Glyndebourne, three miles east of Lewes, off the A27 (01273 812321, glyndebourne.com), is Britain’s only unsubsidized opera house, and the Glyndebourne season (mid-May to Aug) is an indispensable part of the high-society calendar. Tickets for the season’s six productions are pricey, but there are some standing-room-only ones available at reduced prices, and discounts for under-30s (register in advance).

Monk’s House

Rodmell, BN7 3HF, 3 miles south of Lewes • Easter–Oct Wed–Sun & bank hols: house 1–5pm; garden 12.30–5.30pm • £5.75; NT • 01273 474760, nationaltrust.org.uk/monks-house

The pretty, weatherboard Monk’s House was the home of novelist Virginia Woolf and her husband, Leonard. Like nearby Charleston (see below), where Virginia’s much-loved sister Vanessa Bell lived, Monk’s House hosted gatherings of the Bloomsbury Group, and the house is unmistakably “Bloomsbury” in style, with painted furniture and artworks by Vanessa and her partner Duncan Grant in every room. The real highlight, though, is the tranquil garden, with its beautiful views over the Ouse Valley.

Charleston

Signposted off the A27, BN8 9LL • March–June, Sept & Oct Wed–Sun & bank hols noon–5pm; July & Aug Wed–Sat 11.30am–5.30pm, Sun & bank hols noon–5.30pm; note that Wed–Sat entry is by 1hr guided tour only, while on Sun & bank hols rooms are stewarded and you can move about freely; garden open same hours as house (not part of tour); last entry 1hr before closing • House and garden £12.50, garden only £4.50 • 01323 811626, charleston.org.uk

Six miles east of Lewes lies Charleston, the country home and gathering place of the writers, intellectuals and artists known as the Bloomsbury Group. Virginia Woolf’s sister Vanessa Bell, Vanessa’s husband, Clive Bell, and her lover, Duncan Grant, moved here during World War I so that the men, both conscientious objectors, could work on local farms. Almost every surface of the farmhouse interior is painted and the walls are hung with paintings by Picasso, Renoir and Augustus John, alongside the work of the residents. The guided tours give a fascinating insight into the lives of the unconventional group of friends and lovers; try to visit on a day when a tour is running if you can. Elsewhere on the site, the purpose-built Wolfson Gallery hosts changing exhibitions exploring the Bloomsbury Group’s artistic and literary heritage.

Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft

Lodge Hill Lane, BN6 8SP • Tues–Sat 10.30am–5pm, Sun & bank hols 11am–5pm • £6.50 • 01273 844744, ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk

The pretty village of Ditchling lies eight miles west of Lewes at the foot of the Downs, overlooked by beauty spot Ditchling Beacon – one of the highest spots on the escarpment. On the village green, the beautifully designed two-room Ditching Museum of Art + Craft houses a fascinating assortment of prints, paintings, weavings, sculptures and other artefacts from the artists and craftspeople who lived in Ditchling in the last century, among them typographer and sculptor Eric Gill, printer and writer Hilary Pepler, weaver Ethel Mairet and calligrapher Edward Johnson, who designed the iconic London Underground typeface.

Arrival and information: Lewes and around

By train The train station is south of High Street down Station Rd.

Destinations Brighton (every 10–20min; 15min); Eastbourne (every 20min; 30min); London Victoria (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 1hr 10min).

By bus The bus station is on Eastgate St, near the foot of School Hill.

Destinations Brighton (Mon–Sat every 15min, Sun every 30min; 30min); Tunbridge Wells (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 1hr 10min).

Tourist office At the junction of High St and Fisher St (April–Sept Mon–Fri 9.30am–4.30pm, Sat 9.30am–4pm, Sun 10am–2pm; Oct–March Mon–Fri 9.30am–4.30pm, Sat 10am–2pm; 01273 483448, staylewes.org). They hold copies of the excellent free monthly magazine Viva Lewes (vivalewes.com).

Accommodation

The Corner House 14 Cleve Terrace, BN7 1JJ 01273 567138, lewescornerhouse.co.uk. Super-friendly B&B on a quiet Edwardian terrace, close to Grange Gardens. The two en-suite rooms have lovely homely touches such as patchwork quilts and plenty of books, and the owner is a great source of information on the town and area. £85

YHA South Downs Itford Farm, Beddingham, 5 miles from Lewes 0870 371 9574. The nearest hostel to Lewes is a gem, newly renovated from an old farm, and in a fabulous location right on the South Downs Way footpath, with great transport connections (Southease station – with regular connections to Lewes – is under 200m away). Camping pods (sleeping 3) and bell tents (sleeping 5) are available, and there’s a café and licensed bar too. Dorms £25, doubles, £55, camping pods £49, bell tents £89

Eating and drinking

Flint Owl 209 High St, BN7 2DL 01273 472769, flintowlbakery.com. The café of the Glynde-based Flint Owl Bakery – which supplies its pastries and artisan bread around Sussex – is a stylish space with a small courtyard garden out the back, and counters piled high with freshly baked goodies. Mon–Sat 9am–5pm.

The Hearth Pizzeria Eastgate, BN7 2LP 01273 470755, thehearth.co. The wood-fired sourdough pizzas at this down-to-earth pizzeria were voted among the best in the UK by the BBC’s Good Food magazine. If you can’t decide which to go for try the Dalai Lama (“one with everything”). Mon & Tues 5–10pm, Wed–Fri noon–2pm & 5–10pm, Sat noon–10pm.

Lewes Arms Mount Place, BN7 1YH 01273 473252, lewesarms.co.uk. This characterful local is a good spot to sample a pint of Sussex Best, produced down the road at Harvey’s brewery. The home-cooked pub food is great value, too. Mon–Thurs 11am–11pm, Fri & Sat 11am–midnight, Sun noon–11pm; kitchen Mon–Fri & Sun noon–8.30pm, Sat noon–9pm.

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Brighton

Vibrant, quirky and cool, BRIGHTON (or Brighton & Hove, to give it its official name) is one of the country’s most popular seaside destinations. The essence of the city’s appeal is its faintly bohemian vitality, a buzz that comes from a mix of holiday-makers, foreign-language students, a thriving LGBT+ community, and an energetic local student population from the art college and two universities.

Any trip to Brighton inevitably begins with a visit to its two most famous landmarks – the exuberant Royal Pavilion and the wonderfully tacky Brighton Pier – followed by a stroll along the seafront promenade or the pebbly beach. Just as fun, though, is an exploration of Brighton’s car-free Lanes – the maze of narrow alleys marking the old town – or a meander through the more bohemian streets of North Laine. Brighton’s other great draw is its cultural life: you’re spoilt for choice when it comes to live music, theatre, comedy and concerts, especially if you coincide your visit with the Brighton Festival, the largest arts festival in England.

