48 hours in… Margate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate - Isle of Thanet

Feed your mind, body and soul.

This beautiful Isle has the longest continuous stretch of coastal chalk in the country, representing 20 percent of the UK and 12 percent of Europe’s coastal chalk. The chalk cliff and cave habitats and species are very uncommon in Europe and therefore internationally important.

Hire a Coastal Explorer Pack for hours of fun and discovery - packed with all the information and equipment needed to help you discover the area’s rich heritage stories and natural coastal designations. Learn essential explorer skills such as how to make a sundial and use a compass or delve into the bag for the marine identification gear and become a real rocky shore researcher.

Explore the Viking Coastal Trail, Regional Route 15 of the National Cycle Network, which takes in the whole Isle of Thanet coastline, much along traffic-free promenades. Walk or cycle, whichever takes your fancy, perhaps stopping for freshly-cooked fish and chips or mouth-watering ice cream on the way.

For those who prefer to be on the water, why not try an invigorating surf or stand-up paddle board lesson? Or take a boat trip to the offshore windfarm to see seals in their natural habitat.

If you’re after total escapism, simply find a secluded spot at a rural bay and listen as the waves gently break on the sand – kick back, relax and breathe.

Enrich your experience and make memories to cherish as you venture off the coastal path 

Meander cobbled streets and clifftop gardens to discover more of each town’s heritage and architecture. Did you know that Charles Dickens loved to holiday in Broadstairs? 

Feed your inner creative with a trip to one of the many galleries that dot the isle or find inspiration in our natural landscapes.  Famous painter JMW Turner lived in Margate and described the skies here as ‘the loveliest in all Europe’.  

Visit some of the area’s attractions, like the mysterious Shell Grotto in Margate, a subterranean wonder decorated with 4.6 million shells.  Or take a tour of Ramsgate Tunnels, a unique civilian wartime tunnel complex set in a Victorian railway tunnel, then enjoy the cosmopolitan vibe of Ramsgate’s Royal Harbour, the only ‘Royal Harbour’ in the country.

Our Isle is said to have one of the largest concentrations of micro pubs, so try craft beers and ciders or locally brewed Gadd’s beer from the Ramsgate Brewery, then treat yourself to a scrumptious dinner at one of the Isle’s award-winning restaurants.

As the sun goes down hopefully you will get to see one of our famous Turner sunsets, before heading back to your accommodation for a good night’s sleep.  Take your pick from a boutique hotel with stunning sea views, family-run quality B&B, self-catering fisherman’s cottage or get closer to nature at a camping or caravan park, perhaps even equestrian glamping. This surprising corner of the coast has it all.