The coastal jewel Broadstairs
Situated between Margate and Ramsgate, Broadstairs is one of Thanet's seaside resorts, known as the "jewel in Thanet's crown". A town famous for its clifftop walks, colourful beach huts and sandy beaches.
Sitting on the coast of Kent, just 1.5 hours from central London, this little dream of a coastal town has attracted several royals and other famous faces for centuries. For instance, it was one of young Queen Victoria`s favourite places, in addition to being described as “delightful and fresh” by Charles Dickens back when he leased a house there in the 1800s. The perfect get away on a sunny day!
What to see and do
Explore and meet the locals
With a cappuccino and ice coffee in hand (more on that later), we headed straight down to Victoria Gardens. It is situated at the top of the cliffs overlooking Viking Bay, and the promenade runs along the side of it. Here you can enjoy Broadstairs local market, where you can find some real treasures, in addition to friendly locals, all the while enjoying the stunning view over the bay with its sandy beach and colourful beach huts.
Next to it you’ll find the Dickens House museum, a cottage that was Dickens inspiration for the home of Betsey Trotwood in David Copperfield! Dickens was a frequent visitor to Broadstairs between 1837 and 1859, and it is said he loved the bracing sea air and took much inspirations for his novels from this beautiful location. The Broadstairs Dickens Festival is an annual event every first week of June, held since 1937, and comes highly recommended for fans of the famous writer.
In the small city center, you’ll find independent shops lining, before walking the steep steps down to Viking Bay. Here visitors and locals come to enjoy the sunshine, the fresh breeze and loads of delicious food. We got talking to a pair of Londoners, who during the pandemic decided that the seaside life appealed more than the hustle and bustle of London. We could relate!
The spectacular coastline of Broadstairs' gives you seven bays and bucket loads of seaside charm, so it is without doubt the highlight of visiting.
Wandering along the coast
Our first stop; Stone Bay. Just around the corner from Viking Bay and filled with even more endless brightly colored beach huts! The beach huts are a quintessential part of the British seaside, and are usually very nicely decorated, making a trip along the shore a happy one! Lots of locals gather here to avoid the biggest crowd in Viking Bay.
If you continue the beautiful walk along the shore, you’ll find Kingsgate Castle. Built in 1760 by Lord Holland, on the edge of the cliffs overlooking the bay with the same name. It is now private apartments (I kid you not), and was previously an upmarket hotel back in the 1930s. Here you can also find some of the best examples of sea caves in the country.
On the way, you will also pass North Foreland Lighthouse, built in 1691 and first lit by fire in 1499. Also open for visitors for the interested.
Lastly we arrive to our final stop: Botany Bay, the northernmost of seven bays in Broadstairs. It offers not only a stunning view over white cliffs and chalk stacks, but sandy, soft beaches and a blue flag award for its water quality. It was named after Botany Bay in Australia, after local smugglers were caught on the beach and deported back to Australia way back in time.
I decided to take a dip in the water here, and the soft sand went all the way out into the sea. In addition to swimming, it is an ideal place for kayaking, canoeing, body boarding and fossil hunting.
If on a day trip, I recommend taking the 19-minute bus ride back to Broadstairs city to save some time to explore some more.
Where to eat and drink
Smith’s Coffee Bar
One thing that is always on top of my list when jumping off the train in the early morning hours at a new destination is to start with a cup of coffee. Coffee lover as I am, I of course have tracked down the coffee house with the best reputation, so we headed straight to Smiths Coffee Bar. A lovely little place on the way down to the harbor, with the happiest faces behind the counter. Even knew some Norwegian words, which definitely put a smile on my face.
Morellis Gelato - Ice Cream with a view
Along the top of the cliffs overlooking Viking Bay you’ll find the dream place for all ice cream lovers out there. Morellis Gelato has been there since 1932 and sells delicious gelato in all kinds of flavors. Come hungry is all I can say, it is the best there is!
Botany Bay Hotel
If you took the walk to Botany Bay you’ll find Botany Bay Hotel on the top of the hill, with both a sea view á la carte restaurant and a bar offering a selection of traditional pub meals. They focus on sustainable, fresh ingredients, using local suppliers and work with a hand-picked network of farmers, fishermen and food producers throughout Kent. I highly recommend eating outdoors, so you can enjoy the spectacular panoramic views. And ordering a Pimm`s of course, always!
A pint at The Chapel
The Chapel is said to be the best pub in Broadstairs and is an alehouse set in a 17th century chapel. It used to be a bookshop and you can still see and feel the bookish atmosphere while enjoying your local ale. You can also catch some live music from time to time!
There are tons of other restaurants and pubs located in Broadstairs that without a doubt are worth trying, I however sadly only had 1 day in this beautiful seaside town.
How to get there
Broadstairs is easily accessible by train. They run directly from either Victoria Station or St. Pancras International, and the journey takes about 1h and 30 minutes. When you arrive you are a short walk from everything, so no need to worry, in addition to the trains running multiple times a day.
Lots of love from Henriette Sophia