The Royal Pavilion

4/5 Pavilion Buildings, BN1 1EE • Daily: April–Sept 9.30am–5.45pm; Oct–March 10am–5.15pm; last entry 45min before closing • £13, audioguides £2 • 0300 029 0900, brightonmuseums.org.uk/royalpavilion

In any survey to find England’s most loved building, there’s always a bucketful of votes for Brighton’s exotic extravaganza, the Royal Pavilion. The building was the south-coast pied-à-terre of the fun-loving Prince Regent (the future George IV), who first visited the seaside resort in 1783 and spent much of the next forty years partying, gambling and frolicking with his mistress here. The building you see today is the work of John Nash, architect of London’s Regent Street, who in 1815 redesigned the Prince’s original modest dwelling into an extraordinary confection of slender minarets, twirling domes, pagodas, balconies and miscellaneous motifs imported from India and China. The result defined a genre of its own – Oriental Gothic.

Inside, the Banqueting Room erupts with ornate splendour and is dominated by a one-tonne chandelier hung from the jaws of a massive dragon cowering in a plantain tree. The stunning Music Room, the first sight of which reduced George to tears of joy, has a huge dome lined with more than 26,000 individually gilded scales and hung with exquisite umbrella-like glass lamps. After climbing the famous cast-iron staircase with its bamboo-look banisters, you can go into Victoria’s sober and seldom-used bedroom and the North-West Gallery, where the king’s portrait hangs, along with a selection of satirical cartoons. More notable, though, is the South Gallery, decorated in sky-blue with trompe l’oeil bamboo trellises and a carpet that appears to be strewn with flowers.

Brighton Museum

Royal Pavilion Gardens, BN1 1EE • Tues–Sun & bank hols 10am–5pm • £5.20 • 0300 029 0900, brightonmuseums.org.uk/brighton

Across the gardens from the Pavilion stands the Brighton Museum – once part of the royal stable block – which houses a wonderful and eclectic mix of modern fashion and design, archeology, painting and local history. Among the highlights are Dalí’s famous sofa (1938) based on Mae West’s lips, the 13,000-object ethnographic collection, and the mummified animals and painted coffins of the Ancient Egypt galleries.

The Lanes

Tucked between the Pavilion and the seafront is a warren of narrow, pedestrianized alleyways known as The Lanes – the core of the old fishing village from which Brighton evolved. Long-established jewellers’ shops, boutiques and several cafés, pubs and restaurants make this a great place to wander.

North Laine

Vibrant, buzzy North Laine (northlaine.co.uk), which sprawls west and north of the Royal Pavilion as far as Trafalgar Street, bordered by Queens Road to the west and the A23 to the east, is more offbeat than the Lanes. Here the eclectic shops, selling secondhand records, vintage gear, homeware, upmarket fashion and New Age objects, mingle with cool coffee shops and pavement cafés and bars.

The seafront

To soak up the tackier side of Brighton, head down to the seafront and take a stroll along Brighton Pier (daily: April–Oct 10am–10pm; Nov–March 11am–5pm; opening hours can vary depending on weather; free; 01273 609361, brightonpier.co.uk), completed in 1899, its every inch devoted to cacophonous fun. Opposite Brighton Pier, on Marine Parade, is the Sea Life Centre (daily: May–Aug 10am–6pm; Sept–April 10am–5pm; last entry 1hr before closing; times can change so check website; £10.50–17.50 depending on ticket type; 01273 604234, visitsealife.com/Brighton), which is the world’s oldest operating aquarium, opened in 1872; its wonderfully atmospheric Victorian aquarium hall is the main attraction.

West of Brighton Pier

The busiest section of the seafront lies between Brighton Pier and the derelict West Pier, half a mile west along the seafront; here, down at beach level underneath the old fishermen’s arches, the Lower Esplanade is lined with cafés, gift shops, galleries, bars and clubs. The Lower Esplanade is also home to the Brighton Fishing Museum (normally daily 9am–5pm; free; brightonfishingmuseum.org.uk), which displays old photos and video footage of the golden days of the local fishing industry. By the West Pier, there’s no missing the British Airways i360 (open daily – check website for hours; £15; 0333 772 0360, britishairwaysi360.com), which at 162m high is the world’s tallest moving observation tower. Step aboard the saucer-shaped pod to be whisked aloft for 360-degree views over the city and beyond.

East of Brighton Pier

Just east of Brighton Pier, the 300m-long twin zipwires of Brighton Zip (daily 10am–9pm, weather dependent; £16; brightonzip) whisk thrill-seekers along the seafront. If you prefer a more sedate form of transport, try the antiquated locomotives of Volk’s Electric Railway (Easter–Sept open daily; trains run every 15min; £3.60 return; volkselectricrailway.co.uk) – the world’s oldest electric railway – which trundle eastward towards Brighton Marina (brightonmarina.co.uk), stopping off en route at the fabulous Yellowave beach sports venue (summer Mon–Fri 10am–10pm, Sat & Sun 10am–8pm; winter Tues–Thurs 10am–9pm, Fri–Sun 10am–5pm; court rental £22/hr; 01273 672222, yellowave.co.uk), the perfect spot for a taster of beach volleyball, with six sand courts, plus an excellent café.

Kemp Town

East of the city centre, Kemp Town is the heart of the city’s LGBT+ community and one of Brighton’s liveliest, most colourful neighbourhoods. From the Old Steine, head along busy, bustling St James’s Street (Brighton’s “Gay Village”), and its quieter continuation, St George’s Road, where you’ll find a clutch of antique and vintage shops, cosy pubs and laidback coffee shops.

Hove

West of the city centre, Hove – which started life as a separate resort in the 1820s and only merged with Brighton in 1997 – is a stylish neighbourhood, with some beautiful Regency architecture and an elegant, lawn-backed seafront. The main sight is Hove Museum (19 New Church Rd; Mon, Tues & Thurs–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun & bank hols 2–5pm; free; 0300 029 0900, brightonmuseums.org.uk/hove; bus #1, #1A, #6, #49 or #49A), which houses a fascinating and eclectic collection that covers everything from contemporary crafts to a 3500-year-old Bronze Age cup.

Arrival and departure: Brighton

By train Brighton train station is at the top of Queen’s Rd, which descends to the clocktower and then becomes West St, eventually leading to the seafront, a 10min walk away.

Destinations Arundel (hourly; 1hr 10min); Chichester (every 30min; 45–55min); Eastbourne (every 20min; 35min); Hastings (every 30min; 1hr 5min); Lewes (every 10–20min; 15min); London Bridge (Mon–Sat 2 hourly; 1hr); London St Pancras (every 30min; 1hr 15min); London Victoria (1–2 hourly; 55min); Portsmouth Harbour (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 1hr 30min).

By bus The long-distance bus station is just in from the seafront on the south side of the Old Steine.

