Why visit Hastings? The English seaside town in East Sussex is just two hours from London and oozes with both history and charm. Read on to find out our top three reasons to visit Hastings.
Hastings surprised us.
We had heard of Hastings before our visit, but always in context with the famous 1066 Battle of Hastings, which ironically was fought not in Hastings but rather in the aptly named nearby town of Battle. Walking through the narrow, winding streets of Hastings is like walking through a history lesson, but more fun.
With a myriad of old buildings that span the centuries, not to mention a fishing heritage that remains vibrant to this day, Hastings has plenty to see during an afternoon stroll. And that doesn’t count the picturesque waterfront and sharp cliffs that kiss the English Channel.
On a clear day, it’s even possible to glance at France which lies in the distance.
Our Favorite Things in Hastings
For a seemingly sleepy seaside town, there’s a lot to do in Hastings. There are museums and an 11th-century castle. There’s a noteworthy art gallery. And there are loads of cute shops.
However, with less than 24 hours in Hastings, we didn’t have time to visit any of these spots. Yet, we still had a great time and can fully recommend Hastings as a fun day trip from London or, better yet, for a longer visit.
Beautiful Waterfront
The Hastings beach extends for miles, providing an ideal place for a leisurely stroll or a more active run or bike ride. We loved walking along the beach as the sun was setting, as did the families and couples enjoying picnics on the city’s boardwalk.
We also enjoyed walking on the Hastings Pier (pictured above). After a £14 million renovation completed in April 2016, the pier is the perfect spot for a waterfront stroll with options for ice cream cones and fortune-telling to boot.
Fresh Fish
Hastings is a British fishing town with a multi-generational crew of fishermen working and living the fishing life. These fishermen bring their fresh catch into town each day, where fishmongers sell the ultra-fresh fish to the public in little shacks on the Stade.
For visitors like us, fish is also available at chipperies throughout Hastings as well as at sit down restaurants.
We were tickled to meet Sonny Elliot at his Rock-A-Nore Fisheries after eating his smoked salmon for breakfast that morning. A bit of a local celebrity, Elliot took the business over from his father and is doing a fine job at keeping the fish smoking tradition alive.
Rock-A-Nore Fisheries is located at 3 & 4 Rock-A-Nore Road, Hastings, TN34 3DW, United Kingdom.
British Food
We couldn’t resist eating fish and chips in Hastings since we knew that the fish was literally plucked from the local waters that day. We had several recommendations for Maggie’s Fish Market Cafe, a local chippery located in a fishing hut on the Stade, but our timing didn’t work out. That’s how we ended up at the Blue Dolphin for some of the freshest, straight-up fish and chips we’ve ever eaten.
The Blue Dolphin is located at 61B High Street, Hastings TN34 3EJ, United Kingdom.
Keeping the fish theme going, we enjoyed a surprisingly sophisticated, locally sourced meal at the casual Pavilion Restaurant & Bar on the renovated Hastings Pier. In addition to the generously plated fresh food, highlights of the lunch included pints of local Harvey beer and conversation with our friends from The Travel Bunny.
The Pavilion Restaurant & Bar is located at 1-10 White Rock, Hastings TN34 1JU, United Kingdom.
We also shared a few small plates at The Crown, a local public house with elevated pub food and an extensive selection of beers. We opted for pints of dry cider to go with our beetroot fish cake and twice cooked chips. Sitting at the bar afforded us the perfect spot to chat with the friendly staff and people watch.
Full and tired, we capped our night at The First In Last Out where we sipped on locally produced beers and plotted our return to Southern England in general and Hastings in particular.
The Crown is located at 64-66 All Saints’ Street, Hastings TN34 3BN, United Kingdom.
The First In Last Out is located at 14-15 High Street, Hastings TN34 3EY, United Kingdom.
Book Your Hastings Hotel
There’s only one hotel where we will stay when we return to Hasting. That hotels is The Old Rectory.
This charming B&B offers the epitome of both style and comfort, and their classic breakfast of English staples, like kippers, is a gourmand’s delight. As a bonus, the hotel is conveniently located near all of Hastings’ best attractions, shops and restaurants. You can literally park the car at The Old Rectory and walk almost everywhere in Hastings.
Hungry for More in England?
Check out our articles about Portsmouth and Blenheim Palace.
About the Authors
Daryl & Mindi Hirsch
Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website and YouTube. The married Food and Travel content creators live in Lisbon, Portugal.
Original Publication Date: September 6, 2016
Amy
Thursday 8th of September 2016
That food looks amazing! I'd love to try the salmon sandwich, it looks amazing! And that waterfront is spectacular. Beautiful photos!
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Saturday 10th of September 2016
We didn't expect to see some of the beautiful cliffs, and the stone covered beaches were a lot of fun to see. Hastings has an intimacy that we really loved and some good pubs too!
Tara
Thursday 8th of September 2016
Looks like a great foodie city and the B & B looks like a cozy place to stay!
Daryl and Mindi Hirsch
Saturday 10th of September 2016
We forgot to mention that the B&B had a wonderful rear garden that you have to check out.
Cory Lee
Thursday 8th of September 2016
Okay, you've officially talked me into visiting! That food looks delicious! :)
Lara Dunning
Thursday 8th of September 2016
I've heard of Hastings, but don't know much about it outside of PBS period shows. I really enjoyed your pictures and recommendations. Sounds like a town I'd like to explore.
Kari
Wednesday 7th of September 2016
I have never been but it looks like a very special place that I must visit :)