Broadstairs: Where to go and what to do

“You cannot think how delightful and fresh the place is and how good the walks.”

So said Charles Dickens of Broadstairs, and it’s as true today as it was in the days when the great writer would holiday in the Thanet town he loved and described as “our English watering place”.

Having been a small fishing village in the Middle Ages, Broadstairs’ fresh air and beautiful coastline made it popular with holidaymakers by the middle of the 19th century, as first the steam packets arrived and then the railway.

There's always plenty of family fun on the promenade at Broadstairs
There's always plenty of family fun on the promenade at Broadstairs
Viking Bay
Viking Bay

Now, Broadstairs offers a gentle pace of life and outstanding views that mean it’s easy to imagine how impressed those Victorian visitors would have been.

Today’s tourists are just as likely to fall in love with the town, with its popular cafes, traditional pubs and a wide range of restaurants covering all tastes.

For those who haven’t come to the coast just for peace, Broadstairs has events throughout the summer, including performances on the bandstand.

Beautiful Broadstairs
Beautiful Broadstairs
This year's Broadstairs Folk Week runs for eight days in August
This year's Broadstairs Folk Week runs for eight days in August

The biggest attraction though, as ever, is Folk Week. Each August, some of the biggest names in music gather to play to big audiences – but it’s not just about the headliners as pubs and other venues host performers, dance, craft workshops, children’s entertainment and plenty more. See broadstairsfolkweek.org.uk

The other staples of the town programme are the Dickens Festival – celebrating its 80th year this June – the Water Gala’s celebration of the seaside in August, and the increasingly popular Broadstairs Food Festival in spring and autumn.

Traditional Victorian dress at the Broadstairs Dickens Festival
Traditional Victorian dress at the Broadstairs Dickens Festival
Botany Bay
Botany Bay

Don’t miss: The sandy beaches – one for every day of the week, including the surfers’ paradise that is Joss Bay; stunning Botany Bay, with its awesome chalk cliff formations; and picture-perfect Viking Bay at the heart of the town, flanked by Charles Dickens’ former residence at Bleak House.

Take time to explore: The town’s museums dedicated to its famous former residents – Bleak House and Dickens House, and Crampton Tower, dedicated to railway engineer Thomas Russell Crampton.

The Dickens House Museum in Victoria Parade, Broadstairs
The Dickens House Museum in Victoria Parade, Broadstairs

Best-kept secret: Once Broadstairs’ bigger neighbour but now a village within the parish, St Peter’s has plenty of stories to tell – and you can hear them by joining the village walking tour, with costumed guides and characters. Booking is essential through villagetour.co.uk

Getting there: The railway station, at the top of the High Street, is served by High Speed trains from St Pancras International and London Victoria. The town centre has several pay and display car parks.

Magnificent Viking Bay is the main attraction in Broadstairs
Magnificent Viking Bay is the main attraction in Broadstairs
Raising a glass to Broadstairs Folk Week
Raising a glass to Broadstairs Folk Week
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