South East England surrounds London and is full of easy day trips and short breaks. Kent, Sussex, Surrey, Hampshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and the Isle of Wight offer coastline, castles, university towns and gentle countryside.

Why visit South East England

For variety close to the capital. In the same week you can see the White Cliffs of Dover, the medieval Canterbury Cathedral, Windsor Castle, Oxford’s colleges and the seaside fun of Brighton, then cross to the Isle of Wight for sandy beaches.

Top places to visit in South East England

Kent: Dover, Canterbury and the Garden of England

Dover Castle and the White Cliffs above the Channel, Canterbury Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage Site), orchards, oast houses and country houses around Ashford.

Brighton and the Sussex coast

The Palace Pier, the exotic Royal Pavilion, the Lanes and the chalk cliffs of the Seven Sisters.

Windsor, the Thames and Oxford

Windsor Castle, riverside towns such as Maidenhead and Henley, and the dreaming spires of Oxford.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight

Portsmouth’s historic dockyard, Hayling Island’s beaches, the New Forest with its free-roaming ponies, and the Isle of Wight, with Victorian resorts such as Shanklin.

Best time to visit South East England

May to September is best for the coast and the Isle of Wight. Spring and autumn are lovely for gardens and walks, with fewer crowds. It is one of the sunniest and driest parts of the UK.

Getting around South East England

Gatwick and Heathrow airports are both here. Fast trains from London reach Brighton, Canterbury, Dover and Oxford in about an hour or a little more. Ferries cross to the Isle of Wight from Portsmouth, Southampton and Lymington, and to France from Dover.

What to eat in South East England

Kentish apples, cherries and cider, Whitstable oysters, English sparkling wine from Sussex and Kent vineyards, and a cream tea in a village tea room.