South-east England
Coastal walks, cultural curiosities and beautiful natural parks characterise the South-east – and that’s not to mention the UK’S wonderful capital city!
For visitors, the big attractions beyond the beaches are the gorgeous gardens, vineyards and villages dotting the area.
For walkers, the South Downs Way weaves from Winchester to Eastbourne, a natural route across the spine of the Downs.
In the country The South-east is now an award-winning wine-growing region! Visit the Bolney Estate in West Sussex for a Wine and Food Tasting Tour (tickets cost £60pp). Known as the Garden of England, Kent is also home to impressive individual gardens, including the splendid Sissinghurst Castle Garden, originally created by author Vita Sackville-west and her husband, Harold Nicolson, now run by the National Trust.
> bolneywineestate.com
> nationaltrust.org.uk
In the city Charming Chichester has plenty to attract visitors, who flock to its beautiful cathedral to see the 600-year-old spire, and to nearby Fishbourne Roman Palace (tickets cost £13), to view superbly preserved mosaics. For more recent local history, you could visit the Weald & Downland Living Museum, home to more than 15,000 artefacts, and to the team from the popular BBC series The Repair Shop (tickets cost £15.50).
> chichestercathedral.org.uk
> sussexpast.co.uk/attraction/ fishbourne-roman-palace
> wealddown.co.uk
By the water The Kent coast has become hugely popular, with seaside towns such as Whitstable and Margate leading the charge. Visit the Crab Museum (admission is free) in Margate to learn about all things crustacean. crabmuseum.org