Lined with mosaics of more than 4.6 million shells – mussels, cockles, whelks, limpets, scallops, oysters – this small, subterranean network of tunnels is as beautiful as it is mysterious. The Grade I-listed grotto was discovered in 1835 when local James Newlove was digging a duck pond, hit his shovel on something hard and proceeded to lower his young son into this cave. Today, the grotto’s purpose remains unknown, with speculations about its origins ranging from Roman times to 19th-century mystics. While you’re in the area, visit nearby Tudor House, one of Margate’s oldest buildings.

If you do like to be beside the Kentish seaside, the Viking Coastal Trail is the best place to enjoy it. It loops along quiet lanes, past pretty villages and ancient churches, through Monkton Nature Reserve, Ramsgate, Broadstairs, Minnis Bay (stop here for a dip) and, of course, Margate. The whole thing is 50km, however. We recommend renting a blue Pashley bike from Ride… (the main hub is tucked in the train station) to cycle the almost traffic-free 14km stretch that follows the seawall from Margate to Reculver.