Ramsgate

Ramsgate is the quieter and less visited of the three main Thanet coastal towns, which is part of what makes it worth visiting. The town has a Royal Harbour -- the only such designation in the UK, granted by George IV after he sheltered here from a storm in 1821 -- and the harbour basin, built in 1817, is framed by the Harbour Arches on the western quay and overlooked by a clifftop of Georgian and Regency terraces that are among the most architecturally coherent in Kent. The designation was extended in 2024 to Heritage Harbour status, safeguarding the structure for future restoration.

The harbour is functional as well as handsome -- it has working fishing boats, a ferry berth and a marina for leisure craft alongside the growing food and drink offer on the waterfront. The Harbour Arches are the most photographed feature and are best seen from the pier end looking back across the basin towards the town. Below the clifftop, Ramsgate Tunnels -- a network of wartime passages bored beneath the town during the Blitz -- can be visited on guided tours booked at ramsgatesecrettunnels.com.

The town's independent food scene is centred on the harbour waterfront and the streets of the Royal Harbour area below the clifftop. High-speed trains from London St Pancras reach Ramsgate in around 100 minutes. The station is uphill from the harbour and a short walk or taxi covers the descent to the marina. Royal Harbour Multi-Storey car park is the most practical option for those driving, at around £6.80 for 4 hours.