Destinations Arundel (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 2hr); Chichester (every 20–30min; 1hr 45min); Eastbourne (every 10–15min; 1hr 15min); Lewes (Mon–Sat every 15min, Sun every 30min; 30min); London Victoria (hourly; 2hr 20min); Tunbridge Wells (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 1hr 50min).

Getting around

By bus A one-day CitySaver ticket (£5) allows you unlimited travel on the city bus network (buses.co.uk). Short-hop journeys cost £2.20.

By taxi For a city taxi, call 01273 202020 or 01273 204060. There are central ranks at Brighton station, East St, Queens Square near the clocktower and outside St Peter’s Church.

By tour For details of city tours, which range from ghost walks to food tours to a “Piers and Queers” tour, see visitbrighton.com/things-to-do/tours-and-sightseeing. The Brighton Greeters scheme pairs up visitors with a volunteer Brighton resident tour guide for a free two-hour tour; see visitbrighton.com/greeters for more information.

By bike There’s a downloadable cycling map of the city at brighton-hove.gov.uk/content/cycle-facilities-map. Bike rental is available from Brighton Cycle Hire, Unit 8, under the station, off Trafalgar Street (£7/3hr, £10/24hr; 01273 571555, brightoncyclehire.com); and Brighton Beach Bike Hire, Madeira Drive, by Yellowave (£12 for 3hr, £16 for 4+ hours; 07917 753794, brightonbeachbikes.co.uk).

Information

Visitor information There are fifteen staffed Visitor Information points (01273 290337, visitbrighton.com) throughout the city, including at Brighton Pier, the Royal Pavilion shop and Jubilee Library in the North Laine.

Useful apps, magazines and websites VisitBrighton produces a free app for smartphones (visitbrighton.com/apps). The best listing magazine is Source (brightonsource.co.uk), but XYZ (xyzmagazine.co.uk) and BN1 (bn1magazine.co.uk) are also worth a look. Viva Brighton (vivabrighton.com) is a monthly magazine of articles and reviews, distributed free around the city.

Brighton Festival

Every May the three-week-long Brighton Festival (brightonfestival.org) takes over various venues around town. This arty celebration includes over two hundred events, ranging from exhibitions and street theatre to concerts and talks. Running at the same time is the Brighton and Hove Fringe Festival (01273 709709, www.brightonfestivalfringe.org.uk), which puts on over 700 events, and the biannual Artists’ Open Houses Festival (aoh.org.uk; also runs in Dec), when hundreds of private homes fling open their doors to show the work of local artists. For details of Brighton’s many other festivals and events, check out visitbrighton.com.

Accommodation

Brighton’s accommodation is pricey, with rates often rising substantially at weekends. The listings below quote weekend, high-season rates; at many places these prices will fall dramatically out of season and midweek, so it pays to check around. Note that at weekends there’s generally a two-night-minimum stay. Much of the city’s nicest B&B accommodation is found in Kemp Town, east of the city centre.

Artist Residence 33 Regency Square, BN1 2GG 01273 324302, artistresidencebrighton.co.uk; map. Cool and quirky, this uber-stylish hotel has 23 rooms – some of them decorated by local and international artists – plus a cocktail bar and two very good restaurants. £170

Drakes Hotel 33–34 Marine Parade, BN2 1PE 01273 696934, drakesofbrighton.com; map. The unbeatable seafront location is the big draw at this chic, minimalist boutique hotel. The most expensive rooms come with freestanding baths by floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s an excellent in-house restaurant too. Breakfast £7.50–15 extra. £160

Guest and the City 2 Broad St, BN2 1TJ 01273 698289, guestandthecity.co.uk; map. Lovely B&B in a great central location a minute from the pier, with stylish rooms (the two feature rooms – £140 – come with stained-glass windows of classic Brighton scenes), and super-friendly owners. £90

Kemp Townhouse 21 Atlingworth St, BN2 1PL 01273 681400, kemptownhouse.com; map. Stylish five-star B&B with excellent service and nine chic rooms decked out with black-and-white photos of the city. A complimentary carafe of port in the room is a nice touch. £155

MyHotel 17 Jubilee St 01273 900300, myhotels.com/my-hotel-brighton; map. Hip boutique hotel in the heart of North Laine, with rooms designed along feng shui lines, and a great bar, Merkaba, downstairs. Rates fluctuate with demand, so check online for last-minute bargains. £120

Pelirocco 10 Regency Square 01273 327055, hotelpelirocco.co.uk; map. “England’s most rock’n’roll hotel” is a real one-off, featuring extravagantly themed rooms inspired by pop culture and pin-ups. There’s a Fifties-style boudoir, a Pop Art “Modrophenia” room featuring bedside tables made from scooters, and even a twin room styled as Lord Vader’s Quarters, complete with light sabre, Darth Vader costume and Star Wars DVDs. £145

Snooze 25 St George’s Terrace, BN2 1JJ 01273 605797, snoozebrighton.com; map. Quirky, characterful guesthouse in Kemp Town, with eight funky rooms that range in style from “Brighton Bollywood” or French flea market to full-on 1970s glamour. £140

The Twenty One 21 Charlotte St, BN2 1AG 01273 686450, thetwentyone.co.uk; map. Popular Regency townhouse B&B, with stylish rooms and super-friendly owners. Rooms come with iPads, bathrobes and a well-stocked hospitality tray. £135

YHA Brighton Old Steine, BN1 1NH 01273 738674, yha.org.uk/hostel/brighton; map. Less than a minute’s walk from the pier, this hostel has 51 en-suite rooms (including 20 doubles, some with roll-top baths), plus a self-catering kitchen and a good café-bar. Prices drop midweek and out of season; book well ahead for weekend stays. Breakfast £5.75 extra. Dorms £33, doubles £80

Eating

Brighton has the greatest concentration of restaurants in the southeast after London and a thriving café culture, especially in the buzzy North Laine area. There are plenty of good coffee shops in the city, including those belonging to Brighton-based chains Ground and the Small Batch Coffee Company; the latter has its own roastery in Hove.

The seafront

Jack and Linda’s Smokehouse 197 Kings Arches; map. This tiny beachfront smokehouse is run by a lovely couple who’ve been traditionally smoking fish here for over a decade. Grab a fresh crab sandwich or hot mackerel roll (£4.40) to eat on the beach for a perfect summer lunch. April–Sept daily 10am–5pm; Oct Sat & Sun 10am–5pm; March & Nov weather dependent.

Melrose 132 King’s Rd, BN1 2HH 01273 326520, melroserestaurant.co.uk; map. Traditional seafront establishment that’s been serving up tasty, excellent-value fish and chips (£7.25), local seafood, roasts and custard-covered puddings for over forty years. The next-door Regency Restaurant is smaller and similar. Daily 11.30am–10.30pm.

