The

The
Kentish Riviera is splattered with seaside towns that have
ridden the waves of boom and bust. In recent years destinations
such as Margate, Deal and Folkestone have undergone a
new ripple of revival as city types have washed up on their shores.

What we love about Whitstable is that, between its third-wave
cafés, indie shops peddling sustainable crafts, industrial-luxe
accommodation and smattering of Banksy-style street art, it retains
that same charming coastal character that first drew holidaymakers
here in the mid-18th century.

Indeed, people have been chugging oysters in Whitstable since
Roman times – and that doesn’t look likely to change soon. This is
a town that knows how to eat well. Beyond the pretty pink Wheeler’s
Oyster Bar, you’ll find some of Kent’s best restaurants, including
the Michelin-starred Sportsman and chippies that have been local
favourites since the 50s.

Yet when you’ve finished gorging on Kent’s bounty, walks along
the Tankerton Slopes or the wilder West Beach at golden hour are
the perfect salve for city stresses – and it’s this that makes
Whitsable the perfect spot for a long-weekend break. It’s a mere 90-minute drive from London (just 20 from
nearby Canterbury) or an hour and 20 by train.

We’ve stomped across the shingle, knocked back pints in The
Neppy and bedded down in Whitstable’s most quaint coastal cottages
to find the best places for you to soak up this seaside town. As
locals say: keep clam and eat oysters.