WEEKENDERS

WEST SUSSEX

Cultural Chichester is sandwiched between its harbour and the South Downs. The pedestrianised area features a Tudor market cross, while side streets are lined with Georgian architecture, although the city’s history extends back for centuries. Visit for history, art, theatre, walks and salty sea air.

WHAT TO DO

Find out about Chichester’s Roman past at The Novium Museum, built over the remains of a Roman bath house (thenovium.org), and Fishbourne Roman Palace, home to some of Britain’s finest mosaics (sussexpast.co.uk). For more recent history, head to the city’s 900-year-old cathedral, with its Marc Chagall stained-glass window, before strolling through the Bishop’s Palace Gardens (chichestercathedral.org.uk). From here, tour the city on the one-and-a-half-mile City Walls Trail, retracing the footsteps of soldiers who guarded the city 2,000 years ago (visitchichester.org). Finally, catch some culture at the Chichester Festival Theatre if you can. Check the website for updates (cft.org.uk).

Make a day of it at The Pallant House Gallery – have lunch at the restaurant or café, followed by a long gaze at the art (pallant.org.uk). For afternoon tea, call at Goodwood House, home to the Duke and Duchess of Richmond, where you can also join a tour (goodwood.com). For a relaxed but beautifully prepared meal, head to The Royal Oak in nearby East Lavant, which serves tasty venison and locally caught fish (royaloakeastlavant.co.uk). Or follow the locals to Turner’s Pies, a popular family-run bakery, for a steak and Stilton savoury special (turnerspies.co.uk).

PLACES TO EAT