Salt Room 106 King’s Rd, BN1 2FU 01273 929488, saltroom-restaurant.co.uk; map. One of the city’s best fish and seafood restaurants, with a stylish exposed-brick interior, sea views and fantastic charcoal-grilled fish and seafood (mains £20 and up). Daily noon–4pm & 6–10pm.

the lanes

64 Degrees 53 Meeting House Lane, BN1 1HB 01273 770115, 64degrees.co.uk; map. The best seats in the house at this tiny restaurant in the Lanes are up at the counter of the open kitchen: the idea is that you choose several small plates of food (£6–12) and share them, to create your own tasting menu. The food’s inventive, delicious and prepared in front of you, and the whole experience is brilliant fun. Daily noon–3pm & 6–9.45pm.

Food for Friends 18 Prince Albert St, BN1 1HF 01273 202310, foodforfriends.com; map. Brighton’s original vegetarian restaurant – on this spot for over 35 years – serves up sophisticated veggie dishes (mains £12–14) that are imaginative enough to please die-hard meat-eaters too. Mon–Thurs & Sun noon–10pm, Fri & Sat noon–10.30pm.

Marwood 52 Ship St, BN1 1AF 01273 382063, themarwood.com; map. Quirky, laidback café with great coffee and food (mains around £7) and splendidly bonkers decor that runs from stuffed animals and skateboards on the walls to Star Wars spaceships dangling from the ceiling. Mon 8am–7pm, Tues–Fri 8am–11pm, Sat 9am–11pm, Sun 10am–7pm.

Plateau 1 Bartholomews, BN1 1HG 01273 733085, plateaubrighton.co.uk; map. Laidback little restaurant-cum-wine bar serving cocktails, organic beers and biodynamic wine, and food that ranges from small “bites” (£5–9) to bigger “plats“ (from £11), so you can stop by for a nibble and a drink, or a full-blown meal. Daily noon–late; kitchen noon–3.30pm & 6–10pm.

Riddle and Finns 12b Meeting House Lane, BN1 1HB 01273 721667, riddleandfinns.co.uk; map. Bustling champagne and oyster bar where you can tuck into a huge range of shellfish and fish (mains £13–19) at communal marble-topped tables in a white-tiled, candle-lit dining room with an open kitchen. No bookings. Sat 11.30am–11pm, Mon–Fri & Sun noon–10pm.

Terre-à-Terre 71 East St, BN1 1HQ 01273 729051, terreaterre.co.uk; map. One of the country’s best vegetarian restaurants, serving up inventive global veggie cuisine (mains around £15/16). The taster plate for two (£30) is a good place to start if you’re befuddled by the weird and wonderful creations on offer. Mon–Fri noon–10.30pm, Sat 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–10pm.

Clockwise from top left Rye; South Downs Way; North Laine, Brighton; Watts Chapel

north laine

Chilli Pickle 17 Jubilee St, BN1 1GE 01273 900383, thechillipickle.com; map. Stylish, buzzing restaurant in North Laine serving sophisticated, authentic Indian food – everything from masala dosas to Chennai seafood stew (mains £10–17). At lunchtimes they offer a range of thalis and street food. Daily noon–3pm & 6–10.30pm.

Gelato Gusto 2 Gardner St, BN1 1UP 01273 673402, gelatogusto.com; map. Splendid gelateria, with regularly changing flavours that run from Turkish Delight to blood-orange sorbetto. Mon–Fri 11.30am–6pm, Sat & Sun 11am–6pm.

Isaac At 2 Gloucester St, BN1 4EW 07765 934740, isaac-at.com; map. A fun fine-dining experience, with food – inspired by Sussex and all sourced locally – prepared in front of you in the open kitchen: for the full experience, opt for the six-course tasting menu (£50) paired with Sussex wines or juices (£29/22 respectively). Tues–Fri 6.30–10.30pm, Sat 12.30–2.30pm & 6.30–10.30pm.

Iydea 17 Kensington Gardens, BN1 4AL 01273 667992, iydea.co.uk; map. Good-value, tasty veggie food served up cafeteria-style. What’s on offer changes every day, but there tends to be a quiche, a lasagne, a curry and enchiladas, alongside half a dozen other dishes (£4.70–7.70). Daily 9.30am–5.30pm; lunch served Mon–Thurs & Sun 11.30am–4.30pm, Fri & Sat 11.30am–5pm.

Drinking

Brighton Music Hall 127 King’s Rd Arches, BN1 2FN 01273 747287, brightonmusichall.co.uk; map. Beachfront bar with a huge open-air heated terrace, and free live music when the sun shines. Hours vary but generally summer daily 9/10am–late; winter most days from noon.

Craft Beer Co. 22–23 Upper North St, BN1 3FG 01273 723736, thecraftbeerco.com; map. One for beer lovers, this friendly pub has nine daily-changing cask ales and over 200 bottled varieties. The house Craft Pale Ale is brewed for them by Kent Brewery. Mon–Thurs noon–11pm, Fri & Sat noon–1.30am, Sun noon–11pm.

The Cricketers 15 Black Lion St BN1 1ND 01273 329472, cricketersbrighton.co.uk; map. Brighton’s oldest pub, immortalized by Graham Greene in Brighton Rock, has a traditional feel, with good daytime pub grub, real ales and a cosy courtyard bar. Mon–Thurs 11am–midnight, Fri & Sat 11am–1am, Sun 11am–11pm.

Lion and Lobster 24 Sillwood St, BN1 2PS 01273 327299, thelionandlobster.co.uk; map. One of the city’s best pubs, with a traditional feel but a young, fun atmosphere. Pub quiz on Mon nights, and live jazz on Sun. Good food is served until late. Mon–Thurs 11am–1am, Fri & Sat 11am–2am, Sun noon–midnight.

Northern Lights 6 Little East St, BN1 1HT 01273 747096, northernlightsbrighton.co.uk; map. Laidback, ever-popular bar with a Scandinavian theme: choose from two dozen different flavoured vodkas, aquavit, and beers from Denmark, Sweden and Finland. The Nordic menu features reindeer, Smörgåsbord and pickled herring. Mon–Thurs 5pm–midnight, Fri 3pm–2am, Sat noon–2am, Sun noon–midnight.

The Plotting Parlour 6 Steine St BN2, 1TE 01273 621238, theplottingparlour-brighton.co.uk; map. This dimly lit, snug cocktail bar is a real treat, with exquisite cocktails (£8 and up), table service and stylish decor. Mon–Thurs & Sun 3pm–midnight, Fri & Sat 3pm–1am.

Nightlife

Concorde 2 Madeira Shelter, Madeira Drive, BN2 1EN 01273 673311, concorde2.co.uk; map. A Victorian tearoom in a former life, this intimate live music venue features up-and-coming acts, big names and varied club nights.

Green Door Store Trafalgar Arches, Lower Goods Yard thegreendoorstore.co.uk; map. Uber-cool club and live music venue in the arches under the train station, playing anything from psych to blues, punk or powerdisco. The bar is free entry; live gig entry varies.

