While

While
many “down from Londoners” flock to the shores of Margate,
more laid-back and under-radar Deal punches above its weight in
both history and independent spirit. Closer to Calais than London
(you’ll spot France on a clear day) this seaside town enjoys many
creative and culinary flavours that have rippled across the
Channel. It’s a place where arty types thrive – both in terms of
visitors and the many who choose to stay for good; Deal has been
ranked among the UK’s best places to live.

Things weren’t always so twee; Deal has seen its fair share of
drama since Julius Caesar landed here in 55 BCE. Henry VIII built
not one but three castles in the area and Lord Nelson enjoyed a
dalliance with a mistress in Deal. One of the Cinque Ports, the
town has also played a key role in the south coast’s military and
trading history, meaning that Deal’s drinking dens have nearly
always been awash with rowdy sailors and the odd smuggler.

Today, Deal remains true to its roots while appealing to
trend-conscious travellers looking for the next hotspot. Its
bohemian history manifests in its mish-mash of Georgian houses and
pastel-hued cottages speckled with blue plaques. You’ll also see it
in the small galleries, in the calendar of artist open houses,
music performances and festivals, and in the old-meets-new
aesthetic that seeps from the concrete-clad pier, through its
homewares boutiques and vintage stores, to the idiosyncratic
cottages that have opened their doors as B&Bs or self-catered
apartments.

High-speed train services from Paddington will have you chugging
lungfuls of sea air in about an hour and 20, though Deal is just a
two-hour drive from central London, too, making a great pit-stop on
a coastal road trip.

The town’s motto? “Adjuvate advenas”, which translates from
Latin to “befriend a stranger”. A warm welcome is a given here. Get
planning.