Guides

An hour’s train ride from London and a brilliant bolthole for a weekend break, Rye is the well-guarded crown jewel of East Sussex, where a new wave of creatives have helped to breathe life into its historic streets, vintage shops and seafood restaurants.

Home of the famed Whitstable Oyster Festival and Wheeler’s Oyster Bar, this coastal Kent town is one that loves its seafood. Fuelled up, we’re leading you to Whitstable’s best self-catering cottages via independent shops, old-world pubs, an unassuming Michelin-starred restaurant and golden-hour walks along the shingle beach.

As perfect for a pit-stop on a village-hopping road trip as it is a rural weekend away from London or Bath, this progressive Somerset market town is a must-visit for creatives in need of a country-meets-culture fix. We’ve found Frome’s best independent shops, restaurants and places to stay, including an off-grid cabin and some of the UK’s most louche country piles.