Patterns 10 Marine Parade, BN2 1TL 01273 894777, patternsbrighton.com; map. Trendy seafront hangout that boasts a terrace with sea views and a basement club. The range of club nights is broad but specializes in electronic music and attracts internationally renowned DJs.

Proud Cabaret Brighton 83 St Georges Rd, BN2 1EF 01273 605789, proudcabaretbrighton.com; map. Opulent venue in a former ballroom hosting dinner and cabaret/burlesque shows, plus diverse club nights.

Entertainment

Brighton Dome 29 New Rd, BN1 1UG 01273 709709, brightondome.org; map. Home to three venues – Pavilion Theatre, Concert Hall and Corn Exchange – offering theatre, concerts, dance and performance.

Duke of Yorks Picturehouse Preston Circus, BN1 4NA 0871 704 2056, picturehouses.co.uk; map. Grade II listed cinema with a licensed bar showing art-house, independent and classic films. Dukes at Komedia is its sister cinema, based at the Komedia arts centre (see below).

Komedia 44–47 Gardner St, BN1 1UN 0845 293 8480, komedia.co.uk/brighton; map. A Brighton institution, this highly regarded arts venue hosts stand-up comedy, live music and cabaret, as well as fun club nights.

Theatre Royal New Rd, BN1 1SD 01273 764400, atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton; map. Venerable old theatre – going since 1807 – offering predominantly mainstream plays, opera and musicals.

Shopping

Most of Brighton’s high street chains are found in and around Churchill Square (churchillsquare.co.uk) and East Street. The best areas for independent shops are the Lanes and North Laine (northlaine.co.uk); it’s also worth wandering over to Kemp Town for a browse around its antiques shops.

Bluebird Tea Company 41 Gardner St, BN1 1UN 01273 325523, bluebirdteaco.com; map. The UK’s only tea mixologist, selling a huge variety of fine leaf teas from Gingerbread Chai to Enchanted Narnia (with Turkish Delight). Mon–Fri 10.30am–6pm, Sat 10am–6.30pm, Sun 10.30am–5.30pm.

Hope and Harlequin 31 Sydney St, BN1 4EP 01273 675222, hopeandharlequin.com; map. Upmarket vintage shop, stocking clothes and collectables up to the 1970s, with a special emphasis on the 1930s and 1940s. Mon & Wed–Sat 10.30am–6pm, Sun 11am–5pm; call ahead to check Tues opening.

Lavender Room 16 Bond St, BN1 1RD 01273 220380, lavender-room.co.uk; map. Stylish boutique selling fragrances, lingerie, jewellery and vintage-inspired home accessories. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11am–5pm.

Pecksniffs 45–46 Meeting House Lane, BN1 1HB 01273 723292, pecksniffs.com; map. Independent British fragrance house in the Lanes, selling a range of perfumes, bespoke blends and body products. Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 10.30am–4pm.

Resident 28 Kensington Gardens, BN1 4AL 01273 606312, resident-music.com; map. Award-winning independent record shop in North Laine; it also sells tickets for local venues. Mon–Sat 9am–6.30pm, Sun 10am–6pm.

Snoopers Paradise 7–8 Kensington Gardens 01273 602558; map. Huge North Laine flea market containing over ninety different stalls over two floors; don’t miss Snoopers Attic (snoopersattic.co.uk), a “vintage makers‘ boutique“ up on the first floor. Mon–Sat 10am–6pm, Sun 11am–4pm.

LGBT+ Brighton

Brighton has one of the longest established and most thriving gay scenes in Britain, centred around St James’s Street in Kemp Town, and with a variety of lively clubs and bars drawing people from all over the southeast; for listings and events check out Gscene Magazine (gscene.com). The annual Brighton Pride (date varies each summer; brighton-pride.org) is an LGBT+ parade and ticketed party in Preston Park. Information, advice and support about the scene is available from Brighton and Hove LGBT Switchboard (01273 204050, switchboard.org.uk).

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Arundel

The hilltop town of ARUNDEL, eighteen miles west of Brighton, has for seven centuries been the seat of the dukes of Norfolk, whose fine castle looks over the valley of the River Arun. The medieval town’s well-preserved appearance and picturesque setting draws in the crowds on summer weekends, but at any other time a visit reveals one of West Sussex’s least spoilt old towns. The main attraction is the castle, but the rest of Arundel is pleasant to wander round, with some good independent shops, cafés and restaurants on the High Street and Tarrant Street.

Arundel Castle

Mill Rd, BN18 9AB • April–Oct Tues–Sun & bank hols: keep 10am–4.30pm; Fitzalan Chapel & grounds 10am–5pm; castle rooms noon–5pm • Castle rooms, keep, grounds & chapel £18; keep, grounds & chapel £13; grounds & chapel £11 • 01903 882173, arundelcastle.org

Despite its medieval appearance, much of what you see of Arundel Castle is comparatively new, the result of a series of lavish reconstructions from 1718 onwards, after the original Norman structure was badly damaged during the Civil War. One of the oldest parts is the twelfth-century keep, from which you can peer down onto the current duke’s spacious residence. Inside the main castle, highlights include the impressive Barons Hall and the library, which has paintings by Gainsborough, Holbein and Van Dyck. On the edge of the castle grounds, the fourteenth-century Fitzalan Chapel houses tombs of past dukes of Norfolk, including twin effigies of the seventh duke – one as he looked when he died and, underneath, one of his emaciated corpse. Nearby, the Collector Earl’s Garden is a playfully theatrical take on a Jacobean garden, with exotic planting, and pavilions, obelisks and urns made from green oak rather than stone.

Arundel Cathedral

Corner of Parson’s Hill & London Rd, BN18 9AY • Daily 9am–6pm or dusk • Free • 01903 882297, arundelcathedral.net

The flamboyant Arundel Cathedral was constructed in the 1870s by the fifteenth duke of Norfolk over the town’s former Catholic church; its spire was designed by John Hansom, inventor of the hansom cab. Inside are the enshrined remains of St Philip Howard, the canonized thirteenth earl, who was sentenced to death in 1585, accused of Catholic conspiracy against Elizabeth I’s Protestant court. He died of dysentery in the Tower of London ten years later.

WWT Arundel Wetland Centre

Mill Rd, BN18 9PB • Daily: April to mid-Oct 9.30am–5.30pm; mid-Oct to March 9.30am–4.30pm • £11, under-17s £5.50 • 01903 883355, wwt.org.uk/visit/arundel

The WWT Arundel Wetland Centre, a mile out of town, is home to endangered waterfowl from around the world, but a wander around the scenic 65-acre site can also turn up sightings of native wildlife, including water voles, kingfishers, sand martins, dragonflies and peregrines. Don’t miss the tranquil, rustling reedbed boardwalks or the boat trips, probably your best chance of spotting water voles.

Arrival and information: Arundel

By train Arundel’s station is half a mile south of the town centre over the river on the A27.

Destinations Brighton (hourly; 1hr 10min); Chichester (Mon–Sat 2 hourly, Sun hourly; 30–50min); London Victoria (every 30min; 1hr 20min).

By bus Buses from Brighton (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 2hr) arrive on either the High St or River Rd.

Tourist information There’s a Visitor Information Point at Arundel Museum, opposite the castle entrance on Mill Road (daily 10am–4pm; sussexbythesea.com).

Accommodation and eating

Bay Tree 21 Tarrant St, BN18 9DG 01903 883679, thebaytreearundel.co.uk. Cosy and relaxed little restaurant squeezed into three low-beamed rooms, with a small terrace out the back. Mains such as pheasant breast wrapped in bacon cost £16–18 at dinner; lunch features simpler dishes. Mon–Fri 11.30am–2.45pm & 6.30–9.30pm, Sat & Sun 10.30am–4.30pm & 6.30–9.30pm.

George and Dragon Inn Burpham 01903 883131, georgeatburpham.co.uk. Three miles from Arundel (a lovely walk up the east bank of the river), this seventeenth-century pub has bags of character, plenty of Sussex ales on tap and a seasonal, local menu that runs from ciabattas (£6.50) to burgers (£12.50), fish, salads and steaks. Mon–Fri 10.30am–3pm & 6–11pm, Sat 10.30am–11pm, Sun 10.30am–10pm; kitchen Mon–Fri noon–2.30pm & 6–9pm, Sat noon–3pm & 6–9.30pm, Sun noon–4pm & 6–8.30pm.

Swan Hotel 27–29 High St, BN18 9AG 01903 882314, swanarundel.co.uk. Fifteen smart rooms above a pub, decked out in shabby-chic style, with shutters and bare boards or coir carpets, and seaside prints on the wall. Prices fluctuate according to demand. £99

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Midhurst and around

Lying right in the centre of the South Downs National Park, and home to the park’s headquarters, the small market town of MIDHURST has plenty of charm and a lovely location, surrounded by swathes of gorgeous countryside. Midhurst grew up around the medieval market in Market Square, still the most attractive corner of town. If you’re visiting on a summer weekend, don’t miss the atmospheric Cowdray Ruins at the northern end of town (June–Aug Sat, Sun & bank hols 11am–4pm; £6.50; 01730 810781, cowdray.org.uk); before it was gutted by fire in 1793, the house was one of the grandest homes in the country.

The South Downs National Park

The South Downs National Park came into being in 2010. Covering over six hundred square miles, it stretches for 70 miles from eastern Hampshire through to the chalk cliffs of East Sussex, encompassing rolling hills, heathland, woodland and coastline. More than 112,000 people live and work in the national park – more than in any other – and it is crisscrossed by a dense network of over 1800 miles of footpaths and bridleways.

The park’s headquarters and visitor centre, the South Downs Centre (see below), is in Midhurst. southdowns.gov.uk has comprehensive information on public transport, walks, cycling, horseriding and other activities, plus an events calendar.

Petworth House

Petworth, GU28 9LR • House Mid-March to early Nov daily 11am–5pm; rest of year opening hours vary – check website • Pleasure Ground Daily: Feb 10am–4pm; early March 10am–4.30pm; mid-March to Oct daily 10am–5pm; Nov–Jan 10am–3.30pm • House and Pleasure Ground mid-March to early Nov £13.50, rest of year £7.20; NT • 01798 342207, nationaltrust.org.uk/petworth • Train to Pulborough, then Stagecoach Coastline #1 bus (Mon–Sat hourly, Sun every 2hr)

Seven miles east of Arundel, the pretty little town of Petworth is dominated by Petworth House, one of the southeast’s most impressive stately homes. Built in the late seventeenth century, the house is stuffed with treasures – including the 1592 Molyneux globe, believed to be the earliest terrestrial globe in existence – and contains an outstanding art collection, with paintings by Van Dyck, Titian, Gainsborough, Bosch, Reynolds, Blake and Turner (the last a frequent guest here). The 700-acre grounds, home to a large herd of fallow deer, were landscaped by Capability Brown and are considered one of his finest achievements.

Arrival and information: Midhurst and around

By train and bus The closest stations are at Haslemere (connected by bus #70 to Midhurst: Mon–Sat hourly; 25min), Petersfield (bus #92: Mon–Sat hourly; 25min) and Chichester (bus #60: Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 40min).

South Downs Centre Capron House, North St, GU29 9DH (Mon–Thurs 9am–5pm, Fri 9am–4.30pm; May–Sept also Sat 9am–1pm; 01730 814810, southdowns.gov.uk). The visitor centre of the South Downs National Park contains a small exhibition about the National Park, and has plenty of leaflets and information on walks and public transport. There’s also information on Midhurst (visitmidhurst.com), including town maps and trails.

Accommodation and eating

The Church House Church Hill, GU29 9NX 01730 812990, churchhousemidhurst.com. A great location by Market Square, five gorgeous rooms, and home-made cake on arrival are just some of the things to love about this B&B. £140

Horse Guards Inn Upperton Rd, Tillington, GU28 9AF 01798 342332, thehorseguardsinn.co.uk. Lovely little gastropub between Midhurst and Petworth; in summer you can grab a deckchair (or hay-bale) in the idyllic garden. Harveys and guest ales on tap, plus excellent seasonal food (mains around £15). Daily noon–midnight; kitchen Mon–Thurs noon–2.30pm & 6.30–9pm, Fri noon–2.30pm & 6–9.30pm, Sat noon–3pm & 6–9.30pm, Sun noon–3.30pm & 6.30–9pm. £100

The Olive & Vine North Street, GU29 9DJ 01730 859532, theoliveandvine.co.uk. Popular, contemporary restaurant-bar that covers all bases, from morning coffee through to evening meals (burgers, salads, moules frites) and late-night cocktails. Daily 9am–late; kitchen daily noon–9pm.

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Chichester and around

The handsome city of CHICHESTER has plenty to recommend it: a splendid twelfth-century cathedral, a thriving cultural scene and an outstanding collection of modern British art on show at Pallant House Gallery. The city began life as a Roman settlement, and its Roman cruciform street plan is still evident in the four-quadrant symmetry of the town centre. The main streets lead off from the Gothic Market Cross, a bulky octagonal rotunda topped by ornate finials and a crown lantern spire, built in 1501 to provide shelter for the market traders. The big attraction outside Chichester is Fishbourne Roman Palace, the largest excavated Roman site in Britain, though for families a day at dune-backed West Wittering beach will be hard to beat.

Chichester Festivities (01243 528356, chifest.org.uk) is Chichester’s annual arts festival, taking place at a range of venues over two weeks in late June, and featuring music, talks, theatre, comedy and other events.

Chichester Cathedral

West St, PO19 1RP • Mon–Sat 7.15am–6.30pm, Sun 7.15am–5pm; tours (45min) Mon–Sat 11.15am & 2.30pm • Free • 01243 782595, chichestercathedral.org.uk

The city’s chief attraction is the fine Gothic Chichester Cathedral. Building began in 1076, but the church was extensively rebuilt following a fire a century later and has been only minimally modified since about 1300, except for the slender spire and the unique, freestanding fifteenth-century bell tower. The interior is renowned for its modern devotional art, which includes a stained-glass window by Marc Chagall and an altar-screen tapestry by John Piper. Older treasures include a sixteenth-century painting in the north transept of the past bishops of Chichester, and the fourteenth-century Fitzalan tomb that inspired Philip Larkin to write An Arundel Tomb. However, the highlight is a pair of carvings created around 1140, the Chichester Reliefs, which show the raising of Lazarus and Christ at the gate of Bethany; originally brightly coloured, with semiprecious stones set in the figures’ eyes, the reliefs are among the finest Romanesque stone carvings in England.

Pallant House Gallery

9 North Pallant, PO19 1TJ • Tues, Wed, Fri & Sat 10am–5pm, Thurs 10am–8pm, Sun & bank hols 11am–5pm • £10, Tues £5, Thurs 5–8pm permanent collection free (£5 for temporary exhibitions) • 01243 774557, pallant.org.uk

Off South Street, in the well-preserved Georgian quadrant of the city known as the Pallants, you’ll find Pallant House Gallery, a superlative collection of twentieth-century British art housed in a Queen Anne townhouse and award-winning contemporary extension. Artists whose works are on display in the permanent collection include Henry Moore, Lucian Freud, Walter Sickert, Barbara Hepworth and Peter Blake, and there are also excellent temporary exhibitions.

Fishbourne Roman Palace

Salthill Rd, Fishbourne, PO19 3QR, 2 miles west of Chichester • Daily: Feb & Nov to mid-Dec 10am–4pm; March–Oct 10am–5pm • £9.20 • 01243 789829, sussexpast.co.uk • Train from Chichester to Fishbourne (hourly; 3min); turn right from the station and the palace is a few minutes’ walk away

Fishbourne is the largest and best-preserved Roman dwelling in the country. Roman relics have long been turning up hereabouts, and in 1960 a workman unearthed their source – the site of a depot constructed by the invading Romans in 43 AD, which is thought later to have become the vast, hundred-room palace of a Romanized Celtic aristocrat. The one surviving wing, the north wing, displays floor mosaics depicting Fishbourne’s famous dolphin-riding cupid as well as the more usual geometric patterns. An audiovisual programme portrays the palace as it would have been in Roman times, and the extensive gardens attempt to re-create the palace grounds.

Cass Sculpture Foundation

Goodwood, PO18 0QP, 5 miles north of Chichester • Easter–Oct daily 10.30am–4.30pm • £12.50 • 01243 538449, sculpture.org.uk • No public transport

Cass Sculpture Foundation is an absolute must for anyone interested in contemporary art, with more than fifty large-scale works – some of which have been specially commissioned – sited in a 26-acre woodland environment. The selection of pieces on display changes from year to year as they are sold; past artists have included Antony Gormley, Thomas Heatherwick, Eduardo Paolozzi, Andy Goldsworthy and Rachel Whiteread.

Glorious Goodwood

Four miles north of Chichester, the Goodwood Estate (01243 775055, goodwood.co.uk) is most famous for its racecourse and its motor-racing circuit, and for its three big sporting events: the Festival of Speed (late June/early July), a long weekend of vintage and special cars; Glorious Goodwood (late July/Aug), one of the social events of the horse-racing year; and the Goodwood Revival (mid-Sept), a motor-racing meeting staged in the 1940s, 1950s and 1960s. All three events are very popular; buy tickets and book accommodation well in advance.

Weald and Downland Open-Air Museum

Singleton, PO18 0EU, 6 miles north of Chichester • March, Nov & Dec daily 10.30am–4pm; April–Oct daily 10.30am–6pm; Downland Gridshell tour (30min–1hr 30min) daily 1.30pm • £13 • 01243 811363, wealddown.co.uk • Stagecoach Coastline bus #60 from Chichester or Midhurst (Mon–Sat 2 hourly, Sun hourly)

More than fifty old buildings from sites around the Southeast – from a Tudor market hall to a medieval farmstead – have been dismantled and reconstructed at the fifty-acre Weald and Downland Open-Air Museum, where there are stewards on hand to bring the buildings to life. There’s a daily guided tour of the Downland Gridshell building, the museum’s workshop and store, and there are also numerous special events and activities throughout the year.

West Wittering beach

8 miles south of Chichester • Daily: mid-March to mid-Oct 6.30am–8.30pm; mid-Oct to mid-March 7am–6pm • Parking £1–8 depending on season, day & time • 01243 514143 (Estate Office), westwitteringbeach.co.uk • Buses #52 & #53 run from Chichester bus station to West Wittering village (15–25min), a 10min walk from the beach

Unspoilt West Wittering beach is one of the loveliest beaches in Sussex, with acres of dune-backed soft sand, and warm, shallow lagoons at low tide. A brilliant watersports outfit, X-Train (01243 513077, x-train.co.uk), offers windsurfing, kitesurfing, stand-up paddleboarding and more. The beach gets very busy on summer weekends; come early, or be prepared for traffic jams.

Arrival and information: Chichester and around

By train Chichester’s train station lies on Stockbridge Rd; it’s a 10min walk north to the Market Cross.

Destinations Arundel (Mon–Sat 2 hourly, Sun hourly; 30–50min); Brighton (2 hourly; 45–55min); London Victoria (Mon–Sat 2 hourly, Sun hourly; 1hr 35min); Portsmouth Harbour (Mon–Sat every 15min, Sun every 30min; 25–40min).

By bus The bus station is across the road from the train station, on Southgate.

Destinations Brighton (every 20–30min; 1hr 45min); Midhurst (Mon–Sat every 30min, Sun hourly; 40min); Portsmouth (hourly; 55min).

Tourist information There’s a Visitor Information Point at the Novium Museum, Tower Street (April–Oct Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 10am–4pm; Nov–March Mon–Sat 10am–5pm, Sun 10am–4pm; 01243 775888, visitchichester.org).

Accommodation and eating

4 Canon Lane 4 Canon Lane, PO19 1PX 01243 813586, chichestercathedral.org.uk. Eight-bedroom Victorian house owned by the cathedral and located in its grounds. Rooms are big and comfortable, with art on the walls lent by the Pallant House Gallery. Breakfast costs extra (£8.95). £99

Field & Fork 4 Guildhall St, PO19 1NJ 01243 789915, fieldandfork.co.uk. One of the best places to eat in the city, serving up imaginative, locally sourced food, such as wild sea trout with local broad beans or maple-glazed short rib of beef (£12–19). Tues–Sat 11.30am–3pm & 5pm–late.

Musgrove House B&B 63 Oving Rd, PO19 7EN 01243 790179, musgrovehouse.co.uk. Great-value boutique B&B, just a short walk from the centre, with three lovely rooms and super-friendly owners. £90

Park Tavern 11 Priory Rd 01243 785057, parktavernchichester.co.uk. Overlooking Priory Park, this is one of the city’s nicest pubs. Good-value home-made food (around the £10 mark), plus sandwiches and ploughman’s. Fuller’s on tap, plus a guest ale. Live music on Sun afternoons. Mon–Sat 11am–11pm, Sun noon–10.30pm; kitchen Mon noon–3pm, Tues–Fri noon–3pm & 6–9pm, Sat 11am–9pm, Sun noon–4pm.

Entertainment

Chichester Festival Theatre Oaklands Park, PO19 6AP 01243 781312, cft.org.uk. Highly regarded theatre, with a season running roughly between Easter and Oct; in the shorter winter season it hosts touring shows.

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Guildford and around

Set on the River Wey, in rolling Surrey countryside, GUILDFORD is an attractive county town, its cobbled high street lined with half-timbered buildings. For good views, walk up to the medieval Guildford Castle (March & Oct Sat & Sun 11am–4pm; April–Sept daily 10am–5pm; £3.20; guildford.gov.uk/castle), which has a viewing platform in the tower.

Watts Gallery Artists’ Village

Down Lane, Compton, 3 miles southwest of Guildford, GU3 1DQ • Gallery Tues–Sun 11am–5pm • £9.50; half-price on Tues • Limnerslease tours Check website and book in advance; 1hr • £5 • Chapel Mon–Fri 9am–5pm, Sat & Sun 10am–5pm • Free • 01483 810235, wattsgallery.org.uk • #46 bus (hourly Mon–Sat; 15min) from Guildford town centre

Surrey played a key role in the Arts and Crafts movement of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, with many artists finding inspiration in its quintessentially English countryside. Established in 1903 by influential artists Mary and George Frederic Watts, the Watts Gallery displays a variety of George’s work – from light-infused metaphysical landscapes to socially conscious portraits and vigorous sculpture.

A ten-minute woodland walk away, Limnerslease, the couple’s home, is visitable only on guided tours that are rich in personal snippets. The real star, though, is the Watts Chapel, Mary’s masterpiece. Within this little red-brick and terracotta building, reminiscent of a Byzantine church, every patch of wall and vaulted ceiling is covered in a riot of imagery – lustrous jewel colours, natural motifs, Celtic knots, Art Nouveau styling and spiritual symbols combining to create an affecting, profoundly spiritual whole.

Arrival and information: Guildford and around

By train Trains from London Waterloo (every 30min; 35min) run to Guildford station, a mile west of the centre, across the River Wey.

Tourist office 155 High St (May–Sept Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm, Sun 11am–4pm; Oct–April Mon–Sat 9.30am–5pm; 01483 444333, www.guildford.gov.uk/visitguildford).

Accommodation and eating

Hurtwood Hotel Walking Bottom, Peaslake, GU5 9RR 01306 730514, hurtwoodhotel.co.uk. This 1920s inn in the pretty hamlet of Peaslake, 8 miles southeast of Guildford, makes a great base for cycling and walking breaks. There are stylish, comfy boutique B&B rooms and a pub/Italian restaurant (hurtwoodinn.com) – run by different people – downstairs. The front terrace is a sociable suntrap. £100

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Dorking and around

Set at the mouth of a gap carved by the River Mole through the North Downs, the historic market town of DORKING is surrounded by glorious Surrey Hills countryside. Box Hill, north of Dorking on a chalk escarpment above the River Mole, draws streams of walkers and cyclists; there are more good walks to be had through the Edwardian Polesden Lacey estate.

Box Hill

Box Hill Rd, 3 miles northeast of Dorking, KT20 7LB • Daily dawn to dusk • Free, but parking £1.50/hr for first 2hr, £4 for up to 4hr; NT • 01306 885502, nationaltrust.org.uk/box-hill • Box Hill & Westhumble train station is 1.5 miles west; #465 bus from Dorking (daily)

Box Hill, a mile from the North Downs Way, offers walking trails and cycle paths through woodlands of rare wild box trees, yew, oak and beech, and across chalk grasslands scattered with wildflowers and fluttering with butterflies. Trails include a “natural play trail” for kids, a two-mile Stepping Stones walk along the River Mole, and some longer, more strenuous options. Brilliant views abound, most famously from the Salomons’ Memorial viewpoint near the café, where on a clear day you can see across the Weald to the South Downs.

Polesden Lacey

Near Great Bookham, 4 miles northwest of Dorking, RH5 6BD • Daily: March–Oct 11am–5pm; Nov–Feb 11am–4pm; entry by guided tour only 11am–12.30pm, with self-guided visits after that; gardens open 10am • £13.60; NT • 01372 452048, nationaltrust.org.uk/polesden-lacey • Box Hill & Westhumble station is 3 miles east

Minutes from the North Downs Way, the grand Edwardian estate of Polesden Lacey practically begs you to while away the day with a picnic. Take a wander around the gardens – which include a lavender garden, apple orchard and walled rose garden – and the 1400-acre surrounding estate, with its woodlands and waymarked trails.

The house – remodelled in 1906 by the architects of the Ritz – is worth a look. It’s largely set up to appear as it would have in the 1930s, when owned by wealthy socialite Margaret Greville.

Arrival and information: Dorking and around

By train Dorking’s main station is a mile north of the centre.

Destinations Box Hill & Westhumble (hourly; 2min); London Victoria (every 30min; 1hr); London Waterloo (every 30min; 50min).

Website visitdorking.com.

Accommodation and eating

Duke of Wellington Guildford Rd, East Horsley, KT24 6AA 01483 282312, dukeofw.com. This smart gastropub conversion of a sixteenth-century inn, handy for Polesden Lacey, has plump armchairs and an open fire. The seasonal menu ranges from superfood salad via pan-fried sea bream with Bombay potatoes to sirloin steak; mains £14–28, two-/three-course daytime menu £13.75/£16.75. Mon–Thurs & Sun noon–11pm, Sat noon–midnight; kitchen daily 11am till late.

Running Horses Old London Rd, Mickleham, RH5 6DU 01372 372279, therunninghorses.co.uk. Old coaching inn near Box Hill, with six luxurious B&B rooms, Brakspear ales in the bar and British food, both traditional and contemporary in the restaurant (mains from £13). Mon–Fri 7.30–9.30am & 11am–11pm, Sat 8–10am & 11am–11pm, Sun 11am–10.30pm; kitchen Mon–Thurs 7.30–9.30am, noon–3pm & 6–9pm, Fri 7.30–9.30am, noon–3pm & 6–10pm, Sat 8–10am, noon–3pm & 6–10pm, Sun noon–8pm. £110

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